By Benjamin Millar
One of the worst kept local secrets has hit the global stage with Time Out magazine naming Footscray as one of the “50 coolest neighbourhoods in the world”.
The list, compiled by Time Out editors from countries across the globe, ranked 50 of the planet’s most exciting cultural and culinary hotspots.
Footscray came in as the 13th coolest neighbourhood in the world right now, the only mainland Australian suburb to make the list.
“This inner-city neighbourhood is the brightest jewel of west Melbourne, primarily thanks to the migrant communities that call it home,” the listing stated.
“A melting pot of cultures from places as far-flung as Vietnam and Ethiopia have brought touches of their home countries, which means you can scoop up a goat curry with fresh injera, slurp up pho and hunt down the best cannoli in town – all in the same street.”
Vietnamese banh mi from Nhu Lan bakery, craft beer at Mr West and the “gastro cornucopia that is Footscray Market” were all cited as highlights of any visit to Footscray.
The suburb’s rapidly growing arts scene also helped the ranking, thanks in large part to the Footscray Community Arts Centre.
Arroios in Lisbon scored top spot as the planet’s coolest neighbourhood, followed by Shimokitazawa in Tokyo and Onikan in Lagos.
Waterfront in Hobart was the sole other Australian neighbourhood to make the top 50.
Footscray also topped a Time Out survey quizzing people on Melbourne’s ‘most underrated’ suburb.
Maribyrnong mayor Martin Zakharov said the listing should help attract more tourism to the area.
“I’m proud that we were one of only two places in Australia that made it onto the list,” he said.
“In terms of multiculturalism, it’s one of the best places on the planet.
“For a long time it had a reputation for things like crime, but it’s a changing demographic and that is disappearing.”
