Tooting named one of the world’s coolest top 10 neighbourhoods

The south London area was the only UK neighbourhood to make Lonely Planet’s list of coolest places

Tooting is one of the world's coolest neighbourhoods (Getty)

If you had to name the best neighbourhood in the UK, your first thought might not be Tooting in south London.

But the plucky stop near the end of the Northern Line made it into a list of the top 10 neighbourhoods in the world, as decided by Lonely Planet.

Mixing with the likes of Copehagen’s trendy meatpeaking district, Vesterbro, and the hip waterfront Sunset Park neighbourhood In Brooklyn, New York, Tooting slipped into the 10th spot thanks to its diversity and eclectic range of bars and restaurants.

“Tooting in South London has developed into an uber-cool neighbourhood in recent years and lost none of its gritty charm in the process,” says Lonely Planet’s Will Jones, “Rubbing shoulders with perfectly pleasant yet slightly square Wimbledon, Earlsfield and Balham, Tooting is a more captivating affair, revelling in multiculturalism and originality.

“Its high street, which stretches between two Tube stations, is one of the best ‘curry corridors’ in the country, and contains some superb South Asian restaurants, like Dosa n Chutny and Apollo Banana Leaf.”

He recommends Tooting Market for shopping and The Castle, The Antelope and The Little Bar for grabbing a pint.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, formerly MP for Tooting, approved of its inclusion in the list. He said: "It’s great to see Lonely Planet recognise what many of us have known for decades."

The Zone 3 neighbourhood has gone up in the world over the last five years, with two bedroom houses selling for up to £800,000. It’s also home to Tooting Bec Lido, the largest outdoor swimming pool in the UK.

The other neighbourhoods that made it into the top 10 include Borgo San Frediano in Florence, Damansara Heights in Kuala Lumpur and Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro.

According to Lonely Planet, “Some have been steadily developing their street cred for years, others are in the midst of rapid transformation – all are ripe for exploration right now.”

10 coolest neighbourhoods

1. Borgo San Frediano, Florence

2. Seongsu-dong, Seoul

3. The Triangle, Lisbon

4. Vesterbro, Copenhagen

5. Business Bay, Dubai

6. Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur

7. Sunset Park, New York City

8. Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro

9. Frelard, Seattle

10. Tooting, London