Kavaklıdere is the Brooklyn of Ankara.
Kavaklıdere named the Brooklyn of Ankara
September 12, 2026 - Brooklyn Of (brooklynof.com), a travel publication that names the coolest neighborhood in more than 150 cities worldwide, has named Kavaklıdere the Brooklyn of Ankara.
The "Brooklyn of" a city is a metaphor, and a borrowed one. Nobody goes to Ankara looking for New York. Travelers have simply said "the Brooklyn of" a place for twenty years to mean one kind of neighborhood: the one where independent culture, serious coffee, and creative energy define the character. Not the old town, not where the hop-on-hop-off bus goes. Every big enough city has one, and the site names exactly one per city. In many cities the pick is close to consensus, the name locals would give without hesitating. In others it picks a side. Ankara's verdict went to Kavaklıdere ahead of Kızılay, Ayrancı and Hamamönü, which take the runner-up positions.
"Kavaklıdere is our pick for the Brooklyn of Ankara. By day it runs on coffee, pavement tables and unhurried walking; by night a couple of blocks do the work of an entire district, live music included. Locals are welcome to tell us we are wrong," says Per, creator of Brooklyn Of.
The verdict comes with a guide to Kavaklıdere's independent hotels, cafes, restaurants, bars and shops: no big chains, nothing sponsored, and placements are not for sale. Selections draw on research and local tastemakers in each city, and readers who disagree are invited to make their case.
The full Ankara verdict: brooklynof.com/ankara
Press contact: Per, creator of Brooklyn Of, hello [at] brooklynof.com
Press kit and images: brooklynof.com/press/ankara
Runner-up neighborhoods: Kızılay, Ayrancı, Hamamönü
Free for editorial use in coverage of brooklynof.com. Credit: brooklynof.com.
hello [at] brooklynof.com · Per is available for interviews, quotes, and written commentary on this and every city in the index.