Text: Izzy Copestake
According to Time Out Magazine and 12,000 participants
In Time Out Magazine’s sixth annual list of the 40 coolest neighborhoods in the world, Smithfield scored high – second only to Laureles in Colombia. Green space, new venue openings, and adoration from locals and visitors alike are all key factors in determining which neighborhoods make the cut.
Three years ago, Time Out named Phibsborough 27 on their list, but no Irish neighborhood has ever been listed as high as Smithfield. Described as representing ‘the Dublin that refuses to disappear’. The area has been praised for being a place where ‘tradition and activism meet’, due to the older haunts existing alongside vegan-friendly restaurants and new independent bars.
If you let Time Out plan the perfect in Smithfield, it would start with a flat white at Cardi B, a cardamon bun from Proper Order, deer spotting in Phoenix Park, and a vegan lunch and slot machines in Token. The piece also championed the Light House Cinema, Fish Shop, Frank Ryans, and The Complex.
Smithfield beat neighborhoods on the list in Tokyo, Copenhagen, Melbourne, and Hong Kong – begging the question: can anybody quantify cool? Decide for yourself and read the rest of the list here.
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