Brisbane street surprises as Australia’s ‘coolest’
Time Out has announced its annual list of Coolest Streets in the World – and Brisbane has beaten its larger-city rivals to be named as home to the nation’s best thoroughfare.
Brisbane has beaten its larger capital-city rivals to be named as home to the nation’s “coolest street”.
Time Out has announced its annual list of the Coolest Streets in the World, with Brisbane’s Montague Road coming in at No.6, eclipsing avenues in Sydney and Melbourne – as well as some of the world’s most famous thoroughfares.
The list of 31 streets from around the world includes a second Australian destination, with Melbourne’s Swan Street, Richmond coming in at 29th.
The Rua do Senado in Rio de Janeiro topped the list, followed by Orange Street in Osaka, Japan, Rua do Bonjardim in Porto, Portugal, China’s Fanghua Street in Chengdu and Sherbrooke Street West in Montreal.
The streets were judged by Time Out‘s global travel team, and ranked against criteria including “food, drink, culture, fun and community spirit”.
Montague Road, in Brisbane’s West End, beat destinations in New York, London, Paris and Rome in the coolness stakes.
The former industrial area is now officially cool. Photo: BCC
Time Out said Montague Road, a former industrial strip facing the Brisbane River and adjacent to South Bank, had “reinvented itself as the creative backbone of Brisbane’s most eclectic, free-spirited neighbourhood”.
Home to both Queensland Ballet and the Queensland Theatre Company, the strip also has galleries, bars, restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques and even venues for axe throwing or indoor rock climbing.
It is also home to Davies Park and its weekend West End Market.
Melbourne’s Swan Street, meanwhile, is described as “Richmond’s vibrant epicentre, thanks to an influx of excellent drinking and dining spots and its close proximity to the MCG and Melbourne Park precinct”.
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Swan Street made the cut with its bars, food and access to major events. Photo: Yarra Council
Swan Street has seemingly surpassed High Street in Melbourne’s inner north, which was last year judged the coolest street in the world.
Time Out’s coolest streets in the world for 2025
- Rio de Janeiro: Rua do Senado
- Osaka: Orange Street
- Porto: Rua do Bonjardim
- Chengdu: Fanghua Street
- Montreal: Sherbrooke Street West
- Brisbane: Montague Road
- Berlin: Maybachufer
- Thessaloniki: Olympou Street
- New York City: Orchard Street
- Ho Chi Minh: Vinh Khanh Street (District 4, HCMC)
- Brussels: Rue de Flandre
- Tokyo: Nishihara Shotengai
- Paris: Rue des Gravilliers
- Singapore: Joo Chiat
- Mexico City: Avendia Alvaro Obregon
- Jakarta: Jalan Kemang Raya
- Rome: Via Panisperna
- Manila: Nakpil St, Malate
- Dubai: Alserkal Avenue
- Vancouver: Cambie Street
- Madrid: Calle del Barquillo
- Cape Town: Kloof Street
- London: Blackstock Road
- Buenos Aires: Defensa, San Telmo
- Los Angeles: Pacific Coast Highway, Central Malibu
- Bangkok: Charoen Nakhon Road
- Kuala Lumpur: Jalan Pudu
- Chicago: Roscoe Street
- Melbourne: Swan Street, Richmond
- Tangier: Boulevard Pasteur
- Margate: Northdown Road
