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It seems that everyone wants to “live like a local” on their city breaks these days. No, we don’t mean getting up at 7am for a crowded commute to the business district, sustaining yourself on overpriced Pret sandwiches, and spending the evenings watching Netflix. We mean escaping the tourist trail to discover what really makes the city tick.
Invariably, this entails leaving behind the overcrowded centre in favour of an up-and-coming neighbourhood – to which residents, not tourists, flock for bustling restaurants, cosy cafes, hip bars and independent boutiques.
But which districts to choose? To sort the fab Camdens from the drab Croydons, we asked 15 of our destination experts – each bristling with insider knowledge – to pick their favourite quarters, along with the best places within them to eat, drink, shop and sleep.
Do you agree with their selections? Have we missed any offbeat gems? Please let us know in the comments at the bottom of the article.
1. Strasbourg Saint-Denis, Paris
By Hannah Meltzer
Paris is not so much a city as a cluster of characterful and contrasting villages, and among these, Strasbourg Saint-Denis on the Right Bank is perhaps the coolest. It’s just outside of the touristy and often expensive centre, but big sights like the Louvre are still within comfortable walking distance and you can zip across town on Metro Line 4.
Historically a working-class neighbourhood, it strikes a good balance between authentic Parisian character and things to do, not least at night when the rue des Petites-Ecuries becomes a buzzy hub of activity.
Where to eat and drink
Rub shoulders with Paris’s hippest foodies, literally, at Vivant 2, where diners sit cheek-by-jowl at the marble counter-top, watching chefs deftly throw together gourmet delights like fondant onion or delicately braised scallops. Further along the rue des Petites-Ecuries, try Jah Jah, a lynchpin of Paris’s growing vegan scene, serving up Jamaican cuisine. For Parisian street food par excellence, check out the famous Kurdish sandwiches at Urfa Durum.
At night, catch some jazz at New Morning or have a giggle at the Saturday night English-language hour at Goku Comedy Club. Follow with artisanal cocktails in a cool setting at Le Syndicat.
Where to shop
Stock up on culinary goodies at family-run Julhès Paris on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis; buy essential oils, incense and spices at the little boutiques that line Passage Brady; then head to Chine Machine, a no-frills thrift shop with a loyal following.
A room for the night
Hôtel Grand Amour is the preferred rendezvous of local arty types, in particular its lively courtyard bar. The rooms are full of eccentric and sometimes racy décor, making you feel like you’re in the home of a cool Parisian pal.
2. Garbatella, Rome
By Tim Jepson
This is the real deal, a low-density working-class neighbourhood begun in the 1920s on the model of an English garden city that has the first sprinkling of new galleries, bars and restaurants but still feels more like a close-knit community than a hipster haven.
Three metro stops from the Colosseum and you’re in the Italy of another era – a world of washing between windows, timeless old trattorias, tranquil, mural-decorated streets and squares you want to explore (like Via Luigi Orlando, Piazza Benedetto Brin and Via del Porto Fluviale) and the now celebrated lotti, or historic housing blocks, whose shared courtyards and architectural panache lend the area its distinctive look and feel.
Where to eat and drink
Garbatella combines traditional trattorias such as Tanto pè Magnà (Via de’ Jacobis Giustino 9/15; 06 5160 7422) and Li Scalini de Marisa (Via Roberto de Nobili 17; 06 5160 1969) with neighbourhood pioneers like Ristoro degli Angeli, founded in 2004, and newer arrivals such as La Casetta. For coffee and aperitivi with the locals, head for Foschi (Piazza Bartolomeo Romano 3), Dei Cesaroni (Piazza Giovanni da Triora, 6) and the historic Dar Moschino. For snacks, Il Ponticello (Via Ostiense 417) sells superb pinsa, the classic Roman focaccia/pizza.
Where to shop
Indie stores are yet to infiltrate in any number, though the Mercato Usato (Via Manfredo Camperio 25), with a host of vintage outlets under one roof, and a handful of galleries such as 10B, are signs of things to come.
A room for the night
The Caravel (from €150/£90) has bright, modern four-star rooms, while Duca’s House (€120/£103) offers contemporary B&B at the heart of the neighbourhood.
3. Nordvest, Copenhagen
By Gemma Knight-Gilani
Uber-trendy Nørrebro was once Copenhagen’s undisputed king of cool. But times have changed, and as its gritty edges softened, the city’s ultrahip began to drift westwards, across the railway tracks and into artsy, industrial Nordvest. Still almost unnoticed by tourists, this vibrant, multicultural, largely residential district is awash with creative spaces and independent businesses, and promises a glimpse of the real København.
Where to eat and drink
Nordvest’s restaurants, cafés and bars are unapologetically unpretentious (by Danish standards, even crude), meaning lower prices than elsewhere in the city and plenty of character. Flere Fugle is the current reigning champion amongst the area’s coffee shops (they also sell natural wine and pizza), while community hub and bakery Bodega Konkylie promises good food and great music. No trip is complete without a stop by Harry’s Place, however – a hot dog hole-in-the-wall that’s been going since 1965.
Where to shop
You’ll find eccentric little places all along Frederikssundsvej, including neighbourhood bookshops like the delightful Storrs Antikvariat, bric-a-brac treasure troves like Bingo Genbrugs, smart wine shop Vin de Table, and a multitude of tiny boutiques and supermarkets, the most well-loved of which is Lygten Bazar. It’s also well worth putting aside time to visit Heat Harmony, a hip “saunagus”, a combination of aromatherapy, breath-work, meditation and sauna.
A room for the night
Aparthotel Numa Copenhagen (rooms from €129/£112) sits between Nordvest’s two main avenues – Rentemestervej and Frederikssundsvej – and just five minutes’ walk from Nørrebro’s train and metro station.
4. Conde Duque, Madrid
By Annie Bennett
While a lot of visitors to Madrid hang out in ultra-hip Malasaña, only those in the know drift over the border formed by San Bernardo street into this quietly cool, more grown-up barrio.
Dominated by the massive Contemporánea Conde Duque cultural centre, housed in an 18th-century barracks that takes up an entire block behind Plaza de España, this grid of sloping, narrow streets and hidden squares is what Madrid is all about – if you like mooching around, looking up at elegant if slightly scruffy buildings and popping into little shops, bars and galleries, you’ll be happy here.
Where to eat and drink
Seek out UNFLTRD Coffee for the best brews in town, then channel your inner Penélope Cruz at a terrace table at Café Moderno in Plaza de las Comendadoras, which featured in Pedro Almodóvar’s film Parallel Mothers.
Opposite the Contemporánea Conde Duque cultural centre, Frutas Prohibidas has great juices, cocktails and vegan brunch dishes. Taberna La Dichosa is a favourite with barrio residents who come to share some tapas for lunch or dinner and try craft beers and less familiar Spanish wines by the glass.
Find a space at the marble counter at De Vinos for more wine, vermouth or a gin and tonic.
Where to shop
At Quesería Cultivo they not only sell artisan cheeses from all over Spain but make some of their own too. You’ll probably need to taste a few. High Street names haven’t made it into the barrio – yet. Misia Madrid specialises in independent international clothing brands, or for a quirkier, sporty look, rifle through the rails at Maggie Shop.
A room for the night
You get a great view across Conde Duque from the roof terraces at the buzzy Riu Plaza España. For something more intimate, book an apartment at Eric Vökel Madrid Suites.
5. Amsterdam Noord
By Rodney Bolt
A post-industrial creative surge has sparked new life into Amsterdam Noord, just a jump across the water behind Central Station. The cavernous sheds and shipyards of the vacated NDSM dockland now brim with artists’ studios, and burst with vast dance parties.
Graffiti artists from the world over have free play on the walls outside (spawning Straat, a street-art museum). The solitary tower of a former Shell research facility, rebranded the A’DAM Toren now beats with a basement nightclub, and has a sky-bar on the roof. Yet, around Van Der Pekstraat, there’s also a quiet, traditional quarter, all brick gables and cosy cafés.
Where to eat and drink
Pllek, a restaurant and café housed in a gigantic box of converted shipping containers, was one of the trailblazers in Noord’s new life, and remains a favourite hangout for artists from nearby studios and hipsters from across the water.
Restaurant Barracuda offers fresh fish dishes in a cheery no-nonsense style, Café Ons brings a traditional bricks-and-beer touch, and Café Keppler gives you a taste of neighbourhood camaraderie in the Van Der Pek quarter.
Where to shop
Housed in a former factory, Figo Vintage, Amsterdam’s biggest vintage store, offers a seemingly endless supply of Seventies fashion.
The Van Der Pek neighbourhood street market (Van der Pekstraat; Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays) is refreshingly free of tourist tat, and Fromagerie Kef puts prime Dutch cheeses on the tables of the city’s top restaurants.
A room for the night
Sir Adam Hotel, on seven floors of the Adam Toren, attracts on-the-rise rock stars with its Sixties and Seventies retro, dashes of Dutch designer quirkiness, and funky sounds.
6. Erzsébetváros (Jewish quarter), Budapest
Adrian Phillips
During the Second World War, the Nazis established a ghetto in Budapest’s Jewish quarter. So there’s a satisfying narrative of triumph over evil in the area’s subsequent emergence as a vibrant, thriving centre of culture and nightlife.
This is culture done cool, though, with a whiff of the illicit in its “ruin” pubs – quirky bars that started popping up in crumbling residential buildings in the early 2000s – and vivid works of street art. You’ll find polished boutiques too these days, but this neighbourhood wedged between the Small and Great boulevards remains more properly a place of vintage stores, faded architecture and live music played in speakeasy joints.
Where to eat and drink
Szimpla kert is the original and best-known ruin pub, filling a courtyard with upcycled furniture and even a Trabant repurposed as a seating booth. For a sleeker take on the ruin pub vibe, try dinner and a cocktail at Masel Tov.
Karaván is the place for a cheap eat, with its range of trucks selling different street foods. TATI Farm to Table is a more intimate spot, serving excellent, locally produced food and even Hungarian bio wines.
Where to shop
Klauzál Square contains one of the city’s soaring market halls, which is perfect for picking up fresh fruit and pastries for a picnic. On Sundays, it hosts an antiques fair where you can browse communist-era memorabilia. A weekend market in the interconnected courtyards of Gozsdu Udvar showcases handmade jewellery and more, while Retrock – on the edge of the district – has local designer and vintage clothing.
A room for the night
The timelessly elegant Corinthia Hotel has hosted numerous film and sports stars over the years. For something different, Maverick Budapest Soho is a stylish hostel with facilities to rival many mid-range hotels.
7. Sants, Barcelona
By Sally Davies
Barcelona has few hidden corners any more, and almost every neighbourhood with a decent-sized plaza has been proclaimed the hippest new barri at some point. Hiding in plain sight, though, is Sants, traversed by thousands every day thanks to its underground transport hub, but visited by few – for now.
Once an independent village, Sants is in the midst of one of Barcelona’s biggest urban renewal projects, including the transformation of Barcelona-Sants station (to be completed by 2029), expanded pedestrian spaces, greener public squares and a redesigned transport hub, but the cultural and gastronomic transformation is already under way, with stylish hotel Nobu leading the charge.
Where to eat and drink
It calls itself a vermutería (vermouth bar), but La Mundana is best known for superb tapas riffing on classics and drawing in influences from as far afield as Japan, while Olivos is a pocket-sized, Michelin-approved bistro serving Mediterranean dishes with global influences.
Beer aficionados, meanwhile, head to Homo Sibaris for over 100 bottled craft beers and eight draught beers made on the premises.
Where to shop
La Conxita de Sants is a hybrid record and book store, with an especially good section on music and plenty of armchairs in which to peruse them.
A room for the night
The David Rockwell-designed Nobu wears its Japanese influences subtly but to great effect. Get a room on a higher floor for a spectacular view across the city.
8. Karaköy, Istanbul
By Terry Richardson
Hugging the waterfront where the sweeping curve of the Golden Horn inlet merges with the coruscating blue waters of the continent-dividing Bosphorus Strait, the “Black Village” is an İstanbul neighbourhood like no other. From plumbers merchants to hipster coffee bars, ships chandlers to chic galleries and street vendors peddling rice-stuffed mussels to über cool bars, startling contrasts are the norm.
Yet the tourist heartlands of the historic peninsula and Sultanahmet, visible across the Golden Horn, are only minutes away by the T1 tram, the European style shops of Beyoğlu’s Independence Street even closer via the vintage Tünel funicular, and ferries from Karaköy Pier ply the Bosphorus to hip Kadıköy in Asia in 20 minutes.
Where to eat and drink
For that afternoon pick-me-up, Karaköy Güllüoğlü is an Istanbul institution justly famed for its mouth-watering baklava. A traditional meyhane (tavern) given a modern twist, stylish Karaköy Lokantası is perfect for a traditional Turkish evening meze and grilled meat meal. Follow up with nightcap gazing across the Golden Horn to the illuminated domes and minarets of the old city from the sophisticated Bank Hotel Roof Bar.
Where to shop
Eclectic designer store Mae Zae stocks everything from hip kitchenware to earings and cool blouses to quirky bags, whilst Namlı Gurme deli is a haven for lovers of top-notch olives, honey, pekmez (fruit molasses) and other foodie delights.
A room for the night
Fashioned from a fine 19th-century shipping office building, 10 Karaköy effortlessly blends cool interior design with unabashed luxury, and its stylish rooftop meyhane attracts Istanbulites and visitors in equal numbers.
9. Piraeus, Athens
By Heidi Fuller-Love
With a dedicated metro link that puts Piraeus just 15 minutes from Syntagma Square, and a host of exciting new projects in the pipeline, including the National Museum of Underwater Antiquities, which is slated to open this year, Greece’s once grungy main port is no longer just the place to catch a ferry to the islands.
A raft of cool night-time venues has replaced the brothels and hash dens that once lined the cobbled alleys of red light district Troumba; neoclassical mansions framing the switchback streets of hilltop enclave Kastella have been converted to hip boutique hotels; top galleries – including Istanbul’s Rodeo and Lebanon’s Carwan – are carving a string of stylish art emporiums out of the port’s disused tobacco warehouses.
Where to eat and drink
Never slow to spot a rising star, Greek celebrity chef Lefteris Lazarou left central Athens to set up his Michelin-starred seafood restaurant Varoulko here. Locals flock for dazzling dishes, including crab brioche with lemon and avocado cream, and garlicky steamed clams.
At the other end of the foodie spectrum, Vosporos showcases politiki kouzina, the flavorsome dishes that were brought over from Istanbul by Greeks who were forced to flee Turkey in 1922 during the Greco-Turkish War. Grab a table bang on the seafront and order marinated veal, yoghurt, cheese and aubergine stew hunkar begendi, crispy cheese-and-sausage-stuffed pie karadenis pitta.
Where to shop
Steps from the neoclassical Dimotiko Theatro, Tsamadou street’s lively hive of indie designer stores, bookshops and sweet-scented spice emporiums lead to a bustling central market – stands sell everything from cured pork to medicinal herbs – which morphs on Sundays into a sprawling flea market.
A room for the night
With a gourmet rooftop restaurant and sweeping sea views, The Alex is a chic boutique beauty with spacious suites in high-flung Kastella.
10. Schillerkiez, Berlin
By Paul Sullivan
The fast-changing, multicultural nature of Neukölln – one of the 12 boroughs of Berlin – keeps it consistently exciting. Decidedly more upbeat than when Bowie namechecked it in his eponymous 1977 song (misspelt as “Neuköln”), it has retained its Turkish and Middle Eastern immigrant character, but these days has a lively Western expat community too.
This dynamic mix can be experienced in microcosm in the small-but-hip neighbourhood known as Schillerkiez. Bordering the perennially popular Tempelhofer Feld, an airport turned public park, its dozen or so streets, tree-lined promenade and central square offer a characteristic, heady mix of cheap kebab shops and buzzy brunch spots, classic German corner pubs and speakeasy cocktail bars, gaudy casinos and underground art galleries.
Where to eat and drink
Grab brunch at bright, breezy and friendly Herrlich, which is right on Herrfurthstraße (#7) and has breakfast toasties, scrambled eggs, fresh smoothies and even cocktails if you go later in the evening; seating outside too.
Hole-in-the-wall dumplings and bao bun spot Han West caters to vegans and vegetarians as well as meat-eaters; there’s no seating but you can dine in at neighbouring craft beer brewery Brauhaus Neulich.
Intimate Barra serves small-plate seasonal dishes like sea bass with peas, lettuce and guanciale; afterwards, whisky bar Keith has tipples from as far afield as Taiwan and Tasmania, or try the more casual Frollein Langner, where you can sip your drinks in a bathtub.
Where to shop
Right on the Schillerpromenade you can find second-hand clothes at Koku, including a lot of excellent shoe styles for men and women (from sneakers to Doc Martens), plus jeans, coats and more.
For delicate jewellery and upscale women’s accessories, Rita in Palma delivers.
A room for the night
The simple but friendly Hotel Schillinger is in the middle of it all, with three ground-floor rooms within walking distance of the Tempelhofer Feld. There’s no breakfast on offer but you can get that right on the doorstep.
11. Lido, Venice
By Anne Hanley
Once, this narrow island that separates the Venetian lagoon from the sea was a Belle Epoque playground for the rich and beautiful, as portrayed in Luchino Visconti’s classic film Death in Venice. Later it became something of a dormitory town – Venice without the canals and glorious palazzos, but with useful cars and buses. Nowadays, the Lido is slowly getting its mojo back – and not just during the 12 days at the end of the summer when it hosts the starry Venice Film Festival.
For Venetians, the attraction of what is basically a sandbank with houses on it has shifted: it’s no longer simply a place to head to with rolled-up beach towels and bathing togs on a summer’s day. The night-time scene has exploded, turning the lungomare beach-side strip into one endless party. It’s a place for the warmer months, however: don’t expect much joy through the winter.
Where to eat and drink
Al Mercà injected a buzz into a mainly dowdy eating scene when it glassed in the old fishmarket to become the hot eating and drinking spot on the Lido. But some old favourites stand the test of time, including Trattoria Andri (via Lepanto 21) which serves Venetian classics in a Belle Epoque setting.
Parked on lungomare D’Annunzio, where revellers spill out onto pavements and the beach beyond, El Pecador is an old double-decker bus serving excellent panini and hamburgers.
Where to shop
Head to the old marketplace on riva di Corinto, where stalls sell fruit, veg and much more on Tuesday mornings, while there’s a farmers’ market on Friday mornings.
A room for the night
Rooms at the delightful Quattro Fontane are booked up years ahead for the Film Festival in late August-early September. At other times the lush garden and relaxed vintage-chic interior provide a charming base from which to explore.
12. Ajuda, Lisbon
By Mary Lussiana
Though much of Lisbon increasingly marches to the tune of the French and American tourists who have invaded it; the café’s reverberating with demands for café au lait and flat whites, authentic Ajuda offers the real thing.
In this case, bica – the Portuguese version of espresso, for here gentrification and tourism are just whispers on the warm breeze. That is slowly changing, say the alfacinhas (“lettuce eaters”, Portugal’s nickname for Lisbonites), and the arrival of the chic Wine & Books Hotel (see below) and the glittering Royal Treasure Museum, housed in Ajuda’s National Palace, the home of the last Kings of Portugal, suggests a district on the rise.
Where to eat and drink
Tasca Memória, part of the Wine & Books Hotel, offers classic Portuguese dishes with a contemporary twist, from black pork cheeks with saffron risotto to octopus with tomato rice.
Mestrias is a neighbourhood favourite for its speciality of bacalhau à brás (dried cod with potato and egg). Community hub Erva Principe Mercearia doubles as an enticing food shop and little café with occasional guest speakers.
Where to shop
Established in the 18th century, acclaimed ceramics factory Sant’Anna is still going strong in Ajuda, producing beautiful, hand-made tiles.
Wonderful jewellery can be found at Alexandra Corte-Real’s shop.
A room for the night
The Wine & Books Hotel draws on Portugal’s cultural heritage and has 24 rooms overlooking the beautiful, neo-classical Igreja da Memória, and its own spa and restaurant (as above).
13. Alsergrund, Vienna
By Kerry Walker
The Innere Stadt’s fancy palaces get all the love, but to really feel Vienna’s pulse and avoid the tourist crush, slide just north to Alsergrund. On the U4 and U6 metro lines, this quietly cool neighbourhood flaunts the capital’s 650-year-old university, which infuses its tree-lined streets with history, youthful verve and new-wave creativity.
There’s a nicely chilled vibe in streets once pounded by Strauss, Schubert, Beethoven and Sigmund Freud, plus a sprinkling of sights. Top billing goes to the Sigmund Freud Museum, where the father of psychoanalysis lived for 47 years before fleeing from the Nazis in 1938. The other unmissable is baroque palace Gartenpalais Liechtenstein, with its lavishly frescoed Hercules Hall and gallery packed with Old Masters: Rubens, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, you name it.
The cultural scene heats up from June to August, with the Summer Stage on the banks of the Danube Canal, with a cracking line-up of festivals, concerts, readings, open-air art exhibitions, parties, shows and wine tastings. Head to the deck for drinks by the water.
Where to eat and drink
For good old-fashioned Austrian grub like dumplings and goulash, check out retro Tante Liesl. Or go laid-back gourmet at Michelin-starred Pramerl & the Wolf in a revamped pub. Here chef Wolfgang Zankl-Sertl riffs imaginatively on seasonal ingredients in dishes singing with flavours like venison, with cep, cherry and coffee.
Drinks? Swing by canalside Bar Pani for vinyl tunes and signature cocktails like Thai Massage (lemongrass and ginger-infused gin, honey, chilli and vanilla syrup). Vaulted cellar Krypt has speakeasy vibes and an inventive drinks list.
Where to shop
Nose around the quaintly cobbled Servietenviertel – dubbed “Little Paris” – for vintage finds, toy shops, florists, bistros, pavement cafes and stupendous bean-to-bar chocolate at Xocolat Manufaktur. On Thursdays, Servitenplatz hosts a farmers’ market, which you can graze for picnic fixings from bread, pastries and organic fruit and veg to regional hams and cheeses.
A room for the night
It has to be Harmonie Vienna. Lodged in an Otto Wagner-designed building, the vine-draped hotel has impeccable eco credentials and bright rooms zhuzhed up by Peruvian painter Luis Casanova Sorolla’s eye-catching artworks, depicting the movements of dancers at Vienna State Opera. Organic, regional produce stars at breakfast and free afternoon tea is a very welcome touch.
14. Lyon 7
By Anna Richards
Home to Lyon’s thimble-sized Chinatown and restaurants serving cuisine from everywhere from Senegal to Uzbekistan, it’s not surprising that the 7th arrondissement wasn’t considered a part of Lyon until the middle of the 19th century. It was, and still is, a district shaped by immigration. Two universities, Lyon 2 and Sciences Po, have their hub here, making for a youthful, lively feel, and an ever-increasing number of bars. Alongside rainbow-coloured murals by local street artists are food courts, a slaughterhouse-turned-events space, and one of the city’s best museums, the CHRD, a comprehensive and moving exploration of Lyon during the Second World War.
Where to eat and drink
Anywhere on Rue Chevreul or Rue Sébastien Gryphe is miles better than many of the tourist traps in the old town. There are standouts, however. Brunch spot Le Kitchen opened before the area became cool, natural wine bar Croûton makes generously sized sharing plates that mix classic French cuisine with world flavours, and Orgao Beer House may look like a picture-perfect wine cellar with exposed stone walls, but it actually sells locally brewed artisan beers.
Where to shop
Restaurants and bars have flourished here, but shopping is pretty limited, and there are far more independent boutiques in Les Pentes (1st arrondissement). One exception is Grand Bain, which sells a mix of ceramics, jewellery and trinkets by local creators, although their opening hours are so bizarre it’s a wonder they sell anything. The thrift shop next door, Pépitark, is decent too.
A room for the night
There’s far more choice across the river, in the 2nd arrondissement, but eclectic, colourful Mama Shelter is the best place to stay in the 7th, with doubles from £83.
15. Holesovice, Prague
By Will Tizard
Prague’s Holesovice neighbourhood was once known only for its sleepy residential blocks and decidedly shabby exhibition grounds (with attached Communist-era funfair). Now, it’s become so hip you can’t visit the district’s beloved Café Lajka pub without running into celebrated Czech filmmakers, writers and artists.
Situated between the Hradcanska metro stop and the northern bend of the Vltava river, Holesovice has become a hub for designer startups and creative spaces, studios and cool cafés – with the streets between the National Technical Museum and the DOX modern art gallery as epicentre and a fine Vltava footbridge now connecting to the nearly-as-hip Karlin district.
Where to eat and drink
The beer garden of Letensky Zamecek is a long-standing favourite for its views of the city, though Bio Oko is now the beating heart of Holesovice and ideal for catching an indie film after meeting up in its vintage lobby bar. The nearby Cobra bar is where to carry on afterwards.
The vegan burger and bakeshop specialist Chutnej draws patrons in with a quiet buzz and lovingly crafted meals built around Bohemian-harvested mushrooms and beets, while good old Lajka serves its own excellent craft beer late into the night. Mr. HotDoG, revelling in its deliberately cheesy name, serves up the district’s most enticing sliders and chilli cheese dogs.
Where to shop
Vnitroblock is an arty space with a host of design shops, the Signature café and the country’s tiniest cinema, Pidikino. The DOX gallery store is the place to score porcelain and brilliant coffee table books. Sister Conspiracy, is all about sustainable fashion.
A room for the night
You’re in hipster central at Mama Shelter. A leisurely breakfast on the terrace is a fine way to map out your city break.
This article was first published in January 2023 and has been revised and updated.
