High St in Melbourne’s inner north named the coolest street in the world by Time Out

A vibrant street in Melbourne’s inner north has been crowned the “coolest street in the world”, knocking some of the globe’s most well-known thoroughfares from the top spot.

Running through Northcote, Thornbury and Preston, the popular hub that is High street was officially named a must-see destination by Time Out, with its restaurants, bars and lively atmosphere landing the street in first place.

To figure out the coolest streets across the globe, Time Out enlisted the help of its international team of “local expert editors and contributors”, who all made a case for the stand out streets in their city.

High Street defeated Hollywood Road in Hong Kong, East Eleventh in Austin, Guatemala Street in Buenos Aires and Commercial Drive in Vancouver, which all made up the top five coolest streets in the world.

Time Out Melbourne Editor Leah Glynn said while Melbourne has an abundance of trendy and must visit streets, High Street’s welcoming atmosphere allowed it to rise through the competition’s ranks.

“Melburnians are spoiled for choice when it comes to well-trodden thoroughfares that deliver on food, culture and fun (hello Chapel Street, Sydney Road and Smith Street, to name a few). But in 2024, the focus is on a major artery that flows through the inner-north ‘burbs of Thornbury, Northcote and Preston: High Street,” Ms Glynn said.

“It’s cool in all the ways you’d expect – epic restaurants, hidden bars, live music venues and boutique shops – but there’s also a warm sense of community spirit that means everyone feels welcome. And on the scale of coolness (and where you want to hang out all the time), we think that’s pretty important.”

The inner city street is home to a number of cafe’s, a boutique cinema, high-end clothing stores and popular restaurants and bars and has long been a well-trodden location by Melburnians and visitors from around the world.

1800 Lasagne in Thornbury and Gigi Rooftop bar are among some of the hospitality venues that draw in locals seeking a delicious meal or a drink with a view.

Time Out lifestyle writer Liv Condous said the street is one of her favourite places to visit on her days off.

“Whether it’s window shopping at the cutest boutiques, people watching while perched on a bar stool or treating myself to a tasty bowl of ramen, it’s always a good time on High Street,” Ms Condous said.

“As a music lover, it’s a true haven for me – I have the best memories of gigs at the Northcote Theatre.”

Time Out’s top 10 coolest streets in the world:

1. High Street, Melbourne

2. Hollywood Road, Hong Kong

3. East Eleventh, Austin

4. Guatemala Street, Buenos Aires

5. Commercial Drive, Vancouver

6. Jalan Petaling, Kuala Lumpur

7. Rua da Boavista, Lisbon

8. Arnaldo Quintela, Rio de Janiero

9.Chazawa-dori, Tokyo

10. Consell de Cent, Barcelona