Fitzroy is the Brooklyn of Melbourne.
Fitzroy named the Brooklyn of Melbourne
August 4, 2026 - Brooklyn Of (brooklynof.com), a travel publication that names the coolest neighborhood in more than 150 cities worldwide, has named Fitzroy the Brooklyn of Melbourne.
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. Melbourne's verdict went to Fitzroy ahead of Collingwood, Brunswick and North Melbourne, which take the runner-up positions.
"We named Fitzroy the Brooklyn of Melbourne, and it was not a hard call. It is where the city's creative identity was forged, and you can still feel it: coffee in the morning, natural wine at night, someone playing guitar badly in a park on Sunday. Melburnians are welcome to tell us we are wrong," says Per, creator of Brooklyn Of.
The verdict comes with a guide to Fitzroy'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 Melbourne verdict: brooklynof.com/melbourne
Press contact: Per, creator of Brooklyn Of, hello [at] brooklynof.com
Press kit and images: brooklynof.com/press/melbourne
Runner-up neighborhoods: Collingwood, Brunswick, North Melbourne
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.