A Vancouver street is among the ‘coolest in the world’ and it’s not Main or Commercial Drive

Time Out’s list of the Coolest Streets in the World is out for 2025, and there are two Canadian mentions recognized for their striking food, culture, and community spaces. The first is in Montreal, and the second is in Vancouver — but it’s not the one you might expect.

From the neighbourhood streets of Jakarta to Mexico City, the list leaves no stone unturned. Time Out’s global editors nominated the streets that epitomized the very best of their cities, ranking each street against criteria such as food, drink, culture, fun, and community spirit.

“We’re talking about the neighbourhood backstreets and lively avenues that locals love; the places packed with independent shops and creative people, where a brand-new hi-fi listening bar will share the space with an old-school grocer or a centuries-old pub,” says Time Out.

This year, it wasn’t Commercial Drive or Main Street that snagged a spot on the list, however much of an arts and culture juggernaut they both are. Instead, Cambie Street was recognized for best showing off Vancouver’s character, running from “Gastown’s waterfront steam clock down to the city’s highest point at Queen Elizabeth Park.” In between, Cambie Village is slowly waking up from its “sleepy” reputation, without losing its old-school charm.

Dining hotspots like Vij’s, Osteria Elio Volpe, and June got their chance to shine, as did indie rental store Video Cat and the beloved Park Theatre. The area is also speckled with neighbourhood cafes like Mighty Oak and Velo Star Cafe, and specialty shops like Cadine and Walrus Design.

Ready to explore more of the world? Here are the other “coolest streets in the world,” according to Time Out:

1. Rua do Senado, Rio de Janeiro
2. Orange Street, Osaka
3. Rua do Bonjardim, Porto
4. Fanghua Street, Chengdu
5. Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal
6. Montague Road, Brisbane
7. Maybachufer, Berlin
8. Olympou Street, Thessaloniki
9. Orchard Street, New York City
10. Vĩnh Khánh Street, Ho Chi Minh City
11. Rue de Flandre, Brussels
12. Nishihara Shotengai, Tokyo
13. Rue des Gravilliers, Paris
14. Joo Chiat Road, Singapore
15. Avenida Álvaro Obregón, Mexico City
16. Jalan Kemang Raya, Jakarta
17. Via Panisperna, Rome
18. Nakpil Street, Manila
19. Alserkal Avenue, Dubai
20. Cambie Street, Vancouver
21. Calle del Barquillo, Madrid
22. Kloof Street, Cape Town
23. Blackstock Road, London
24. Defensa Street, Buenos Aires
25. Pacific Coast Highway, Central Malibu
26. Charoen Nakhon Road, Bangkok
27. Jalan Pudu, Kuala Lumpur
28. Roscoe Street, Chicago
29. Swan Street, Melbourne
30. Boulevard Pasteur, Tangier
31. Northdown Road, Margate

What do you make of this year’s list?

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