East Austin is the Brooklyn of Austin.
East Austin named the Brooklyn of Austin
August 4, 2026 - Brooklyn Of (brooklynof.com), a travel publication that names the coolest neighborhood in more than 150 cities worldwide, has named East Austin the Brooklyn of Austin.
The "Brooklyn of" a city is a metaphor, of course: shorthand for the coolest neighborhood in town, 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. Austin's verdict went to East Austin ahead of North Loop, Bouldin Creek and Clarksville, which take the runner-up positions.
"We named East Austin the Brooklyn of Austin, and it was not a hard call. It is the part of town where taco trucks and natural wine bars share parking lots and nobody treats that as a statement. The creative energy is not performed, it is just how people live there. Austinites are welcome to tell us we are wrong," says Per, creator of Brooklyn Of.
The verdict comes with a guide to East Austin'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 Austin verdict: brooklynof.com/austin
Press contact: Per, creator of Brooklyn Of, hello [at] brooklynof.com
Press kit and images: brooklynof.com/press/austin
Runner-up neighborhoods: North Loop, Bouldin Creek, Clarksville
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.