London Islington Restaurant Guide

“Superb, really unique combinations and presentation” brings some welcome pizzazz to Islington’s Upper Street, by courtesy of chef James Cochran, formerly of The Ledbury (RIP) and a Great British Menu winner. Raised in Whitstable, he mines his Caribbean-Scottish dual heritage to produce a “fantastic value” five-course tasting menu. Top Tip: “the roast on Sundays is also delicious – and the truffle cauliflower cheese is the stuff of dreams!”

2019 Review: “A restaurant for a proper meal on Upper Street” – former Randall & Aubin head chef Marcel Grzyb teamed up with his sister Oriona Robb to create this welcoming yearling: “the cooking won’t knock your socks off but everything is nicely done and it is a good, safe choice”.

James Dawson’s 12-year-old wine shop/bar/kitchen operation has gathered momentum in recent years, expanding from its Battersea base to branches in a Fleet Street crypt, Islington, Liverpool Street and Canary Wharf. The “great wine list” from sustainable, small-scale producers is the focus, with “lots by the glass” and at “good value”. It’s backed up by “consistently good” small plates, cheese and charcuterie.

“A delightful, charming slice of la vie Parisienne in N1”, this “lovely friendly local bistro” off Islington’s Upper Street “can’t be faulted, especially on price”.

2021 Review: The “lovely Thai food” at these reliable cafés is “impressively authentic given that they are a chain” – “excellent value” and “fast”, if occasionally let down by “iffy service”. Founded in 2008 by Saiphin and Alex Moore, who inherited the name of their first East End site, the group has 18 branches in London and expanded to Liverpool, Manchester, Reading (delivery only) and Leeds following the sale of a majority stake to US investors. The couple also have two spin-offs, Lao Café in Covent Garden and the new Chinese noodle bar Hoh Sek in St Katharine Docks.

With their very “pretty interiors” and “great brunch” – this “reliable chain” of “cheerful” all-day hang-outs has emerged completely undaunted from the pandemic, expanding beyond its south west London heartlands as far as Islington, Marlow and St Albans. With new openings scheduled for late 2021 in Dulwich and Richmond, the roll-out shows no sign of slowing down. They’re very “dog friendly” too.

“You genuinely can’t go wrong” with the “good honest Turkish cooking and mezze dishes” at these two “great-value” stalwarts in Islington. “They’ve made an effort to Ottomanise the decor, so you feel you are eating in a proper restaurant rather than a café-type mangal grill”, and it’s a great choice for a festive night out on a budget.

This Israeli-Japanese (it’s OK, you read that right!) sits at the foot of the swanky new Islington Square development (main entrance on Upper Street). It’s a mega £435m joint venture creating over 4.5acres of space on the site of north London’s former main sorting office (London Mail Centre built in 1904). Opened in July 2021, it features an outside terrace and stylish interior, serving the likes of roast cauliflower with jalapeno sauce; egg with truffle polenta; flamed aubergine with tahini jalapeno and a selection of sushi dishes – blow-torched scallop nigiri with crème fraiche and ikura, anyone?

Corbin & King’s “perfect local brasserie”, “with outside seating by Islington Green”, was reopened as a rare bonus from the pandemic. (Having decided pre-Covid that the venue wasn’t working for them, C&K then found themselves unable to off-load the site due to the downturn, so decided to revisit their decision to close it). “Islington really needs this place, and they’ve found their feet at last”, “with a menu that is rather less focused, but still works for brunch, lunch or dinner”. “It was pure comfort to be able to come back to Bellanger, as it had been sorely missed, and going back felt like a warm hug!”.

2018 Review: The “pretty authentic food” and attentive staff win consistent praise for this Islington fixture. The “modern decor is a cut above the normal high street Thai”, making the best of what could be a tricky narrow space.

“Glorious burgers and great music in grungy surroundings” – this punk-inspired dirty burger operation “has many imitators now – but it’s still the best” for its diehard devotees. A decade after making the transition from a food van to a permanent site, the chain now has nine venues in the capital. If the excitement of its early years has dimmed a little, its food ratings continue to shine: “Dead Hippie burger, deep-fried mac’n’cheese, salted caramel brownie – is that not a perfect (heart-stopping) indulgent meal?”

2021 Review: “When all you want is an old-school burger”, these US-based arrivals of recent years really “hit the spot” – you can “build your own”, with “tons of accessories”; plus “seriously addictive fries”, “thick milkshakes”, and “more soda flavours than is reasonable”. “The eat-in experience is as depressing as McDonald’s”, though, in fact perhaps more so – “some branches have a strangely gloomy ambience” – but fans feel that “if you don’t mind 1980s-rock, a trip can still be surprisingly fun”.

This “good, family-run local Indian” near Islington’s Almeida Theatre serves a welcome range of seafood and vegetarian options as well as carnivore classics from across the subcontinent.

This small, sparse café on Islington Green is one of the longest-running entries in our guide. Nothing fancy, but check it out for a quick bite (simple curries and rice) that’s interesting and won't break the bank.

A “very good local Italian” serving “cheering, and honest food” – this modest-looking Puglian close to Islington’s Almeida Theatre is named after the red earth of the Salento peninsula, the ‘heel’ of southern Italy. It’s “much more than a pizza place”, and prepares its own “home-made pasta” along with “dishes you won’t find in a standard UK Italian”.

Jolly, old-school Islington bistro of over 30 years’ standing, known for its low prices and “good value”. Not so many places in town now where you can have Soup, Beef Bourguignon and Apple Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream for £14.50.

This modern Italian from D&D London and chef Francesco Mazzei – on the Islington site that once housed Almeida (RIP) – wins OK feedback, but inspires nothing approaching the excitement that might be expected from such a team of backers. Local fans hail its “generous” Calabrian cuisine and “good quality pizza” – sceptics feel its “saving grace is the location opposite the Almeida Theatre…”

“Never had a duff meal” – this ten-year-old Islington gastroboozer is “consistently great”, and regulars reckon themselves “very lucky to have it as our local gastropub”. As the name suggests, they specialise in butchering their own meat for the kitchen.

“The atmosphere is downbeat but the food is addictive” at this Chinese canteen near Angel, which serves “tasty, spicy food with lots and lots of pepper”. “Try and avoid the more conventional Chinese restaurant dishes for an authentic regional treat.”

“Celebrating over 50 years in Camden Passage”, this cutely located “institution” is “an established Islington staple”, and a default choice for business, romance and family celebrations for fans across north London, for whom it’s a massive “favourite”. The modern European cuisine “continues to innovate” and if results are arguably “unspectacular”, they are very “reliable”, while the spacious interior and “excellent outdoor seating” create an “impressive environment” that helps imbue a meal with a good sense of occasion.