When you think of Brooklyn, well-documented neighbourhoods like Bedford-Stuyvesant and Park Slope first come to mind. Williamsburg, too. But how about Fort Greene?

Just a stone’s throw from better-known Brooklyn ‘hoods, Fort Greene is quickly becoming an in-demand spot for socializing, shopping and noshing.

Anchored by the Brooklyn Academy of Music (a multipurpose performing arts centre) and home to a many contemporary musicians and actors, including Jeffrey Wright, Adrian Grenier and Keri Russell, Fort Greene’s cultural bona fides are solid.

The current evolution of the neighbourhood is being fuelled by an influx of creative professionals, young families, and European expats, many of whom have decamped from Manhattan.

Yet despite the gentrification, Fort Greene has largely held onto its African-American roots. Happily, the massive hipster revamp that’s currently transforming other parts of Brooklyn beyond recognition has not prevailed here.

But note: several high-rise apartments are launching on the periphery of the neighbourhood. Things will no doubt continue to evolve here, but I’m willing to bet Fort Greene won’t lose its identity along the way.

Just to be sure, though, make it your business to explore this uber-cool neighbourhood—sooner rather than later:

Yu Interiors

After 27 years in banking, Fort Greene resident Ludlow Beckett opened Yu Interiors, a gorgeous gift shop, in 1999. More than half of Yu’s inventory is made up of 50s/60s vintage home wares.

There are some true pieces of art here, including enormous mid-century sculptural lamps by the Laurel Lamp Company. Beckett’s sharp eye for good design extends to Yu’s new items, which include domestic essentials like hand-etched drinking glasses by Roost, a selection of beautiful coffee table books, and pine soap from Sweden.

Greenlight Book Store

It takes chutzpah to open a small independent bookstore in the middle of a recession. When Jessica Stockton Bagnulo and Rebecca Fitting opened Greenlight Books in the autumn of 2009, the local reaction was overwhelming.

The bookstore was an overnight hit, and immediately garnered loyalty throughout the neighbourhood. Here you’ll find a solid range of general interest titles, with especially strong fiction, children’s, and graphic novel sections. Greenlight also focuses on local authors and books of relevance to Brooklyn and New York City.

Abistro

Chef Abdoul Gueye’s offers up Senegalese-French fusion at Abistro, a virtually unmarked restaurant that is very stylish and very friendly. You might have trouble finding it, but once you do, try the ridiculously good Senegalese fried chicken with a rice cake and a sharp Dijon sauce. The space is minimalist and beautiful, bathed at night in atmospheric lighting.

A warning: Abistro does not have a liquor license. But waiters will gladly uncork wine bought at Gnarly Vines around the corner.

Brooklyn Flea

Summertime Saturday mornings come alive in Fort Greene at the Brooklyn Flea, a traditional flea market with two features that take it over the top—plenty of local, small-scale artisan producers, on the one hand, and a number of truly outstanding food carts on the other. During the winter, the Brooklyn Flea relocates to the Williamsburgh Trust Building at Atlantic and Flatbush.

My favourite picks from Brooklyn Flea?

• The jams of Anarchy In A Jar
• The spicy Asian-influenced hot dogs of Asia Dog
• The exquisite mobile wood-fired pizzas of Pizzamoto Brooklyn

Madiba

The flavours and spirit of South Africa are given free reign at Madiba. You can sample South African specialties, including distinctive curries, bunny chow, and boerewors (sausage).

Weekend brunch, which is surprisingly quiet, is one of the neighbourhood’s best-kept secrets. The restaurant is something of a meeting place for expat South Africans in the New York City area. There’s even a small shop corner selling South African products like Peck’s Anchovette, a salty fish paste. It tastes a lot better than it sounds.

Smooch

The appearance of this Australian-run café is the surest sign that the neighbourhood takes its coffee seriously. Smooch’s very fine flat whites do the trick nicely. The cramped, atmospheric café also serves a range of sandwiches, including a fantastic vegan number that could win over even the most committed carnivore.

And don’t be confused if Smooch instills a sense of déjà-vu. Café scenes in the HBO drama Bored to Death were shot on site.

Stuart & Wright

Alec Stuart and Celeste Wright opened this gorgeous boutique in 2006. Stuart & Wright showcases an in-house line, mostly womenswear, and a range of stylish labels that speak perfectly to this neo-preppy, back-to-basics moment. Plaids by Engineered Garments share racks with Acne, APC, Isabel Marant, and Rachel Comey.

The shop’s meticulously curated jewelry selection highlights local designers. Standouts include beaded earrings by Philadelphia-based Lila Stuempfig and dramatic necklaces by Lizzie Fortunato.

Moe’s

A cute bar with a pop art-meets Americana aesthetic, Moe’s is Fort Greene’s year-round epicentre of relaxed hipsterism—yes, it’s a term. The bar is packed to the gills on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays with an ebullient crowd from the neighbourhood and beyond.

During the week, Moe’s provides a more sedate drinking den for locals. Competition for Fort Greene’s hip young things is provided by Habana Outpost during the warmer months, while the current vogue for complicated cocktails can be satisfied at the bar at No. 7 Restaurant. Bonus: both spots are within stumbling distance from Moe’s.

Fort Greene Park

Fort Greene’s crowning glory is the beautiful 30-acre Fort Greene Park, named after Revolutionary War General Nathaniel Greene. Established in 1847 as Brooklyn’s first park, Fort Greene Park was redesigned in the 1860s by Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux, and again in the early 20th Century.

This second major renovation saw the unveiling of the Prison Ship Martyrs Monument, a memorial to thousands who perished on British prison ships during the Revolutionary War. On Saturdays, the park’s southeastern corner hosts a lively year-round Greenmarket Farmer’s Market. During spring and autumn, an Artisan Market that’s focused on the crafts and artwork of local creatives sets up adjacent to the Greenmarket.

Cakeman Raven

A dizzying number of thick slices of Southern-style red velvet cake fill Cakeman Raven’s display cases, begging childlike fantasies of beds made entirely of cake. A Brooklyn institution, Cakeman Raven is known for his very dramatic “edible replica” cake creations, made to order.

While these bespoke cakes may have gained Cakeman Raven a sizeable celebrity fan base, it’s the standard red velvet model that lures a steady stream of customers.