Islington, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

James Dawson’s wine shops/clubs/bars are “great places to catch up with friends over a bottle you might never ordinarily have tried”. “The staff are super-helpful, with lots of suggestions” of bottles from independent and sustainable producers. The food is “OK if a little uninspiring”, but “who cares when there’s one evening a week when you can drink wine at retail prices”.

“Fairy lights, greenery and charming decor create a warm and cosy atmosphere” at this still-expanding group, which is most popular as a “reliable and friendly brunch option”. Its Med-inspired tapas is typically rated somewhere between “tasty” and “nothing special” and scores overall are dragged well down by those experiencing “chaotic service” and “food that doesn’t live up to the pretty dining room”.

This “great neighbourhood gastropub” in Islington is “very strong all-round”, and the in-house butchery means it delivers a “stunning roast”. It’s still winning excellent ratings after a dozen years, with just a single gripe this year – “they only had one vaguely interesting beer on tap”.

Set among the antiques shops of Camden Passage, this “comfortable” Islington institution has been superbly run by two generations of the Segal family for 55 years. The “simple but very good quality food is served in a bright and well-spaced conservatory dining room at the back”, at tables that are “nicely spaced”, with “just the right amount of buzz to have a conversation”. Top Tip – huge garden area for summer dining.

This “very popular gastropub” in Islington has been transformed from an early Victorian boozer by Nick Gibson, and now “does so well you really need to book”. The “consistently good food and great wine list” show a strong French influence, and it’s “lovely outside at the back in summer”.

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.