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Upper where? Well, quite. Though you may not have heard much about the area, locals rated their neck of the woods overall a nicer place to live in than Stoke Newington, Camden and even Notting Hill in Time Out's recent City Living Survey. Partly this is a happy quirk of geography; its hilltop location affords views every bit as lovely as Primrose Hill, but without the selfie-stick swarms of NW1. The area scored well with locals for eating and drinking options: they're spoilt for choice with bars and eateries on the popular 'Triangle'. And while some residents might sneakily pretend they live in Crystal Palace, the diverse population and steadily rising (but hardly outrageous) house prices make this one leafy enclave that's doing very nicely without the hipsters, thank you very much.
The Lowdown
• Dreamy hilltop views
• Vibrant restaurant scene
• Overground and national rail from Crystal Palace station
• Commutable by SE London standards
• Properties to rent from £1,000 a month*
• Houses to buy from £250,000*
*For a 1-2 bed property. Data courtesy of Rightmove.
Local perspective
Upper Norwood resident Camille Harding, 38, is a teacher, singer and writer.
'Without wanting to come over all Samuel Johnson, if you're tired of the "Upper Norwood Triangle" you really are tired of life! The Triangle – three streets of amazing pubs, restaurants and coffee shops – caters for pretty much every taste. Friendly French/North African fusion joint Numidie on Westow Hill is my go-to for a steamy tagine. Then it has to be Mu Cocina Estuya for delicious Venezuelan food, especially the tequeños (crispy fried dough with white cheese). For classic pub grub, check out The White Hart: it's good without being gastro. It even has a vintage clothes shop in it. Then, for a good hearty plateful on a budget, Kish Mish is a Persian BYO spot, conveniently situated next-door to an off-licence, so popping out for more pinot is not too much of a problem.
'Living in Upper Norwood isnít just about stuffing your face, though. Weíre blessed with enough parks and green space to walk off those calories in style. Westow Park even hosts the annual Crystal Palace Overground Festival: our own little Glastonbury, except free of charge (and Kanye!). Lastly, there's the lovely Church Road Market – itís the perfect place to go for a relaxing stroll on a Sunday afternoon. The banter between the stall holders is entertainment in itself, though I couldn't repeat much of it here!'