Around here at least, most of the cool local places around here are in the suburbs. That's where you find 99% of the "ethnic" supermarkets (Polish market, Japanese market, Chinese markets, Korean markets, Indian markets, etc.), where you'll find the more authentic ethnic restaurants or bakeries, where you'll find the authentic bubble tea shops, the family restaurants, etc.

Not that you can't find any of this in the city (though almost all the ethnic markets are gone now), but the rent inside the city proper has gotten so high that you're often left with large chains and places that are trying too hard to be "hip."

In general I feel like I'm more likely to find a cool hidden treasure exploring the suburbs these days than exploring the cities.

And I don't think it's just around here. For example, I've noticed that many Chinatowns around the U.S. have moved towards the suburbs over time.