Finsbury Park, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

“Buzzy, hipstery joint” by Newington Green that’s “similar to the related Westerns Laundry”: “shared tables add to the fun” and it provides “very good casual dining” – “a mix of small and large plates”, and “with the same preference for natural wines (perhaps not universally successful, but they serve a decent range)”. The output from the in-house bakery is a feature and it only uses grains grown without chemicals. The odd report discerns a “slight tendency to ‘bistromathics’, where the bill surprises” and the charge for some small plates is a mite “cheeky”. Top Menu Tips – “excellent pizzetta, fab roasted leeks in sauce gribiche”.

This “grotty Arsenal pub” near the old Highbury stadium in Finsbury Park has won wide acclaim for its “elevated pub food”, with “small plates of tasty British classics” and a “banging Dexter burger” (“I dream about those burgers, they’re that good”). There’s a “nice old-school pub atmosphere too”, with a “lively bar” and “great beer selection”. Chef duo Jamie Allan & Ed McIlroy (aka Four Legs) have now opened their second transformation project, the former chippy Tollingtons (see also). Top Sartorial Tip – “baseball caps and trainers are ubiquitous”.