Nguyễn Thái Bình Ward is the Brooklyn of Ho Chi Minh City.
Nguyễn Thái Bình Ward named the Brooklyn of Ho Chi Minh City
August 4, 2026 - Brooklyn Of (brooklynof.com), a travel publication that names the coolest neighborhood in more than 150 cities worldwide, has named Nguyễn Thái Bình Ward the Brooklyn of Ho Chi Minh City.
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. Ho Chi Minh City's verdict went to Nguyễn Thái Bình Ward ahead of Thảo Điền, District 3 and Phú Nhuận, which take the runner-up positions.
"We named Nguyễn Thái Bình Ward the Brooklyn of Ho Chi Minh City. It runs on alley coffee at dawn and serious dinners you stumble into by accident, old bones underneath and no reservation app required. Locals are welcome to tell us we are wrong," says Per, creator of Brooklyn Of.
The verdict comes with a guide to Nguyễn Thái Bình Ward'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 Ho Chi Minh City verdict: brooklynof.com/ho-chi-minh-city
Press contact: Per, creator of Brooklyn Of, hello [at] brooklynof.com
Press kit and images: brooklynof.com/press/ho-chi-minh-city
Runner-up neighborhoods: Thảo Điền, District 3, Phú Nhuận
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.