Where the hip and funky live in capital cities So far as meet-and-greet places are concerned, Erskineville has an abundance of cafes, bars and pubs on offer / File IT pays to follow the cool crowd when hunting for a home. They are always the first to find the upwardly mobile locations with the hot spot must-haves;culture, coffee bars, gastropubs and quirky shops on their doorstep. Property columnist Peter Koulizos digs deep to find the capital city suburbs populated by the hip and funky. His analysis is based on the latest prices and demographic. Sydney - Erskineville In Sydney, I'd suggest you don't need to look any further than Erskineville. It's is a great little suburb in Sydney's inner west, only 5 km to the CBD. This suburb is only two train stops from Central Station. Erskineville offers many quiet streets lined with beautiful terrace homes, just far enough from the hustle and bustle of Erskineville Road and King Street. Some particularly nice streets include Pleasant Avenue and Devine, Knight, Bray and Rochford streets. If it's young, smart, rich people you're looking for, this is the place. Check out the stats below. So far as meet-and-greet places are concerned, Erskineville has an abundance of cafes, bars and pubs on offer including: Fleetwood Macchiato: A cute "hole in the wall" cafe boasting an amazing breakfast and lunch menu in addition to a delicious assortment of sweets including quince, strawberry and rose cake and blackberry and banana bread. Cafe Shenkin: This Israeli cafe will have you lining up for more While you have to get in early to get a seat for a weekend breakfast; it's worth the wait. You'll be greeted with a Middle Eastern themed menu, amazing coffee and fantastic, friendly service. The Erskineville Hotel: Commonly known as the Erko to locals, The Erskineville Hotel is a grungy yet welcoming pub that offers delicious menu specials every night of the week including the Erko footy dog, fajitas and a Sunday roast, which can be washed down with a cocktail jug. The cosy, mismatched furniture and outdoor seating lining the street add to the charm of this little pub you'll want to call your own. Hive Bar: Enjoy a free beer or wine when you buy a pizza or burger Monday through to Thursday at this quirky and arty bar on Erskineville Road. Friendly staff, a great menu, an original DJ and a casual and relaxed vibe all week long make the Hive Bar a hit with the locals and visitors alike. Attribute % living in Erskineville Australian suburb average % Age - 25 to 29 Age - 30 to 34 Age - 35 to 39 University qualified Median weekly income Melbourne: Carlton Carlton is 2km north of The Melbourne CBD and a 2 minute walk to the University of Melbourne. The suburb stats above show that whilst residents are young and university educated, the income is quite low which indicates a high percentage of students living in the area. So if you're moving to Melbourne and want to do some extra study, Carlton could be just the place for you. Carlton is home to the famous Lygon Street where you'll find an abundance of restaurants, cafes and bars. Brunetti Cafe is one of these culinary gems in Carlton, famous for their cakes and biscuits in addition to gelati, hand-made chocolate and traditional Italian sweets. The Wolf's Lair Drinking Haus and Treetop is a quirky little bar just off Jimmy Watson Lane, near Lygon Street. They have beer, wine and unusual mixes of spirit they claim to mix to perfection. The Wolf's Lair also has a great rooftop bar. Carlton has you covered for breakfast and lunch Monday through Saturday at LE MIEL et la lune; a quaint little breakfast and brunch restaurant on Cardigan Street. Featured on their menu are pistachio frangipani tarts, sour cherry and triple berry cake as well as a great breakfast menu. Their coffee also gets rave reviews. % living in Carlton Age - 20 to 24 Adelaide: Adelaide When people think of nice, vibrant places to live in Adelaide; the actual suburb of Adelaide is often overlooked. Adelaide is one of few capital cities in which living in the CBD is financially attainable. Here are some statistics on Adelaide that paint a demographic picture: % living in Adelaide The suburb of Adelaide is host to what South Australian's call "Mad March"; simply a month of cultural madness. The Fringe festival, The Festival of Arts, WOMADelaide, Clipsal 500 and Adelaide Cup are just a few of the events that make up Mad March and between them, there is something for absolutely everyone. However, Adelaide has lots to offer all through the year, including gorgeous parklands, the River Torrens and some amazing eateries such as EST Pizzeria on East Terrace which is often jam packed and for a good reason. Their menu is full of amazing wine and pizza in addition to a few other culinary delights and you can see them prepare the food right in front of you. Also located on the picturesque East Terrace is the Botanic Bar which is famous for its $6 pizzas and stunning decor. The Botanic Bar also offers a great DJ, delicious jugs of sangria and a wide range of beer, wine, spirits and cocktails. The Belgian Beer Cafe is located on Ebenezer Pl, Adelaide which is just off Rundle St and is home to over 40 different beers ranging from the classic Stella Artois to Belle-Vue Kriek, or "Cherry Beer." Many office workers can be found after work enjoying the many beers on offer. Perth: Northbridge Northbridge is one of Perth's inner-city suburbs and is less than 10 minutes from the Perth CBD by bus. As is seen in the stats table below; the people of Northbridge are young, wealthy and smart. They also make maintaining a social life easy with these great spots to try: The Universal Bar in Northbridge is known for its quality live entertainment and fantastic service as is evident by their lengthy list of awards. In addition to beer and wine, there's an extensive cocktail menu featuring beverages such as "How Tequila Mocking Bird" and "Southern Voodoo." The Tuck Shop Cafe is a cute little cafe on Newcastle Street offering breakfast and lunch Tuesday through to Sunday. The Tuck Shop is well known for its friendly service and delicious menu featuring their famous home-made pies consisting of flavours such as Spanish style beef with red wine, chorizo and smoked paprika and the chicken, leek and white wine pie. With over 100 types of Gin behind the bar, a great looking menu full of bar snacks and a gorgeous rustic interior, Frisk. Small Bar on Francis Street will have you hooked. Whilst sampling one of the many gin based cocktails on offer, why not try a trifecta of feta, olives and octopus. % living in Northbridge Brisbane: West End West End is an inner-city suburb of Brisbane, located across the Brisbane River and a 25 minute walk from the Brisbane CBD. The West End was traditionally a blue collar suburb but it is rapidly gentrifying, due to its proximity to the CBD and character buildings. If you're a music lover, the West End is just the spot for you with the Hi Fi Bar located on Boundary Street, right in the heart of the suburb. Artists such as Something for Kate, Ash Grunwald and Hungry Kids of Hungary have all played or are due to play at the Hi Fi Bar this year. There's also the VINYL Bar and Restaurant at the Brisbane Hi Fi which serves snacks, meals and drinks to keep you going through the night. If you prefer finding vintage and second hand gems to music and gigs; West End has you covered with Box Vintage and Bent Books. Box Vintage on Vulture Street has a collection of vintage clothing from all over the world. New stock arrives weekly and they're open every day but Sunday. Bent Books is a second hand book store located on Boundary Street with book shelves covering its walls and a huge variety of reading material; perfect for everyone's taste. The Little Greek Taverna is a restaurant on Browning street offering authentic Greek cuisine prepared on the premises. Spanikopita, chicken and lamb souvlaki and Greek meatballs are just a few of the Greek delights featuring on the menu. They also have a traditional Greek dessert menu. Archive Beer Boutique is a bar on Boundary Street with an amazingly designed interior. In 2011 and 2012 they won the best themed bar award. If beer is your thing, this is your place! Why not go on a Monday night when they have beer, burgers and board games! Want to meet some smart people? Go on a Tuesday night which is Trivia night. Or if you just want to chill out, there is live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights. % living in West End Age - 20-24