It’s official – Australia is officially home to the coolest street on the planet right now.
Every year, Time Out releases our annual ranking of the Coolest Streets in the World. The list is chosen with the help of our global network of local experts and contributors, who each made a case for their city’s most happening street.
There are thousands of streets in Australia that make our country the best. However, some just rise above the rest for their exciting new ventures in food, drink, nightlife and culture, making them the coolest spots you’ll want to hang out this year.
It’s no secret that Melbourne’s inner north is dominated by some pretty epic thoroughfares (both Smith Street and Gertrude Street have landed on this list in the past – in first and second place, no less), but in 2024, there’s another contender nipping at their heels. Enter High Street, which weaves through the ultra-trendy suburbs of Northcote, Thornbury and Preston, and steals the crown from Hollywood Road in Hong Kong, East Eleventh in Austin, Guatemala Street in Buenos Aires and Commercial Drive in Vancouver (which rounded out the top five, respectively).
So what makes High Street so damn cool? This is a strip that has cemented its gold medal status thanks to an abundance of offerings that appeal to both locals and visitors alike. Craving the best lasagne of your life? You need 1800 Lasagne on speed dial. Keen to take in sweeping views of suburbia at sunset with a Spritz in hand? Head to Gigi Rooftop, a teeny spot accessible only via an espresso bar. It’s a street where vintage stores and cool cafés sit comfortably alongside a food truck park and boutique indie cinema.
Sydney got a shout-out on Time Out’s Coolest Streets in the World rankings, with Foster Street in Surry Hills placing 23rd. For a little street, Foster Street packs a big punch. Along with neighbouring Campbell Street, it’s part of the inner city precinct known as the Hollywood Quarter.
Speaking of Hollywood, the area recently attracted pop superstar Taylor Swift. The singer dined at Foster Street’s Pellegrino 2000, our favourite Italian restaurant, where you can order delicious silky pasta that she would have learnt is worth risking the paparazzi for. If it's got Taylor's tick of approval, it's got ours too.
Here’s the full list of Time Out’s 30 coolest streets in the world:
- High Street, Melbourne
- Hollywood Road, Hong Kong
- East Eleventh, Austin
- Guatemala Street, Buenos Aires
- Commercial Drive, Vancouver
- Jalan Petaling, Kuala Lumpur
- Rua da Boavista, Lisbon
- Arnaldo Quintela, Rio de Janiero
- Chazawa-dori, Tokyo
- Consell de Cent, Barcelona
- Bree Street, Cape Town
- Oranienstraße, Berlin
- Fifth Avenue, Park Slope, New York City
- Ban Tad Thong, Bangkok
- East 3rd Street, Los Angeles
- Rua Sá de Noronha, Porto
- Gerrard Street, London
- Conde Duque Street, Madrid
- Bucareli, Mexico City
- Rue de Belleville, Paris
- 18th Street, Chicago
- Camden Street, Dublin
- Foster Street, Sydney
- Songridan-gil, Seoul
- Quang An Street, Tay Ho, Hanoi
- Miracle Mile, Miami
- Saint-Hubert Plaza, Montreal
- Troon Street, Athens
- Cecil Street, Singapore
- L.P Leviste Street, Manila