From Humayunpur to Bandra West: These 2 Indian neighbourhoods named among world’s coolest for 2026

If Humayunpur is your go-to spot for cafes, food and a night out, you may already be spending time in one of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods. Delhi’s Humayunpur has been ranked 16th on Time Out’s 2026 list of the 40 “coolest” neighbourhoods in the world, while Mumbai’s Bandra West came in at 23rd, CNN reported on Wednesday.

The annual ranking, compiled by Time Out’s global network of writers and editors, puts Jongno 3-ga in Seoul at the top, followed by L’Ocean District in Rabat and Neos Kosmos in Athens.

Humayunpur makes global list

Humayunpur is one of two Indian neighbourhoods featured in this year’s ranking. Bandra West, a popular neighbourhood in Mumbai, ranked 23rd.

The list includes neighbourhoods known for their food, independent businesses, local culture and community. Other places in the top 10 include Chinatown in Los Angeles, Govanhill in Glasgow, Kitakagaya in Osaka, Chapinero Alto in Bogotá, Koenji in Tokyo, Downtown in St. Catharines and Esquilino in Rome.

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Seoul’s Jongno 3-ga takes top spot

Jongno 3-ga in Seoul, South Korea, topped Time Out’s 2026 ranking. The neighbourhood is known for street food, independent businesses and late-evening dining.

It is also no stranger to the list, having ranked third in 2021.

“Sometimes, formerly featured neighbourhoods have held their own and only become cooler,” Grace Beard, Time Out’s travel editor, told CNN. “Take Jongno 3-ga – this was our third-coolest neighbourhood in 2021, and has now risen to the top spot thanks to the rise in late-evening alfresco dining, indie businesses and shops.”

Portuguese tourist Anna Barra said the neighbourhood’s mix of food and culture was one of its attractions.

“You have a mix of culture and foods and you can taste different foods,” she told CNN. “It’s a mix of old and new and everything together, it’s very cool.”

Time Out suggests beginning a day in Jongno 3-ga with fluffy steamed bread at Mil Toast, one of the area’s cafes.

Cafe employee Myung Guen said the neighbourhood was good for both history and food, with long morning lines regularly forming outside Mil Toast.

“There’s really good dessert in this neighborhood,” he said.

Rabat, Athens and Glasgow round out top five

L’Ocean District in Rabat came second. The beachside neighbourhood is now home to a Four Seasons but continues to have independent businesses and local culture.

American Steven M. Bradford, who moved to L’Ocean earlier this year, said its “sense of community” was what made the area special.

“I’m surrounded by welcoming people, authentic Moroccan food, and a love of football that brings people together,” said Bradford.

Athens’ Neos Kosmos ranked third, while Chinatown in Los Angeles came fourth. Time Out praised LA’s Chinatown for “honoring its history and consistently reinventing itself.”

Govanhill in Glasgow took fifth place. Local business owner Aimée Ballinger described it as the “most welcoming and culturally rich place I have ever lived.”

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Ballinger owns Burning House Books with her partner, Benjamin.

“I’m so honored to be part of the community in Govanhill, to be raising my kid here and bringing the most challenging, beautiful and inspiring books I can find into our neighborhood,” she told CNN.

Fellow Govanhill local and owner of LGBTQ+ bar Adrian’s, Tommy Nicholls, called the area a “real hub of community and culture in a way that’s so rare to find these days.”

Take a look at the full list here: