Time Out Named This Montreal Neighbourhood Among The Coolest In The World — Here's Why

After naming rue Wellington the coolest street in the entire world, Time Out is back with more accolades for Montreal, but this time they're not for Verdun. In their list of the world's 51 coolest neighbourhoods, the ever-popular hipster mecca of Mile End snagged number five, just behind Ridgewood in New York City.

The list also includes one neighbourhood each from Toronto and Vancouver, but these spots lag far behind Mile End (score!). In the top three spots are areas in Mexico, Portugal and Cambodia, in case anyone was worried about a North American sweep. But what makes Mile End such a strong competitor against the best neighbourhoods in the world?

Time Out cites the high concentration of cool indie stores and delicious eats, as well as championing how walkable this part of the Plateau is. Some local faves are shouted out, including beloved bookstore Drawn & Quarterly and the inimitable Dragon Flowers shop. It's hard to argue that the latter's owner, Tamey Lau, shouldn't be considered an international treasure, as many Mile Enders will agree.

That said, some other Montreal quartiers might feel a little miffed to have been tossed aside in favour of an area that is undergoing rapid gentrification, which risks pushing out the very indie establishments that make the area such a Time Out darling. And it's not like Mile Enders needed another reason to act cooler than the rest of us, okay?

Thankfully, Time Out did refrain from taking a public stance on which famous bagels one should purchase when visiting the Mile End. Time Out Canada editor Laura Osborne made the wise choice to let readers decide where to get their Montreal bagel fix, correctly asserting that "it's all good round here."