Hampden is the Brooklyn of Baltimore.
Hampden named the Brooklyn of Baltimore
August 4, 2026 - Brooklyn Of (brooklynof.com), a travel publication that names the coolest neighborhood in more than 150 cities worldwide, has named Hampden the Brooklyn of Baltimore.
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. Baltimore's verdict went to Hampden ahead of Remington, Station North and Highlandtown, which take the runner-up positions.
"We named Hampden the Brooklyn of Baltimore. It is a former mill town that never fully shook its blue-collar roots, and that is exactly the point: gritty, walkable, and vintage in a way nobody is performing. Baltimoreans are welcome to tell us we are wrong," says Per, creator of Brooklyn Of.
The verdict comes with a guide to Hampden'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 Baltimore verdict: brooklynof.com/baltimore
Press contact: Per, creator of Brooklyn Of, hello [at] brooklynof.com
Press kit and images: brooklynof.com/press/baltimore
Runner-up neighborhoods: Remington, Station North, Highlandtown
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.