If you know, you know: the coolest streets in the world have been revealed, and Montreal has topped the list again.
Exploring a city’s main tourist attractions is all well and good, but it's when you stumble over a hidden side street or discover a leafy avenue that you truly grasp a city's essence. Streets serve as the pulse of local life; they're where communities gather, new businesses flourish, and city dwellers socialize and unwind.
Which streets around the world stand out right now? To answer this question, Time Out consulted our expert team of local editors and contributors worldwide.
Each championed the coolest street in their respective city, and after careful consideration, we curated a definitive list of the most captivating avenues, lanes, alleys, and boulevards across the globe in 2024.
The best part? Montreal made the top 30.
What is the coolest street in the world?
High Street, Melbourne, ranked number one on the world’s coolest street. Located in Melbourne's inner north, connecting trendy suburbs like Northcote, Thornbury, and Preston, High Street has emerged as a vibrant destination in 2024.
Accessible via the 86 tram line from the CBD, it offers diverse local businesses from authentic Portuguese tarts at Casa Nata to late-night entertainment at Francesca’s Bar. Highlights include the signature lasagne at 1800 Lasagne, drinks at the exclusive Gigi Rooftop,and catching live gigs at venues like Northcote Social Club.
What street in Montreal was ranked one of the coolest streets in the world?
Thanks to its fresh new look and a slew of buzzy new restaurants and killer bar openings (we dare you not to fall in love with this country-themed saloon), Plaza St. Hubert is officially the coolest place to be in Montreal right now.
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A Latin enclave and hipster hotspot, Saint-Hubert Plaza is partly covered with a glass roof, making it ripe for exploring whatever the season. Stroll between the landmarks of Art Mûr, a three-storey art gallery, and the brunch spot Le Toaster, and you’ll hit on a Villeray section of Saint-Hubert Street that’s totally unique in the city.
There’s everything from top-tier Mexican street food, tiki bars and prom dress shops to bookstores, thrift stores and made-in-Montréal streetwear stops like Pony.
For something a little fancy food-wise, Montréal Plaza (one of the city's best restaurants) by Toqué! alums doles out small plates and fine wines in a fantastically decorated space, but most of Saint-Hubert Plaza’s vibe is deliciously relaxed.
The strip is also home to some of the city’s buzziest new restaurants: Marci Sur La Plaza (for pizza and natural wines) and Juliette Plaza (expect a nostalgic, extremely accessible menu with a high culinary IQ by the folks at Montreal Plaza).
Don’t miss the gorditas, burritos and tortas de chilaquiles at Place Juárez which draw crowds out the door. There’s also spag bol with a side of Texas Ranch Water at Spaghetti Western (and a healthy serving of honky tonk and line-dancing), or the pillowy dumplings at La Maison de Mademoiselle Dumplings.
Wash it all down with anything tropical from the black-lit Snowbird Tiki Bar. Whether it’s the house Mai Tai or the sharing Scorpion Bowl, this favourite spot will take you to a very special place. After bowling and beers with friends at Quilles G Plus, just off the strip, catch a show at Ausgang Plaza.
What other Montreal streets have ranked the coolest in the world?
Montreal’s rue Wellington recently topped the list at number one, thanks to its undeniable cool factor (case and point: don’t miss the street’s gigantic free sugar shack festival).
With one of the city’s best restaurants at one end, and one of the best new restaurants at the other—plus a slew of bars, cult coffee shops and family-friendly spots in between—throw in a tuk-tuk service and a sandy beach smack in the middle and you’ve got one of the coolest streets on the planet.
What other streets made the global ranking?
Commercial Drive in Vancouver also made the global ranking, coming in at number 5. The top 10 coolest streets are as follows:
1. High Street, Melbourne
2. Hollywood Road, Hong Kong
3. East Eleventh, Austin, Texas
4. Guatemala Street, Buenos Aires, Argentina
5. Commercial Drive, Vancouver, Canada
6. Jalan Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
7. Rua da Boavista, Lisbon, Portugal
8. Arnaldo Quintela, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
9. Chazawa-dori, Tokyo, Japan
10. Consell de Cent, Barcelona, Spain
For more information about Time Out’s World’s Coolest Streets ranking, click here.
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