Highbury, Italian Restaurant Guide

2022 Review: “Delighted to see this has survived the pandemic!” – this little Sardinian local, not far from the Arsenal ground, delights its Highbury fanclub. They say it serves “Islington’s top pizza”.

Inspired by the comfort food of Rome and Lazio, a neighbourhood spot in Highbury launched in summer 2025 by a ‘dream team’ of locals – Ed Templeton, co-founder of high-flying guest-chef showcase Carousel, and actor Theo James (White Lotus; The Gentleman), with Milan-raised chef Naz Hassan running the kitchen. The dolci are home-made, and thick-cut porchetta sandwiches are served to take away on Arsenal match days.

2024 Review: This micro Italian wine bar in Highbury’s Blackstock Road (formerly the Light Eye Mind arts space) opened in March 2023 and operates as a bottle shop and café by day and a 20-cover wine bar by night, serving low-intervention Italian wines along with cheese and salumi from small producers and pasta. The cakes are from Forno in Hackney, and they produce their own small-batch gelato. Co-owner Leonardo Leoncini ran Highbury’s Farewell Cafe, which closed in 2021.