London Angel Restaurant Guide

2021 Review: ‘Gluten free but you wouldn’t know it!’ is the motto at this modern bistro “very handy for the Sadlers Wells theatre”: “a charming and slightly eclectic restaurant with enthusiastic staff” and “a varied menu to suit all tastes”. “My gluten-free friend was delighted to find he could eat anything on the menu, and happily tucked into pie and mash, saying that you wouldn’t know it was gluten-free (a point echoed by the non-gluten-free among us)”.

Many diners do applaud “wonderful ingredients, impeccably presented” at this ambitious Japanese venue on Islington’s Chapel Market, and say that the “signature sashimi, maki rolls and different types of wagyu that you cook on a hot stone are all spectacular”. But a slew of critical reports – in particular regarding voucher promotions – has dented ratings; and such feedback is peppered with a variety of critiques and disappointments, including some “fairly average dishes” and some items charged at “outrageous prices”.

“The best ramen in London, IMO – the rich, porky broth is perfect”, say fans of former pro-cyclist Kazuhiro Kanada’s five noodle bars – in Angel, Piccadilly, Covent Garden, Carnaby and Ealing. “If you’re going to do one thing, do it well, and they do” – so they “deserve the frequent queues”.

“Plenty of yummy breakfast options” win praise for this “extremely well done” brunch specialist which launched 19 years ago in Soho and now has 13 self-described ‘cafés’, 10 of them around the capital, and another four bars and pubs. The fry-ups, pancakes and other comfort-food delights can be accompanied by cocktails if you fancy pushing the boat out early with a Breakfast Mai Tai. Any complaints? – “just the incredibly annoying queues”.

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.

“Lovely Austrian spot in the middle of Islington” – a fixture of cute Camden Passage for more than a decade – that’s perfect “when you fancy something a bit different”: “think good coffee and amazing cakes by day and gorgeous goulash and schnitzel by night”. “Interesting Austrian wine list, too”.

“Amazing Creole food” including such delights as po’boys, gumbo and jambalaya liven up any meal at this Islington pub from Jacob Kenedy (of Bocca di Lupo) – a tribute to his Louisiana forebears. “If you’re looking for something fun, lively and different without having to compromise on the cooking, Plaquemine Lock is an awesome night out”. Top Tip – “great jazz at Sunday brunch”.

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 “tiny hole in the wall with an even tinier kitchen” on Islington Green “delivers time and time again” with its tasty and good-value Afghan cooking. Top Menu Tip – “get the pumpkin curry”.

“Evoking a big Parisian brasserie”, this Wolseley Group venture on Islington Green has had a chequered history. Opened in 2015, when Corbin & King owned the business, they closed it again in 2019 saying “we just couldn’t make it the success we aspired to”. But then, in 2020 – having failed to sell the property – they re-opened and had a second run at making a go of it. With Corbin & King then forced to exit the business in 2022, we are now going around again under the new owners. In June 2023, after our survey had completed, the restaurant re-opened yet again after a complete refit of the vast space and a new menu. Though brighter, the decor is still in the traditional brasserie mould. When it comes to food: out go the retro ‘tarte flambées’ and the chicken schnitzel – in comes the focaccia and – according to the PR – an ‘evolving seasonal menu… taking inspiration from the southern Mediterranean coastal regions’. Er, except it also includes very un-Mediterranean dishes like Dressed Dorset Crab, Loch Duart Salmon with jersey royals and a watercress velouté and Flat Iron Steak Frites. The weekend brunch – with its pancakes and Eggs Benedict – also owes little to Spain, Italy and Greece. Other novelties are a new cocktail bar, and a DJ booth (the latter of which really risks ‘Dad dancing’ for this kind of venue). Our pre-revamp feedback suggested the same rather ‘OK but not particularly distinguished’ performance of old. But we’ve left it unrated on the basis of the latest changes, as this sounds like a case of ‘outlook negative’.

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”.

2022 Review: “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.”

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”.

“French comfort food in a cosy setting in the heart of Islington” is just the ticket at this long-serving outfit, where “both cuisine and ambience resemble a bistro in France two or three decades ago”. “Wines have a restrained mark-up”, and there’s a “super-value set lunch which is also available on Saturdays”. Top Menu Tip – “boeuf bourguignon is particularly good”.

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.

2023 Review: This “very authentic Italian local” has been filling happy bellies in Exmouth Market for more than 20 years, with Neapolitan pizzas, pastas and other dishes – “nothing too refined, but plenty of choice and not expensive”. The only complaint: “some options are just too big and hearty”.

The “lovely Moorish/Spanish sharing food” at the little sister of Sam & Sam Clark’s Moro next door in Exmouth Market – and also its spin-off in Hackney Road – makes them “a go-to place when you don’t know where to go”: “an all-round crowd-pleaser, good for meat and non-meat- eaters alike”.

“So much better now it is fully vegan and more adventurous with its food” (“a wonderful range of plant-based dishes from around the world including Central America and the Middle East”) – this long-established meat-free chain started with its “old favourite” Soho branch (est 1988) and has mushroomed in recent years to include five locations in all. “Tables are crammed in” and the sites can get “extremely busy”, but its offering is reliably “tasty and interesting”.

“Have loved it forever!” – “After all these years Sam and Sam Clark’s vanguard player in the 1990s British restaurant revolution still punches well up to its weight” (and scored much more consistently again this year, with one or two diners noting a “marked improvement” after a soggy couple of years). “Still packed, still pushing out creative Spanish/Moorish food, still surprisingly good value, and still in a minimalist space that’s fundamentally 1990s”; it’s a “heartwarming delight” for its big and ultra-loyal fan club. Other plusses include “excellent Spanish wine list and relaxed-but-efficient service”. The “only issue is the noise level, which can make it difficult to hear your companion, even on a small table”.

2021 Review: “Our local – we’re so lucky!” Near the foodie mecca of Exmouth Market, this “busy” Clerkenwell corner-boozer receives a consistent thumbs-up in reports: “the standard of the food is high”.