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Whether Angelenos considered it “beloved” or “cool,” Silver Lake has routinely polled toward the very top of our annual Time Out Index, in which we ask readers around the globe to let us know what they love most about their cities.
For the second straight year, the eclectic neighborhood claimed the top spot in L.A.’s reader-voted coolest neighborhood poll—and landed Silver Lake at #21 on the list of the world’s coolest neighborhoods (a slight downgrade from last year’s 14th place finish).
Though you can single out a specific block or two elsewhere that’s sparked more excitement, no neighborhood as a whole continues to be as cool as Silver Lake. Sure, the once boho stretch of Sunset Boulevard has undergone yet another wave of gentrification as it continues to borrow more from its yuppie Westside neighbors (see: the arrival of Venice spots De Buena Planta and the Win~Dow, plus an upcoming Pizzana outpost). But Silver Lake keeps us coming back thanks to its cluster of culinary surprises, like vegan strip mall pizza at Hot Tongue, the revival of Spanish-inflected party spot Bar Moruno and the arrival of Peruvian-Japanese patio Causita (and has us looking toward the future thanks to its namesake reservoir’s small step closer to a recreation-forward makeover this year).
Looking for a whirlwind tour of some new and old highlights in the area? For starters, we suggest swinging by on a Tuesday afternoon or Saturday morning, when the Silver Lake Farmers’ Market brings superlative produce and vintage finds to Sunset Triangle Plaza. But otherwise, order a green chutney pizza at Indian-inspired spot Pijja Palace, and then pick up some non-alcoholic tonics from Soft Spirits to tote with you to a picnic at Silver Lake Meadow. A few blocks away by the border of Echo Park and Frogtown, catch a show at the Elysian, the go-to spot right now for outside-the-box comedy.
Check out the full list of the 51 coolest neighborhoods in the world here.