Bywater is the Brooklyn of New Orleans.
Bywater named the Brooklyn of New Orleans
August 4, 2026 - Brooklyn Of (brooklynof.com), a travel publication that names the coolest neighborhood in more than 150 cities worldwide, has named Bywater the Brooklyn of New Orleans.
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. New Orleans's verdict went to Bywater ahead of Faubourg Marigny, Tremé and Mid-City, which take the runner-up positions.
"We named Bywater the Brooklyn of New Orleans. The creative energy there is real, not performative - sherbet-colored houses, music spilling out of backyards, nobody in a hurry to be anywhere. New Orleanians are welcome to tell us we are wrong," says Per, creator of Brooklyn Of.
The verdict comes with a guide to Bywater'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 New Orleans verdict: brooklynof.com/new-orleans
Press contact: Per, creator of Brooklyn Of, hello [at] brooklynof.com
Press kit and images: brooklynof.com/press/new-orleans
Runner-up neighborhoods: Faubourg Marigny, Tremé, Mid-City
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.