Hilltop is the neighbourhood directly west of downtown, historically the centre of Tacoma's African-American community and a district with a complicated reputation that is in the process of significant change. The neighbourhood's main commercial corridor on Martin Luther King Jr. Way has been gentrifying since the early 2010s as artists and small food businesses moved in, following the pattern established in many American cities by rising rents elsewhere.
The original Hilltop character — a dense, working-class neighbourhood with deep community ties — coexists with newer wine bars and coffee shops. Hilltop has some of Tacoma's most interesting independent restaurants, and the neighbourhood's street art and murals reflect both its artistic community and its history. The T Line light rail runs through here, making it easy to reach from downtown.