Montreal street named one of the coolest in the world

Sherbrooke Street West in Montreal is the highest-ranking North American street. (Thibault Carron/Courtesy Time Out via CNN Newsource)

Montreal’s Sherbrooke Street West has been ranked fifth on Time Out magazine’s 2025 list of the world’s coolest streets, placing it ahead of iconic strips in New York, Berlin and Brisbane.

Originally following an Indigenous trail, this historic east‑west artery in the Golden Square Mile is recognized for its architectural landmarks, like the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and McCord Stewart Museum, as well as its scenic views of Mount Royal and the giant Leonard Cohen mural.

What makes this part of Sherbrooke Street shine?

Time Out highlights its mix of culture, community and character, from independent shops and art galleries to tree-lined terraces in hidden courtyards, alongside rich literary and academic life with universities like McGill, Concordia and other institutions nearby.

Time Out calls it an “unassuming yet iconic” 300-year-old street that is “quietly shaping the city’s culture.”