Barrio de Jalatlaco is the Brooklyn of Oaxaca.
Barrio de Jalatlaco named the Brooklyn of Oaxaca
August 4, 2026 - Brooklyn Of (brooklynof.com), a travel publication that names the coolest neighborhood in more than 150 cities worldwide, has named Barrio de Jalatlaco the Brooklyn of Oaxaca.
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. Oaxaca's verdict went to Barrio de Jalatlaco ahead of Barrio de Xochimilco, Colonia Reforma and Barrio de la Noria, which take the runner-up positions.
"We named Barrio de Jalatlaco the Brooklyn of Oaxaca, and it was not a hard call. An old tannery district that became the city's creative heart without losing its neighborhood feel, painted walls and all, quiet by mid afternoon and loud again by nine. Oaxaqueños are welcome to tell us we are wrong," says Per, creator of Brooklyn Of.
The verdict comes with a guide to Barrio de Jalatlaco'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 Oaxaca verdict: brooklynof.com/oaxaca
Press contact: Per, creator of Brooklyn Of, hello [at] brooklynof.com
Press kit and images: brooklynof.com/press/oaxaca
Runner-up neighborhoods: Barrio de Xochimilco, Colonia Reforma, Barrio de la Noria
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.