'Kind of shocking': Ridgewood ranks 4th on list of world's coolest neighborhoods
RIDGEWOOD, Queens (PIX11) --- Celebrating a momentous birthday with complete strangers captures the essence of Ridgewood, which was ranked fourth in a list of coolest neighborhoods in the world in 2022, according to Time Out.
Vanessa America, owner of Tiny Arts Supply in Ridgewood, hosted her 40th birthday party at a community center and was happy when tons of people she didn't know showed up at her bash.
"It's really community-driven here," America said. "I love that everyone here is free and open."
Still, the Ohio transplant was a bit surprised at the top-five ranking.
"It's kind of shocking it's No. 4," said America, who opened her store last year.
Toni Binanti, the owner of Rudy's Bakery in Ridgewood, was not as stunned. The businesswoman has been in the neighborhood for more than 40 years and fell in love with the melting pot of people who settled in the area.
"It never lost the value of being a community," Binanti said. "When I came here there were cultures I didn't even know existed."
The popular bakery is a staple for locals but tourists from Germany, Italy, and England have stopped in for a treat this summer, Binanti said. Another must-see spot in the neighborhood is the Vander Ende-Onderdonk House, a Dutch colonial house that was built in 1709, or visitors can go thrift shopping at OPC Buy Sell Trade, according to Time Out.
Colonia Americana in Guadalajara landed the top spot as the coolest neighborhood in the world, followed by Cais do Sodré, Lisbon, Wat Bo Village, Siem Reap in Cambodia and Mile End, Montreal rounded out the top five.
Other U.S. neighborhoods that made the cut were Barrio Logan, San Diego, Silver Lake, Los Angeles, Avondale, Chicago, Coconut Grove, Miami, and Dogpatch, San Francisco.
“Each neighborhood has found a mix that works for them between honoring the historic and embracing the new to create a vibe that feels fresh, exciting, and unique in every city on this list,” said Sarah Medina, North American Travel Editor at Time Out.