Time Out Names the Coolest Neighbourhoods in the World for 2025
Time Out’s annual ranking of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods is out, celebrating the places where culture, food, nightlife, and community collide, and where independent businesses thrive. From village-like enclaves to revitalised creative hubs, these districts capture the soul of their cities—and this year, Jimbōchō in Tokyo takes the crown.
1. Jimbōchō, Tokyo
Jimbōchō is Tokyo’s university quarter and bibliophile paradise, with over 130 second-hand bookstores tucked into charming low-rise buildings. Retro cafés, intimate music clubs, and award-winning curry houses give it a layered, electric energy. Wander through Isseido Booksellers or Stacks Bookstore, sip coffee at Sabor or Walkabout Coffee, then finish the day with curry at Curry Bondy and a craft gin cocktail at Cocktail Works Jinbocho. Time Out praises Jimbōchō for blending history, student energy, and indie creativity into a truly unique neighbourhood experience.
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2. Borgerhout, Antwerp
Borgerhout, or “BoHo,” is Antwerp’s creative heartbeat. A multicultural district of Turkish and Moroccan grocers, vegan cafés, artist-run galleries, and leafy terraces, it’s defined by collaboration and community. Explore galleries like Base-Alpha and Lichtekooi, shop at BorgerHub, and grab a beer at Bar Leon. Four times a year, Borger Nocturne turns the streets into a late-night cultural playground, highlighting the neighbourhood’s DIY spirit.
3. Barra Funda, São Paulo
Once an industrial district, Barra Funda is now São Paulo’s alternative cultural hub. Converted warehouses host cafés, art galleries, and nightclubs. Spend the day at the Mendes Wood gallery or shop for modern Brazilian furniture at Verniz, and come evening, enjoy cocktails at Água e Biscoito or music at Mamãe Bar. Barra Funda’s industrial charm, combined with creative energy, makes it a must-visit for lovers of art, music, and unique dining.
4. Camberwell, London
Camberwell captures southeast London’s independent spirit and multicultural energy. Food is a major draw: from Silk Road’s Xinjiang cuisine to Falafel and Shawarma and Kurdish delights at Nandine. Art lovers can explore South London Gallery, then pick up vinyl at Dash the Henge before finishing the day at The Bear for dancing. Camberwell’s charm lies in its mix of community, culture, and a thriving local food scene.
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5. Avondale, Chicago
Nicknamed “Bricktown,” Avondale blends historic Polish and Latino heritage with new wine bars, music venues, and wellness studios. Stroll Milwaukee Avenue for record shopping at Bric-a-Brac, pastries at Loaf Lounge, and coffee at Magnifico Coffee Roasters. Nightlife comes alive at Podlasie Club and Central Park Bar, while colorful architecture and working-class roots keep the neighbourhood grounded.
6. Mullae-dong, Seoul
Mullae-dong is Seoul’s artsy industrial enclave. Former steel factories now house cafés, galleries, jazz bars, and creative studios. Grab coffee at PONT Mullae, make your own perfume at Memoire, and enjoy Korean raw beef tartare at JUJUM JUNMU. Flickering neon and mural-covered streets give Mullae-dong a gritty, artistic atmosphere, ideal for culture seekers and creative explorers alike.
7. Ménilmontant, Paris
Once a village of vineyards and guinguettes, later a bustling working-class suburb, Ménilmontant has managed to keep its eclectic spirit alive in 2025. Wander along Boulevard de Ménilmontant and Rue des Pyrénées, duck into cobblestone side streets, and explore former workers’ housing estates—you won’t find grand museums here, but you will discover the heartbeat of everyday Paris: cheap beers, activist bookshops, and street art around every corner. Head toward Saint-Maur station, and the scene shifts: this is where Paris’s next-generation food culture simmers, with standout spots like Oobatz, Lissit, and La Joie, proving Ménilmontant can be both gritty and gastronomically brilliant.
8. Nakatsu, Osaka
Just a 10-minute stroll from the sleek towers and luxury hotels of Umeda, Osaka’s bustling business and shopping hub, Nakatsu feels like a pocket of the past tucked into the present. A retro shopping street snakes through a compact district of wooden houses, mom-and-pop shops, and centuries-old shrines, all nestled along narrow, slightly chaotic alleys lined with clusters of potted plants. But don’t be fooled by the old-world charm—Nakatsu is buzzing with creative energy. One of Osaka’s most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods, it’s home to quirky boutiques, tiny experimental cafés and bars, and Osaka Food Lab, a hidden space under the railway tracks where local chefs push the boundaries of culinary innovation.
9. Vallila, Helsinki
Once home to tram drivers and factory workers, Vallila has quietly transformed into one of Helsinki’s most captivating neighbourhoods. Its old industrial halls and repair shops now hum with restaurants, bars, and clubs that exude gritty charm. While nearby Kallio often steals the spotlight, Vallila feels cooler, calmer, and unexpectedly romantic. Between the bustling streets of Mäkelänkatu and Teollisuuskatu lies Puu-Vallila, a collection of early twentieth-century wooden houses where strolling down the lanes feels like stepping into a different world. Nestled among the pastel façades, Pikku-Vallila stands out as perhaps the coziest, most character-filled bar in the city—a perfect spot to soak in the neighbourhood’s unique mix of history and modern flair.
10. Labone, Accra
Back in 2008, Labone was a quiet residential area, known mostly for its bungalows and mango trees. Today, it’s transformed into a vibrant hotspot, with happy-hour pubs, galleries, wine bars, and boutique shops drawing in creative professionals and expats alike. The influx of trendsetters has sparked a culinary boom, from Bosphorus Restaurant to Taco Tuesdays at La Borracha, alongside local favourites like Vine and Brasa. The recently opened Limbo design and architecture museum, set in a once-abandoned brutalist estate, hints at even bigger things ahead. As night falls, Labone comes alive with a buzzing nightlife scene, where dance clubs and lounges keep the city’s in-the-know crowd entertained well into the early hours.
You can discover the rest of the list via Time Out.
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