Vancouver has a new bragging right: its Mount Pleasant neighbourhood just ranked 35th on Time Out's annual list of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world for 2026.
The ranking comes from a panel of Time Out editors who score districts worldwide on food and drink, nightlife, independent shops, livability and community spirit. The magazine's thesis is simple: the best trips happen in what it calls 'mini-villages' — places where the barista knows your order, indie businesses survive and neighbours actually organise things like art walks and street festivals.
So why Mount Pleasant? Time Out highlighted its cluster of independent businesses and its walkable layout, plus a fresh public plaza at Main and 14th that sits near some of the area's best coffee shops. The neighbourhood's brewing credentials run deep too — the local beer scene dates back to the 1880s, making it roughly 140 years old. R&B Brewing, record shop Neptoon Records and secondhand store Thrift World all picked up individual shout-outs.
Time Out even sketched an ideal day here: coffee at Modus Coffee Roasters, lunch and vintage shopping at Mount Pleasant Vintage and Mintage, an archery session at Lykopis Archery, a recovery beer at Brassneck Brewery, and dinner at Budgies Burritos, an all-vegetarian spot.
The timing is good. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup bringing crowds to Vancouver, expect most visitors to funnel toward the Granville Entertainment District — which, Time Out argues, is exactly why knowing about Mount Pleasant gives you the edge. A separate travel site, Brooklyn Of, recently crowned it the 'Brooklyn of Vancouver', praising a creative scene that isn't precious and sidewalks that fill up on Saturdays without anyone rushing anywhere.
For travellers, this is a ready-made neighbourhood to anchor a Vancouver trip. It's east of downtown, easy to reach by SkyTrain, and compact enough to explore on foot in a day — coffee, vintage racks, breweries and burritos included. If you're in town for the World Cup or just passing through the Pacific Northwest, it's a solid alternative to the usual downtown circuit.
