The coolest neighbourhood in the UK has been revealed, and you might be surprised to find out where it is. Esteemed travel publication Time Out recently revealed its list of the 39 coolest neighbourhoods in the world, and one unsuspecting area in the UK managed to nab a spot this year. The publication releases this list every year, updating it with the latest areas that have become “cool.” Previous UK entries include Stokes Croft and St Paul’s in Bristol, which didn’t make the cut this year.
The UK’s “coolest” neighbourhood is found in London. However, it might not be where you think it is. When you think of edgy and cool neighbourhoods in London, your mind might go straight to places like Camden, Shoreditch, Hackney, Dalston, or Peckham. However, none of these places made the list. Instead, a small yet thriving neighbourhood in the southeast corner of London was named the coolest neighbourhood in the country.
On its list of the coolest neighbourhoods around the world, Time Out put Camberwell in London at the number four spot. The contributor, Lauren O’Neill, said of this “community-oriented little patch” for its “young-at-heart vibe, the independent spirit, the multiculturalism”.
She wrote: “One of the big draws of the place, of course, is the food. Over the years, Camberwell Church Street has become the stuff of legend, and now, it’s easily one of the heaviest-hitting roads in the capital for hungry Londoners.”
For the perfect day in Camberwell, the author recommends starting with a visit to Toad for a sandwich and a coffee, followed by the South London Art Gallery. When exploring the area, she also recommends you check out Dash the Henge for some record shopping, followed by a pint at The Clarendon.
In terms of eating, she recommends “FM Mangal for Turkish food that absolutely always hits the spot.” Camberwell beat some pretty cool destinations from around the world to nab the fourth spot.
On this year’s list, it ranks higher than places in Paris, Chicago, Lisbon and New York. There is also another UK mention on the list. Digbeth in Birmingham took the number 13 spot.
It was described by Time Out as having a “rough-edged beauty” and being the “home turf for the city’s community of writers, artists and filmmakers”.
Just across the water, a neighbourhood in the Irish capital of Dublin made the number 23 spot on the list. The Liberties, which is home to the famous Guinness Storehouse, was praised for its medieval remnants and plethora of unique and traditional bars, cafes and distilleries.
The coolest neighbourhoods in the world in 2025, according to Time Out, are:
- Jimbōchō, Tokyo
- Borgerhout, Antwerp
- Barra Funda, Sao Paulo
- Camberwell, London
- Avondale, Chicago
- Mullae-dong, Seoul
- Ménilmontant, Paris
- Nakatsu, Osaka
- Vallila, Helsinki
- Labone, Accra
- Nguyen Thai Binh, Ho Chi Minh
- Anjos, Lisbon
- Digbeth, Birmingham
- Red Hook, New York
- Perpetuo Socorro, Medellín
- Burwood, Sydney
- Linden, Johannesburg
- Former French Concession, Shanghai
- Quartieri Spagnoli, Naples
- Bencoolen, Singapore
- Endoume, Marseille
- Plateau-Mont-Royal, Montréal
- The Liberties, Dublin
- North Melbourne, Melbourne
- Portales, Mexico City
- Davenport, Toronto
- Little River, Miami
- Kemang, Jakarta
- Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro
- Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
- Barranco, Lima
- Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur
- Clarksville, Austin
- Margit-negyed, Budapest
- Glen Park, San Francisco
- MiZa, Abu Dhabi
- Villa Devoto, Buenos Aires
- Mehrauli, Delhi
- Poblacion, Metro Manila
