A really good street is somewhere that you can amble around all day long. It’s somewhere lined with independent shops and creative hubs (with little-to-no big high-street chains) – a stretch of places that the local community is truly proud of. So, every year at Time Out, we like to shine a spotlight on the most world’s most exciting streets.
For this year’s list of the Coolest Streets in the World, Time Out’s global network of editors and experts first nominated stretches that they thought epitomise the very best of their hometown. Our travel team then narrowed the longlist down to 31, and ranked each street according to its offering of food, drink, culture, fun and community spirit.
Among the colourful avenues and alleyways in Rio de Janeiro, Osaka, Berlin and New York City, two UK streets made it onto the final list: London’s Blackstock Road (which you can read all about here) and Margate’s Northdown Road.
Northdown, which landed in 31st place, is the main street running between Margate’s old town and the fashionable Cliftonville (a former Time Out coolest neighbourhood). Our local contributor Rachel Mills said: ‘The area fell on hard times in the 1980s and has been making a slow-and-steady comeback ever since – today, it has an edgy feel not unlike a street you’d find in east London.’
There are more than 50 indie shops lining the road – Rachel gave special mentions to vintage shops LJW Antiques, Tat Agent and Cliftonville Junktion, homeware treasure trove Clueit Webb Interiors and handmade jewellery shops Reo Jewels and Jayne Fowler.
Northdown’s lineup of eateries and drinking holes is just as brilliant. Several of its restaurants are on our list of Margate’s best, including Middle-Eastern café-diner The Good Egg and chic wine bar Sète. Rachel added that 101 Social, a community space serving sourdough pizza and pay-what-you-want Sunday lunch, is particularly worthy of a shout-out. And to quench your thirst, stop by the street’s newest pub, The Last Light.
One of the best times of year to visit Northdown Road is in July. That’s when the street hosts its annual block party with live music and DJs, with local businesses getting involved offering exclusive deals, one-off dishes and special exhibitions. We’ll see you there.
See Time Out’s full list of the world’s coolest streets for 2025 here.
Plus: Our pick of the coolest neighbourhoods in the UK for 2025.
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