Toronto fails to register on latest list of world's coolest neighbourhoods
Time Out’s 2024 list of the 38 coolest neighbourhoods in the world is here, and Toronto failed to make it onto the ranking.
Little Italy, Kensington Market, Parkdale—it’s more than fair to say that Toronto is home to its fair share of cool neighbourhoods, but according to Time Out, a UK-based media company, none of them are quite cool enough to rank among the world’s heavy-hitters.
To create the ranking, Time Out, which has teams in cities across the world, polled its various global writers on what neighbourhoods are the coolest in the world. This is not exactly a scientifically sound process, but then again, can you really quantify coolness?
In any event, the results are in, and apparently (though I’m inclined to disagree), even the neighbourhoods most riddled with chic urbanites, natural wine bottle shops, overpriced vintage stores and teeny tiny dogs, like Ossington, which Time Out previously ranked among the coolest streets in the world, just didn’t make the cut.
There is one neighbourhood representing Canada on the list, though, and it may not come as a surprise.
Montreal’s Saint-Henri ranked 13th on the list, earning points for its bustling restaurant scene, which is rife with foodie favourites, its location right on the Lachine Canal, and trendy activities like axe-throwing, rock climbing, and escape rooms.
Which neighbourhood is the coolest of them all, you ask? According to Time Out’s contributors, it’s Marseille, France’s Notre-Dame-du-Mont, thanks to its colourful, graffiti-mottled streets, “rebellious spirit,” and the diverse crowd that frequents its parks, restaurants and galleries.
Other neighbourhoods that made the cut include Príncipe Real in Lisbon, Pererenan in Bali, Little River in Miami and Gakugeidaigaku, Tokyo.
It’ll be another year before Time Out publishes its next ranking of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world, so Toronto still has plenty of time to up its cool factor.