Time Out’s annual list of coolest neighbourhoods in the world has just dropped – and the Sydney suburb of Burwood placed in the top 20 – at spot number 16. That makes this diverse, Inner West suburb Australia’s coolest neighbourhood (the only other Australian ’hood to rank on the top neighbourhoods list was North Melbourne, which placed at number 24).
How did the rankings come about? Time Out surveyed its network of writers and editors across its huge breadth of cities to narrow down the vibiest districts in their hometowns. They then ranked every neighbourhood against criteria including culture, community, liveability, nightlife, food and drink, street life and ‘nowness’. The neighbourhoods on the list are places where the streets are alive day and night. Where culture and affordable food and drink can be found on every corner. Where diversity is championed and independent businesses thrive. Put simply, the world’s coolest neighbourhoods are places that represent the soul of our cities, while maintaining their own unique local character.
Burwood certainly ticks these boxes, and it ranked above neighbourhoods in cities such as Naples, Marseille, Montréal and Mexico City.
Despite being 12km west of the CBD, Burwood is pumping at night – all neon-lit and filled with people – which is why this year it was designated as one of Sydney’s new ‘Special Entertainment Precincts’ (where late-night-trading regulations and red tape reduced, where individual’s noise complaints can’t shut down venues, and incentives for after-dark entertainment are introduced).
Burwood is Australia’s fifth most diverse community – and yep, with that comes some of Sydney’s best food. Chinese cuisines dominate – as well as a range of fantastic standalone restaurants, it recently became home to the colourful hawker-style market, Burwood Chinatown, which is open day and night, and also features special Night Markets every Thursday to Sunday (5pm to 11pm).
Some of our fave Chinese restaurants in Burwood include Xi'an Eatery for soft, thick, oil-slicked biang biang noodles (pictured below), and Cheng’s Xi’an Traditional Foods for fragrant, juicy potstickers. But as well as Chinese, you’ll also find some of the city’s best Malaysian, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese and Turkish eats. Oh, and of course, bubble tea (Hey Tea is our pick, but there are so many great spots).
Burwood is also a beautiful place during the day – especially in leafy Burwood Park, where you’ll find kids playing cricket, oldies doing tai chi on the grass, couples sitting by the waterhole, and dance groups keeping cultural traditions alive under the cover of the pergoda.
Want to check out Burwood? Start by getting a coffee at the very trendy Pillar, a wabi-sabi café serving specialty coffee from local micro-roasters (pictured below). Drink it in the peaceful action of Burwood Park, before lunching in the sun at The Picnic Burwood (bye, boring café food – they’ve got dishes like a katsu beef sando, kimchi carbonara udon and seafood conchiglie pasta). The aforementioned Burwood Chinatown is the place to go for dinner and a wander around the buzzing Night Markets. And if you want to see Burwood Chinatown in full force, come for the Lunar New Year celebrations (in February 2026).
Want to know which suburb topped the global list of Coolest Neighbourhoods? Jimbōchō in Tokyo was named coolest neighbourhood in the whole world. This historic university enclave and wonderland for book lovers (it’s home to 130 second-hand bookstores) is high energy thanks to the steady influx of new students, intimate music clubs, Indian curry houses and cool cafés.
Want to know where else ranked? These are the top 25 coolest neighbourhoods in the world for 2025:
- Jimbōchō, Tokyo
- Borgerhout, Antwerp
- Barra Funda, São Paulo
- Camberwell, London
- Avondale, Chicago
- Mullae-dong, Seoul
- Ménilmontant, Paris
- Nakatsu, Osaka
- Vallila, Helsinki
- Labone, Accra
- Nguyen Thai Binh, Ho Chi Minh
- Anjos, Lisbon
- Digbeth, Birmingham
- Red Hook, New York
- Perpetuo Socorro, Medellín
- Burwood, Sydney
- Linden, Johannesburg
- Former French Concession, Shanghai
- Quartieri Spagnoli, Naples
- Bencoolen, Singapore
- Endoume, Marseille
- Plateau-Mont-Royal, Montréal
- The Liberties, Dublin
- North Melbourne, Melbourne
- Portales, Mexico City
Click here to see the full list of 39 coolest neighbourhoods in the world right now.
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