What makes a place cool in 2025? Time Out, which recently published its list of the world’s coolest neighborhoods, defined the hippest spots as “places that represent the soul of our cities, while maintaining their own unique local character that draws people in to live, work, and play.”
With this in mind, the outlet tapped its global network of writers and editors for nominations and then ranked 39 neighborhoods based on culture, community, livability, nightlife, food and drink, street life, and “sense of ‘nowness.’”
Topping the list is Jimbōchō in Tokyo, renowned for its cozy coffeehouses, curry restaurants, music clubs, and 130 secondhand bookstores. Beginning next month, the “bibliophile nirvana” will host its annual used books festival, where city streets turn into a sprawling open-air library (one more thing to add to the bucket list!).
If you’re planning a trip, Time Out also advises stopping at Sabouru: a coffee shop dating back to 1955 that boasts tiki-inspired decor, and serves up colorful cream sodas along with its signature pizza toast. Yon, a bar and listening space, and Cocktail Works Jinbocho, a cocktail bar known for its craft gin collection, are other must-sees.
Pizza Gallery in Borgerhout, Antwerp
The world’s second-coolest neighborhood brings us to Antwerp, Belgium. Northeast of the city’s historic center, the streets of Borgerhout feature Moroccan grocers, Turkish bakeries, contemporary art galleries, and a generally creative community. Third on the list is Barra Funda in São Paulo, Brazil, the “alternative soul” of the city, according to Time Out editor Lívia Breves. Here you’ll find warehouses and auto shops that have been repurposed into studios and cafes, exemplifying how the area’s “industrial history meets an undeniably cool and creative vibe.”
Fourth place goes to the Camberwell neighborhood in London, spotlighted for outstanding food options (like Lebanese falafel wraps and viennoiserie) and its fun, “independent spirit.” And in fifth, we see our first U.S. appearance on the list: Avondale, Chicago, a more affordable alternative to the city’s trendy Logan Square. Just a few miles northwest, Avondale teems with small businesses like Polish sausage shops, hidden bars, and retro bowling alleys.
Avondale, Chicago
The next-coolest neighborhoods are Mullae-dong in Seoul, South Korea (sixth); Ménilmontant in Paris (seventh); Nakatsu in Osaka, Japan (eighth); and Vallila in Helsinki (ninth). Rounding out the top 10 is Labone in Accra, Ghana, a once-quiet area laden with mango trees that has come to host a vibrant hipster community over the past two decades.
Curious if your area made this year’s list? See the remaining 29 ’hoods.
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