Bencoolen ranks 20th on Time Out's list of world's coolest neighbourhoods 2025
Bencoolen ranks 20th in Time Out's Coolest Neighbourhoods in the World 2025 list.
PHOTO: Google Maps/Binny Tewani
PUBLISHED ONSeptember 29, 2025 5:18 AMBYCarol OngOnly one Singapore neighbourhood ranked on Time Out magazine's 39 Coolest Neighbourhoods in the World 2025 list released last Wednesday (Sept 24) — and it's not what some might think of, like Orchard, Holland Village or Katong.
Landing in 20th place, it's Bencoolen — a neighbourhood located within the Bras Basah.Bugis (BBB) district, the city's arts and cultural hub.
Topping the list is Jimbocho, a neighbourhood in Tokyo (Japan), followed by Borgerhout in Antwerp (Belgium), Sao Paulo's (Brazil) Barra Funda, Camberwell in London (UK) and Avondale in Chicago (US).
Another Japanese city — Osaka's Nakatsu — ranks eighth.
Top 10 Coolest Neighbourhoods in the World 2025:
| 1 | Jimbocho, Tokyo |
| 2 | Borgerhout, Antwerp |
| 3 | Barra Funda, Sao Paulo |
| 4 | Camberwell, London |
| 5 | Avondale, Chicago |
| 6 | Mullae-dong, Seoul |
| 7 | Menilmontant, Paris |
| 8 | Nakatsu, Osaka |
| 9 | Vallila, Helsinki |
| 10 | Labone, Accra |
And while Bencoolen didn't make the cut for top 10, it's a significant bump in ranking for Singapore compared to last year, when Orchard was named 37th place (second last).
Last year's top spot went to Notre Dame du Mont in Marseille, France.
Why Bencoolen?
According to Time Out, Bencoolen is considered a cool neighbourhood as it "has a little bit of everything" — being part heritage haunt, part arts quarter and part "student stomping ground" thanks to the presence of arts schools like Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and Lasalle nearby.
It has also "quietly levelled up" without "losing its scrappy charm", housing indie theatres and galleries like Stamford Arts Centre and Objectifs (a visual arts centre) in addition to a charming mix of F&B and recreational options like board game cafes and karaoke studios, said Time Out.
The publication also reported that the neighbourhood "rewards the curious — many of its gems are hidden behind the unassuming facades of old 'nostalgic malls'".
Scoring criteria
So what makes a neighbourhood 'cool' enough?
According to Time Out, the neighbourhoods are nominated by the magazine's global network of writers and editors for the city they're living in, then ranked against a set list of criteria including: culture, community, liveability, nightlife, F&B, street life and a sense of "nowness".
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carol.ong@asiaone.com