[imagesource: Arne Purves]

Do you recognise the area in the image above?

This little town that sits between the sea and the mountains has one of the world’s coolest streets, according to a poll by Time Out.

If you have been to Kalk Bay, you’ll agree fervently that it is indeed one of the coolest streets that our country has to offer.

Whenever I’ve visited Kalk Bay Main Road I have felt utterly transported, like I am in some seaside toytown in Italy or Portugal.

It’s not just the idyllic setting of the street, but also all the quaint things it has to offer – from delicious restaurants to fun little shops (China Town and Global Beads are up there), and a tight-knit community of people who run the street together.

The best part is that at the end of the street lies the charming harbour with fresh fish for sale and hungry seals making sure that there’s not a scrap left wasted.

That’s exactly the kind of street Time Out was hoping for when they quizzed 27 000 city-dwellers and asked local experts to rank the top streets in the world for food, fun, culture, and community.

James Manning, the international editor of Time Out, has more via The Independent:

“Our first ever World’s Coolest Streets list celebrates the great local businesses and communities that make our cities and streets exciting,” said Manning.

“They have kept us going through the past year and it’s more important than ever to support them as the world begins reopening. From outdoor dining to open-air culture, street life is where you can glimpse the future of our cities.

“Humans are social creatures and these streets are the places to be as we start eating, drinking and socialising together once again.”

Alright, so out of 30 streets, here are five of the coolest streets in the world, including the two South African entries.

At least there’s one from both Cape Town and Johannesburg on the list. Nobody wants to fight over which is the better place to live.

Main Road, Kalk Bay, Cape Town 

Image: A. Mertens / Shutterstock.com

The main road in suburban Kalk Bay is just magical. Head past all the historic sea-facing homes, just beyond the train station, and you’ll find the dream spot for an afternoon mooch in the sun. Our top tip? Pop down midweek to have more of the place to yourself.

-Yazeed Kamaldien

7th Street, Melville, Johannesburg

Image: Photograph: Rich T Photo / Shutterstock.com

A typical experience on 7th Street in Johannesburg’s Melville neighbourhood looks like this: cocktail in hand, a whiff of quality food in the air, the hum of casual diners and street drinkers chatting around you. There’s always a discernible buzz.

-Thando Mpembe

Levinsky Street, Tel Aviv

Image: Ran Shahar

Levinsky Street – AKA Levinsky Market – has long been where you go for the freshest food produce from the surrounding region and beyond. Small speciality shops started popping up here in the 1930s, when Jewish immigrants from Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria settled into the neighbourhood and made it their business to introduce Tel Aviv to their gastronomic heritage.

-Yaron Ten-Brink

Cat Street, Tokyo

Image: Keisuke Tanigawa

Despite its name, Tokyo’s Cat Street has actually very little to do with felines (see also the city’s ‘cat town’, which does). This pedestrian-only strip connects the bustling neighbourhoods of Shibuya and Omotesando, and is home to some of Tokyo’s coolest cafés and shops.

-Kaila Imada

Mariannenstraße, Berlin

Image: L.ON / Shutterstock.com

There’s a quiet strip that leads away from the heavy foot traffic lining Berlin’s Landwehrkanal.  Peeking out from under tall residential buildings, it’s more than just a sleepy side street: this place retains Berlin’s inner-city charm, with freshly fried falafel, ostentatious street art, design stores and cosy coffee shops aplenty.

-Nathan Ma

For more streets from Melbourne to Mexico and Prague to Porto, check out Time Out’s full list.

[sources:timeout&independent]