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Every year, Time Out’s global network of local writers and experts scour cities worldwide to pinpoint where locals are experiencing the best of their hometowns – the spots where food, art, and culture create an irresistible mix that keeps people coming back. This year, Jalan Besar takes the top spot in Singapore, placing 20th on Time Out’s global Coolest Neighbourhoods list.
Frankly, Jalan Besar has always been cool – just not necessarily in the headline-grabbing way of other hip districts in Singapore. But walking down the streets here, you can never deny where you are thanks to its jumble of pre-war shophouses, Art Deco buildings, industrial workshops, clan associations, decades-old eateries, and in the past two years, more and more creative studios, indie shops, and contemporary cafés. The neighbourhood embraces it all effortlessly.
You can spend a day in Jalan Besar walking through history. Go on a photography trail to snap the Petain Road shophouses and pre-war conservation houses in the district, or simply wander around to see old trades in action at auto-garages and woodworking shops. Jalan Besar Stadium, the birthplace of Singapore football, still holds local and regional matches. We also always recommend a visit to Chye Seng Huat Hardware for a mean cup of coffee – it’s not quite old-school, but nevertheless the granddaddy of third-wave coffee culture in the hood, and the spot where the first Brew daytime party took place courtesy of Darker Than Wax. Down the road, Druggists has been pouring craft beers out of a historic association building for at least a decade.
What makes Jalan Besar cool right now is the growing creative community that’s slotting into this scene. The Fashion Pulpit runs a circular fashion hub where you can swap pre-loved clothes, and also organises a neighbourhood trail leading you to gems like vintage store Loop Garms, Nusantara textile art gallery aNERDgallery, and popular bakery La Levain. It’s collaborated with café and creative hub Average Service, which itself is building the House of Average – a co-living concept for artists, makers, and anyone who needs a space to imagine and create. Last year, community activation Find Your Folks transformed Hamilton Road into a massive block party of skate jams, local design installations, and thrift markets – and it’s coming back in late 2027 or early 2028.
And hey, every great neighbourhood needs fantastic food. And you can knock yourself out eating from day to the wee hours of the morning in Jalan Besar. Traditional favourites include the underrated Berseh Food Centre for epok epok, ice kachang, and rare dishes like pig’s trotter jelly; Ming Chung Restaurant for Henghwa cuisine; Beach Road Scissor Cut Curry Rice for messy plates of curry rice; and post-party dim sum at Swee Choon restaurants. There are plenty of cafés and restaurants too: new ones like Space 23, Moonchild and Habibi-san, plus established gems like Cheeselads and Abundance.
If you ask us, Jalan Besar’s organic, multi-layered charm deserves a proper wander to fully appreciate – read our guide to Jalan Besar to get started on things to see, eat, drink, and shop in the cool hood.
Top 10 coolest neighbourhoods in the world for 2026, according to Time Out:
- Jongno 3-ga, Seoul
- L'Ocean District, Rabat
- Neos Kosmos, Athens
- Chinatown, Los Angeles
- Govanhill, Glasgow
- Kitakagaya, Osaka
- Chapinero Alto, Bogotá
- Koenji, Tokyo
- Downtown, St. Catharines
- Esquilino, Rome
- Russafa, Valencia
- Tân Ðįnh, Ho Chi Minh City
- São Bento, Lisbon
- Talat Noi, Bangkok
- Slakthusområdet, Stockholm
- Humayunpur, Delhi
- Laranjeiras, Rio de Janeiro
- West Town, Chicago
- Rákóczi tér, Budapest
- Jalan Besar, Singapore
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