Downtown St. Catharines has earned a spot among the world’s coolest neighborhoods, according to Time Out Magazine’s 2026 ranking.
This Niagara city landed number nine on Time Out’s list of the 40 coolest neighbourhoods in the world, joining communities in cities including Seoul, Athens, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Bogotá.
The ranking, released on Sept. 16, compared cities globally using criteria including food, entertainment, nightlife, livability, unique local businesses and community.
For downtown St. Catharines, Time Out pointed out its “waterfront charm, local art scene, thriving vintage shops and record stores,” as well as its proximity to other Niagara attractions like wineries and farms as justification for the neighbourhood’s high score.
The publication also gave the well-frequented Brock student haunt, St. Paul Street, a shoutout, describing it as a Brooklyn-esque curved main street lined with more than 100 heritage buildings, some of which date back to the early 19th century.
According to Grace Beard — who compiled Time Out’s ranking — and Laura Osborne, editor of the St. Catharines section, “the neighborhood is shaped by its rich history, particularly its ties to the Underground Railroad.”
That history is closely tied to Harriet Tubman, who made St. Catharines her home after escaping slavery in the United States. Following the passage of the U.S. Fugitive Slave Act in 1850, she travelled to St. Catharines with a group of freedom seekers and eventually made the city her Canadian home. Parks Canada recognizes Tubman as a National Historic Person, noting that she helped refugees from the U.S. settle in St. Catharines while becoming an active member of the city’s abolitionist movement.
More than a century later, that history remains part of the downtown’s cultural identity. The article reflects on this as it mentions the city’s Emancipation Day celebrations, which hosted an event marking the 175th anniversary of Harriet Tubman’s arrival this year.
Osborne also listed Montebello Park in her reasoning for the city’s high ranking, stating that the park is “one of the few places in Canada designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (the visionary behind New York City’s Central Park).” Again, highlighting the city’s rich history, which seems to be one of the biggest focal points of their reasoning.
While the neighbourhood’s history played a role in its recognition, Time Out didn’t leave out the businesses, restaurants and cultural spaces that make up downtown St. Catharines today.
The publication’s suggested itinerary for exploring the neighbourhood begins with local food and independent businesses, including Sugar + Butter Baking Co. and Beechwood Doughnuts, before moving to shops such as Mindbomb Records, Auds N Ends Boutique and Niagara Artists Centre (NAC) Studio Shop.
The list also points to the downtown’s growing restaurant scene, highlighting Fat Rabbit, Bar Les Incompetents and Oddbird, as well as local spots such as Di’s Pizza Pies and It’s About Thyme. For an evening out, Time Out recommends Twenty Kitchen and Bar, Merchant Ale House and Trust Beer Bar.
For Brock students, many of these spaces are within walking distance or on St. Paul Street, making this area a familiar part of their university experience.
Together, the neighborhood’s historic sites, independent businesses, restaurants, green spaces and cultural events illustrate the combination of history and contemporary community that Time Out identified in its ranking.
With St. Catharines placing ninth among the top 40 neighbourhoods worldwide, the recognition puts the city alongside some of the world’s better-known urban destinations while drawing attention to the local businesses and history already shaping the downtown community.