Jongno 3-ga in Seoul is #1. Los Angeles, Chicago and New York neighborhoods rank among the world's coolest
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LA's Chinatown landed at No. 4 worldwide. Two more American neighborhoods made the 40.
Time Out published its ranking of the 40 coolest neighborhoods in the world on Wednesday, and three of them are in the United States.
Los Angeles's Chinatown placed highest, at No. 4. "With its pagoda-style roofs, hanging lanterns and pedestrian plazas, LA's Chinatown strikes a balance between honouring its history and consistently reinventing itself with splashy new restaurants and nightlife spots," Time Out wrote.
West Town in Chicago came in at No. 18. Time Out described the West Side neighborhood as "shaped by German, Polish, Ukrainian and Russian immigrants" and "home to some of Chicago's most exciting culinary, art and cultural scenes."
The Financial District in New York took No. 28. "What was once the centre of NYC's business world has now become its new 'it' neighbourhood," the magazine wrote.
Jongno 3-ga in Seoul topped the list as the world's coolest neighborhood. Time Out credited a nighttime revival driven by pochas, the tented street bars that stay open late, in a district where century-old hanok houses had already drawn crowds to themed cafes and restaurants.
L'Ocean District in Rabat, Morocco, was second, followed by Neos Kosmos in Athens. Govanhill in Glasgow rounded out the top five.
A panel of Time Out editors vetted each neighborhood "against a range of criteria, including food and drink, nightlife, unique local businesses, liveability and community," the magazine said.
Other entries included Kitakagaya in Osaka, Koenji in Tokyo, Chapinero Alto in Bogota, and Esquilino in Rome. Downtown St. Catharines, Ontario, placed ninth.
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Frequently asked
Which US neighborhoods made Time Out's 2026 coolest list?
Three. Chinatown in Los Angeles at No. 4, West Town in Chicago at No. 18, and the Financial District in New York at No. 28.
What is the coolest neighborhood in the world for 2026?
Jongno 3-ga in Seoul. Time Out pointed to a late-night revival driven by pochas, the tented street bars, in a district already known for century-old hanok houses converted into themed cafes and restaurants.
How does Time Out pick the coolest neighborhoods?
A panel of Time Out editors ranks nominations against criteria including food and drink, nightlife, unique local businesses, liveability, and community, drawing on input from writers and editors based in cities around the world.