South African street ranked among the world’s coolest

Kloof Street in Cape Town has made it onto Time Out’s latest list of the top 31 coolest streets in the world, claiming the 22nd spot in the ranking.

Time Out’s latest list compiles the most interesting streets in the world, avoiding the major roads with the same high-street megastores and generic coffee shops. 

This list aims to find the neighbourhood backstreets and lively avenues that are not just popular with tourists, but locals too.

“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,” the publication said. 

This year, to compile the list, Time Out asked its network of local editors and experts to nominate the street that they felt epitomised the best of their city. 

The Time Out team then narrowed down the list, ranking each street based on criteria including food, drink, culture, fun and community spirit. 

The coolest street in the world, according to Time Out, is Rua do Senado in Rio de Janeiro. The old street was known for antique stores and businesses dating back to the early 1900s.

Lately, however, the street is undergoing a revival, with art collectives and groundbreaking restaurants and bars popping up. 

The only street in South Africa to make it into the list was Cape Town’s Kloof Street. Time Out said that Kloof Street is where the city bowl meets the creative vibe of South Africa’s Mother City.

“Equal parts heritage and hipster, its Victorian façades and broekie-lace balconies now house boundary-pushing restaurants, concept stores and cocktail dens.”

The publication called Kloof Street Long Street’s more refined sibling, filled with new pop-ups and old-world character.

Kloof Street is no stranger to the list, having featured previously as number 26 in 2022. 

Time Out recommends Kloof Konbini for food, a Japanese-inspired convenience store with Tokyo street food, or Blondie, where Mediterranean-inspired dishes and open-front seating invite passers-by. 

While Kloof Street House was recommended for its fairy lights, velvet couches and decadent food, Vadivelu was also suggested for its fragrant Southern Indian flavours. 

Thrift stores, cafés and restaurants in Victorian houses

It further recommended that those visiting the street pay a visit to AKJP Studio, a local design destination that is part gallery, part concept store, and part coffee shop.

Alternatively, one can visit the many vintage and thrift stores that call Kloof Street Home, or step into Baikt Ceramics for a pottery workshop. 

Kloof Street is one of the oldest streets in Cape Town. It was once a dirt road that connected the city centre to the farms in the city bowl.

The street is filled with old Victorian buildings that have become provincial heritage sites, including 79 Kloof Street, the location of the White Lotus Spa, 81 Kloof Street.

This also includes 22 Kloof Street, the current location of Hudson’s Burger joint. Now having become a nationwide South African franchise, Kloof Street was the starting location for Hudsons.

While it was in a different building when it began in 2009, Kloof Street was the beginning of the franchise’s success.

Hidden inside the Hudsons’ current venue in the historic landmark, if one were to walk past the kitchen and up the stairs, one would find Rita’s, a secret tequila bar overlooking Table Mountain.

Another heritage building, 32 Kloof Street or LongKloof, is now a trendy coworking facility, Worskop17,  but it began as the United Tobacco Companies Limited building in 1922.

The Kloof Street House restaurant celebrates the old architecture of its Victorian venue, with each room an interesting experience of its own. 

“Every inch of the house is archival,” the restaurant said. “A memoir of a time or place that escapes the modern city around us.”

While there is always something old to discover on Kloof Street, there is, additionally, something new as well. The new businesses bring an exciting modern vibe to the Victorian-era street.

In May 2025, the street became home to South Africa’s second Museum of Illusions, a global franchise showcasing interactive exhibits and illusions.

World’s coolest streets

According to the ranking, the world’s coolest streets are:

Rank	Street	City	Country
1	Rua do Senado	Rio de Janeiro	Brazil
2	Orange Street	Osaka	Japan
3	Rua do Bonjardim	Porto	Portugal
4	Fanghua Street	Chengdu	China
5	Sherbrooke Street West	Montreal	Canada
6	Montague Road	Brisbane	Australia
7	Maybachufer	Berlin	Germany
8	Olympou Street	Thessaloniki	Greece
9	Orchard Street	New York City	United States
10	Vĩnh Khánh Street (District 4)	Ho Chi Minh City	Vietnam
11	Rue de Flandre	Brussels	Belgium
12	Nishihara Shotengai	Tokyo	Japan
13	Rue des Gravilliers	Paris	France
14	Joo Chiat Road	Singapore	Singapore
15	Avenida Álvaro Obregón	Mexico City	Mexico
16	Jalan Kemang Raya	Jakarta	Indonesia
17	Via Panisperna	Rome	Italy
18	Nakpil Street	Manila	Philippines
19	Alserkal Avenue	Dubai	United Arab Emirates
20	Cambie Street	Vancouver	Canada
21	Calle del Barquillo	Madrid	Spain
22	Kloof Street	Cape Town	South Africa
23	Blackstock Road	London	United Kingdom
24	Defensa Street	Buenos Aires	Argentina
25	Pacific Coast Highway	Central Malibu (Los Angeles)	United States
26	Charoen Nakhon Road	Bangkok	Thailand
27	Jalan Pudu	Kuala Lumpur	Malaysia
28	Roscoe Street	Chicago	United States
29	Swan Street	Melbourne (Richmond)	Australia
30	Boulevard Pasteur	Tangier	Morocco
31	Northdown Road	Margate	United Kingdom