What makes a street genuinely cool? Is it the food, the music, the architecture, or the people who bring it to life? According to Time Out’s annual ranking of the world’s coolest streets for 2026, it’s a combination of all these things — and one colourful stretch in Rio de Janeiro has managed to get that formula just right.
Say hello to Rua do Senado, newly crowned the world’s coolest street. Once a quiet, slightly forgotten corner of Rio’s Centro neighbourhood, it has re-emerged as the city’s most dynamic cultural corridor.
A Historic Street With a New Pulse
Rua do Senado has always had character. For decades, it was known for antique stores, classic bars, and a bohemian spirit that attracted artists and collectors. But over the past few years, the street has undergone a striking transformation. Today, it blends the charm of its historic past with the rush of reinvention — a place where old façades, creative studios, and bold new restaurants coexist effortlessly.
Time Out’s team of global editors and experts nominated streets that best reflect the essence of their cities. Rua do Senado rose to the top for scoring high across food, drink, culture, entertainment, and community atmosphere. In other words, it isn’t just a neighbourhood. It’s a living, breathing snapshot of Rio’s creative identity.
The Food and Drink Scene That Sparked the Revival
The street’s transformation began quietly but decisively with chef Lucio Vieira. His restaurant, Lilia, was one of the first to signal a shift. Modern, thoughtful, and distinctly Brazilian, it attracted a new community of diners. Vieira later doubled down, opening Labuta Bar and Labuta Braseiro on the same street and cementing Rua do Senado’s status as a rising culinary hub.
Soon after, newcomers like Destilaria Maravilha added a contemporary nightlife edge, with DJs, craft cocktails, and live performances filling the evenings with a youthful energy. And yet, the street never lost its soul. Armazém Senado, which has been open since 1907, still anchors the neighbourhood with cold draft beer and that unmistakable Rio warmth.
A Cultural Revival Led by Artists and Dreamers
Another force behind Rua do Senado’s resurgence is its thriving creative landscape. Bright historic architecture sits shoulder to shoulder with modern murals, improvised studios, and multi-use art complexes. One standout is Solar dos Abacaxis, an art collective that has moved into part of a former 1912 factory. The space now hosts exhibitions, experimental performances, and community events — and will soon welcome Mercado Central RJ, a sprawling market with more than 40 shops and restaurants.
The result is a street that not only entertains but also inspires. It reflects the city’s artistic curiosity, its grassroots energy, and its willingness to reimagine forgotten corners.
Why Saturdays Are the Best Time to Visit
If there is one day that captures the spirit of Rua do Senado, it’s Saturday. This is when the legendary samba do Armazém Senado takes over the street, drawing locals and visitors into an open-air celebration that feels unmistakably Rio. Musicians gather, shopkeepers keep their doors open, and the rhythm of samba drifts through the neighbourhood long after sunset.
It’s the kind of communal, spontaneous joy that cities elsewhere try to engineer — but in Rio, it simply happens.
Why Rua do Senado Deserves Its Title
Rua do Senado has earned its place at the top of the world’s coolest streets list because it represents Rio at its best: expressive, experimental, proudly rooted in its past, and unafraid to reinvent itself. It’s a street where you can move seamlessly from century-old bars to edgy new restaurants, from quiet galleries to a full-blown samba party. It is, in short, the perfect microcosm of the city — vibrant, layered, and endlessly alive.
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