Jongno 3-ga, a historic district in Seoul known for its traditional architecture, independent businesses, and late-night food stalls has been named the world’s coolest neighbourhood for 2026.
The neighbourhood tops the annual Time Out ranking of 40 districts nominated by the magazine’s global network of local experts and assessed by a panel of its editors for “food and drink, nightlife, unique local businesses, liveability, and community”.
Jongno 3-ga was followed by L’Ocean District in Rabat and Neos Kosmos in Athens, with Chinatown in Los Angeles and Govanhill in Glasgow completing the top five.
Jongno 3-ga was previously ranked third in the 2021 list.
It is located in the heart of Seoul and is characterised by narrow lanes lined with traditional hanok houses, which sit alongside cafés, restaurants, craft shops, and bars.
Inside the district, Ikseon-dong has become one of the city’s best-known neighbourhoods, transforming from a fading residential area into a busy destination as businesses have moved into its old houses. The hanok in the area were built in the 1920s as relatively small homes. Many remain preserved among the maze of alleyways.
After dark, another side of the neighbourhood emerges. Jongno 3-ga is known for its pojangmacha or pocha, which are tented street stalls serving inexpensive food and drinks.
The stalls have been part of Seoul’s street culture for decades, and in Ikseon-dong they have continued to draw younger crowds seeking dishes such as savoury pancakes, grilled seafood, and sannakji, or live octopus.
In second place, L’Ocean District in the Moroccan capital is a seaside neighbourhood overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, where a palm-lined promenade, beaches, and sports pitches meet low-rise residential streets. It has a strong local character.
Neos Kosmos, a neighbourhood between the Acropolis and the Athenian Riviera, has developed a reputation for contemporary culture while retaining its older, residential character.
The Onassis Stegi cultural centre has helped make the area a destination for exhibitions, performances, and public events, while restaurants, bars and independent businesses have proliferated.
Chinatown in Los Angeles combines a history stretching back to the late 19th century with a newer wave of restaurants, bars, galleries, and creative businesses. Its Central Plaza remains a focal point, while the nearby LA State Historic Park hosts concerts, film screenings, and a farmers’ market.
Govanhill, Glasgow, is a densely populated southside neighbourhood known for its mix of established immigrant communities, independent businesses, and community organisations.
The area has one of the highest proportions of ethnic minority residents in the city, with 44.1 per cent recorded in the 2022 census. Its cultural scene includes the Glasgow Zine Library and independent bookshops, alongside long-standing restaurants and shops serving the area’s diverse communities.
Tokyo lost the top spot it held last year, when its book-filled Jinbōchō district was named the world’s coolest neighbourhood for 2025.
Japan still has two entries in this year’s top 10, however, with Osaka’s Kitakagaya at No 6 and Tokyo’s Koenji at No 8. Kitakagaya, a former shipbuilding district, has seen disused factories and warehouses converted into art spaces and studios, while Koenji, once a centre of Tokyo’s punk scene, is known for its independent shops, record stores, bars and live music venues.
