Belfast-raised Oliver Jeffers liked New York from the first time he visited a summer camp upstate as a boy. And he still liked it when he relocated there full time to pursue his craft after the commercial success and slew of awards following his first few children’s books—even though he and his girlfriend didn’t really know their neighbours.

“People were always moving in and out of our Manhattan building; it was hard to get to know anyone,” he says.

But the author and illustrator of such kids’ classics as How to Catch a Star (2004), Lost and Found (2005) and this year’s The Heart and the Bottle, really fell for New York when he moved to Brooklyn Heights across the East River almost two years ago.

Besides the epic views of Manhattan’s skyline, he revels in an abundance of culinary gems, cycling trails and an artist community that inspires its own. Small wonder then that Jeffers is one of its biggest cheerleaders.

“Everything that’s exciting in New York is happening in Brooklyn,” he says.

Here’s where the hottest star in children’s picture books fuels his creative fire.

Coffee

“Cafe Pedlar is a weekend treat for me,” Jeffers says of the Viennese-style coffee house specializing in Old World desserts like strudels and tortes. “There’s a farmers market six blocks down, so it’s a good place to meet friends.” (210 Court St.; 718-855-7129; cafepedlar.com)

More Coffee

“If I need a bit of pep during the week, I’ll walk over and have an espresso at Building on Bond—Italian-style to just refresh the brain—and sit there and take stock.” (112 Bond St.; 347-853-8687)

Reads

Photo: Daniel Huggard

“Bookcourt is a great independent bookstore. There are so few of them left. They have a fantastic kids selection as well. We go in there with our friend’s three-year-old and she loves it.” (163 Court St.; 718-875-3677; bookcourt.org)

Home Cooking

“Our new apartment has a great kitchen, so I stop off on my way home from the studio to see what Fish Tales Gourmet Seafood Market has. We’ve never had a dull meal that started there.” (191A Court St.; 718-246-1346; fishtalesonline.com)

Dinner

“Noodle Pudding is this Italian restaurant that changes its specials every day. It’s real cheap and is one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to. We never order. The waiter comes over and I ask what’s good, and they just feed us.”
(38 Henry St.; 718-625-3737)

Outdoor

Photo: Daniel Huggard

“When I first visited New York, a friend took me to the Brooklyn Promenade for the best view of the city. Today, our apartment backs right onto it and whenever we have friends over for a meal, we don’t have any outdoor space, so we just go there and congregate.” (South of the Brooklyn Bridge)

Shop

Photo: Daniel Huggard

“I love the Brooklyn Flea market in Fort Greene. My fiancée, Suzanne, cringes whenever we go there. If it’s old and orange and leather, I’ll buy it. It has great old clothes, too. It’s exactly what it promises.” (176 Lafayette Ave.; brooklynflea.com)

Drink

“The Brooklyn Inn is a great neighbourhood bar—a classic bar. It’s close to my studio and has a great mix of people.” (148 Hoyt St.; 718-522-2525)

Main photo: Paul Stein