The South African neighbourhood that ranked among the world’s “coolest”

Johannesburg’s suburb of Linden has been named one of the world’s top 20 “coolest neighbourhoods,” coming in at 17th place.

The ranking, compiled annually by TimeOut, draws on feedback from the publication’s network of writers and editors worldwide.

Neighbourhoods are evaluated on culture, community, liveability, nightlife, food and drink, street life, and that elusive “sense of nowness.”

This year, Linden’s vibrant energy and unique character earned it a spot among the globe’s most interesting urban areas.

The publication described the Johannesburg area as “leafy, laidback and quietly cool.”

“It was once a sleepy, mostly Afrikaans suburb and has since blossomed into a hub where old-school authenticity meets fresh creative energy.”

Linden was described as dotted with mid-century homes that now house some of Johannesburg’s best coffee spots, like the Whippet and Yield Coffee Bar. 

“With its strong local-fist ethos and eco-conscious community spirit, Linden is a foodie and lifestyle destination that feels both charmingly traditional and ultra-cool,” TimeOut said. 

Local spots such as the Brian Lara Rum Eatery, The Fat Zebra, Waiting for George, Njam Eatery, and BemBom were recommended by the publication for those looking to experience the local food, cocktails, and energy. 

For entertainment, TimeOut recommends a sip-and-paint session at Joons Art Bar or The Creatory, or shopping at local boutiques, Garden on 4th, Linden Lanes, or Three on Third. 

According to TimeOut, the coolest neighbourhood in the world this year is Jimbōchō in Tokyo, Japan, home to 130 second-hand bookstores.

Other featured neighbourhoods include Barra Funda in São Paulo, Camberwell in London, and Ménilmontant in Paris. 

Linden was one of two African suburbs to make the global list, with Labone in Accra taking the 10th spot. 

From fruit farm to quirky community hub

Linden is one of the oldest suburbs in Johannesburg. The history of the neighbourhood begins in the 1890s, when the land was purchased by Free State Farmer Johannes Jacobus Rabie van der Linde.

According to The Heritage Portal, this became the Linden farm. The original farmhouse still stands somewhere in the heart of the neighbourhood. 

In the 1920s, the land was sold and consolidated into small holdings. Tenants on the land found it to be fertile, perfect for growing peaches.

The area was soon full of fruit orchards, and roads to Linden were laid out to support farmers. 

By 1934, between 300 and 400 families were living in the area, mostly fruit farmers. Private wells and boreholes supplied plentiful water. 

Linden’s farms exported peaches to the United Kingdom, according to South African History Online.

Residents were supplied milk from Gieskims, believed to have been the biggest private retail dairy in South Africa at the time. Fresh milk was delivered twice a day.

The Linden fruit farms gradually disappeared as Johannesburg expanded, and after the Second World War in the 1940s and 1950s, Linden became a fully developed urban suburb.

It became popular with affluent Afrikaans families and earned itself the nickname “Boere Houghton”. 

The neighbourhood’s population continued to grow, and by the 1960s, educational institutions were constructed for the large family population. 

Linden has now become full of people of all nationalities and cultures as well as religious denominations. The area features several Christian churches, a Mosque and a Shul, all within a 5km radius. 

The suburb still holds signs of its past. In addition to the original, restored farmhouse, some of the remaining fruit trees can still be seen in the garden of Paputzi’s restaurant on 4th Avenue.

World’s coolest neighbourhoods

According to the ranking, the world’s ‘coolest neighbourhoods’ are:

#	Neighbourhood	City	Country
1	Jimbōchō	Tokyo	Japan
2	Borgerhout	Antwerp	Belgium
3	Barra Funda	São Paulo	Brazil
4	Camberwell	London	United Kingdom
5	Avondale	Chicago	United States
6	Mullae-dong	Seoul	South Korea
7	Ménilmontant	Paris	France
8	Nakatsu	Osaka	Japan
9	Vallila	Helsinki	Finland
10	Labone	Accra	Ghana
11	Nguyen Thai Binh	Ho Chi Minh City	Vietnam
12	Anjos	Lisbon	Portugal
13	Digbeth	Birmingham	United Kingdom
14	Red Hook	New York	United States
15	Perpetuo Socorro	Medellín	Colombia
16	Burwood	Sydney	Australia
17	Linden	Johannesburg	South Africa
18	Former French Concession	Shanghai	China
19	Quartieri Spagnoli	Naples	Italy
20	Bencoolen	Singapore	Singapore
21	Endoume	Marseille	France
22	Plateau-Mont-Royal	Montréal	Canada
23	The Liberties	Dublin	Ireland
24	North Melbourne	Melbourne	Australia
25	Portales	Mexico City	Mexico
26	Davenport	Toronto	Canada
27	Little River	Miami	United States
28	Kemang	Jakarta	Indonesia
29	Botafogo	Rio de Janeiro	Brazil
30	Sheung Wan	Hong Kong	Hong Kong SAR
31	Barranco	Lima	Peru
32	Mont Kiara	Kuala Lumpur	Malaysia
33	Clarksville	Austin	United States
34	Margit-negyed	Budapest	Hungary
35	Glen Park	San Francisco	United States
36	MiZa	Abu Dhabi	United Arab Emirates
37	Villa Devoto	Buenos Aires	Argentina
38	Mehrauli	Delhi	India
39	Poblacion