Islington, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

It’s “all about the wine, as you might expect” at James Dawson’s “relaxed” wine-bar group, whose branches boast a “splendid list” of “high-quality and well-sourced” bottles. The food is very much “second fiddle”, though “unobjectionable”, while the most interesting venue is the original one, off Fleet Street, “hidden in the vaults of St Bride’s Church”. Top Tip – “go on a Monday night for wine at shop rather than restaurant prices”.

A “buzzy” atmosphere and “welcoming service” are the strong suits of this “expanding group”, with 16 branches in London and another handful nearby. While nobody disputes that they’re “lovely to sit in” and offer “value for money”, the “Middle-Eastern-inspired cooking” divides opinion, with some reporters “pleasantly surprised by the tasty food” and others bemoaning “underwhelming” dishes that “sound better than they taste”.

We’re “very lucky to have it as our local”, say regulars at this Islington gastropub with the unusual facility of an in-house butchery to ensure high-quality meat. “I’ve been dozens of times, and never had a bum meal”.

In a “brilliant setting” among the antique shops of Camden Passage, this “reliable, high-class stalwart has been going for over 50 years, and is never disappointing”. “The food is unoriginal but good quality and excellently prepared, while the staff are unfailingly efficient and welcoming”. There’s a “super bar, and garden dining is especially lovely come summer-time”. You wouldn’t head here for a rave, though – having recruited an army of regulars over so many years, it’s perhaps inevitable that “the restaurant vibe is large tables of posh pensioners having a jolly time”.

Nick Gibson’s famous Islington gastropub offers “British cuisine with a creative twist” that is “utterly delicious, generous, and most of all memorable”. There’s a “strong selection of craft beers and ales”, and a “renowned wine list put together by Nick and priced ungreedily”. This year’s worst complaint – “just a bit too noisy and busy, which can affect the service”.

2021 Review: A new kitchen team have livened up the menu at this Arsenal supporters’ pub, which is said to have inspired George Orwell’s fictional, idealised pub The Moon Under Water. Early press reports are excited about its mix of pub grub and somewhat fancier fare.

Due to open in the second half of 2023 – this historic Islington pie ’n’ mash shop in Chapel Market closed in 2018 but has been rescued by Alex Pashby of street-food trader The Beefsteaks (‘An exclusive 18th Century London steak club reimagined as inclusive 21st Century street food’). At first it will operate as a low-intervention wine bar serving British small plates – as it takes off, the hope is for the food offering to expand.