The ‘Coolest Street’ in the U.S. Is This Trendy NYC Stretch Known For Its Indie Boutiques, Boundary-Pushing Eats, and Historic Grit

Orchard Street , an eight-block stretch in the heart of the Lower East Side, has long been a neighborhood artery where NYC history and street-level energy collide. And now, it’s officially a destination landmark on the global scale . Time Out recently named it one of the coolest streets in the world — and the highest-ranked street in the U.S. — cementing its status as the city’s ultimate mix of grit, glamour, and creativity. From historic tenements to sleek boutiques and cutting-edge nightlife, Orchard Street has become a living showcase of what makes New York’s Lower East Side endlessly magnetic. From tenements to trendy: The gritty-glam renaissance ----------------------------------------------------- Walking Orchard Street is kinda like taking a stroll through two eras at once. Once the beating heart of the immigrant garment district, the street churned out up to 70% of all women’s clothing in NYC while shops stayed open on Sundays to serve bargain hunters. Today, the same blocks are home to curated fashion boutiques like Kallmeyer , eclectic shops like Colbo , and luxury landmarks like the Nine Orchard Hotel — all nestled inside historic tenement buildings. History isn’t hidden here either; it’s fully on display. The Tenement Museum at 97 Orchard preserves the stories of over 7,000 immigrants, a reminder of the street’s enduring human pulse. Outside, Sunday’s seasonal Open Streets program transforms the area into a pedestrian paradise — part marketplace, part cultural festival, all authentic New York. Where food, art, and nightlife collide -------------------------------------- Orchard Street’s dining scene proves that high and low can exist in perfect harmony. Scarr’s Pizza , praised by Time Out for its hand-milled flour and world-class slices, sits just steps from Russ & Daughters Cafe , the sit-down evolution of a century-old appetizing store. Trendy newcomers like Trapizzino and Bar Contra bring Roman street food, inventive cocktails, and a touch of glamour to the historic stretch. The street is also a hub for creative experimentation. Photobooth museum Autophoto , the bookstore/podcast studio P&T Knitwear , and plenty of forward-thinking galleries give Orchard a cultural energy that pulses long after sundown. Bars like Bar Valentina and rooftop spots such as Mr. Purple keep the nightlife vibrant, while community-driven events, pop-up art shows, and late-night street happenings ensure every visit feels like discovering something new. Orchard Street is more than just a street — it’s sorta a microcosm of the Lower East Side itself: a beautiful melting pot of people and experiences that range in interests. The 31 “coolest” streets in the world, according to Time Out ------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Rua do Senado — Rio de Janeiro 2. Orange Street — Osaka 3. Rua do Bonjardim — Porto 4. Fanghua Street — Chengdu 5. Sherbrooke Street West — Montreal 6. Montague Road — Brisbane 7. Maybachufer — Berlin 8. Olympou Street — Thessaloniki 9. Orchard Street — New York City 10. Vĩnh Khánh Street — Ho Chi Minh City 11. Rue de Flandre — Brussels 12. Nishihara Shotengai — Tokyo 13. Rue des Gravilliers — Paris 14. Joo Chiat Road — Singapore 15. Avenida Álvaro Obregón — Mexico City 16. Jalan Kemang Raya — Jakarta 17. Via Panisperna — Rome 18. Nakpil Street — Manila 19. Alserkal Avenue — Dubai 20. Cambie Street — Vancouver 21. Calle del Barquillo — Madrid 22. Kloof Street — Cape Town 23. Blackstock Road — London 24. Defensa Street — Buenos Aires 25. Pacific Coast Highway — Central Malibu 26. Charoen Nakhon Road — Bangkok 27. Jalan Pudu — Kuala Lumpur 28. Roscoe Street — Chicago 29. Swan Street — Melbourne 30. Boulevard Pasteur — Tangier 31. Northdown Road — Margate Source: https://secretnyc.co/one-of-coolest-streets-in-the-world-2025-orchard-street-nyc-timeout/