As the restaurateur behind KOBA and On the Bab, Linda Lee has been on a constant mission to introduce new Korean dining concepts to London. Most recently she unveiled a radical transformation of her flagship restaurant KOBA, replacing the familiar table barbecue with a new, contemporary style of cuisine. She's agreed to share her favourite places to eat and drink in the cool part of London she calls home, De Beauvoir.
De Beauvoir Deli
98 Southgate Road, London N1 3JD
I absolutely depend on this mini-supermarket, which sells great bread, yoghurt, pickles (my favourite!) and much more, that you can trust is the best of its kind. It’s like Waitrose, but independent, and even better quality produce, from independent suppliers. You can eat in at the café next door, which serves an all-day brunch menu and wonderful, seasonal salads.
Hector’s
49A Ardleigh Road, London N1 4HS
Hector’s wine bar and bottle shop is tiny and very cool. They have a good selection of European wine to drink in or take home. In the mornings it becomes an espresso bar, and at night a wine bar with small plates. It has a very ‘De Beauvoir’ feel; when my friends visit from Korea, they always want to go there because we don’t have anything like it in Seoul.
Albers
23A Englefield Road, London N1 4JX
This chic bistro started life as an all-day café, but not long after opening it moved to a lunch-and-dinner format, which I think works better for them. It reminds me of some of the bistronomie places in Paris, which serve elevated bistro food - pig head croquettes, beef tartare, pork chop - in a smart but informal setting. The lunch menu is very concise, but at dinner there's a much longer list of small plates and some bigger sharing dishes. It's worth keeping an eye on their Instagram for the fun events they put on throughout the year, like Roast chicken & £5 cocktails night, and chef residencies.
Towpath
Regent's Canal towpath (between Whitmore Bridge and Kingsland Road Bridge), London N1 5SB
Famous now, this canal-side café has always been a fixture of De Beauvoir life. In the summer, sitting by the canal with a salad is one of my greatest pleasures. The food is wonderful, and the fact that the café is only open during the warmer seasons makes it all the more special.
The Scolt Head
107a Culford Road. London, N1 4HT
It often surprises people that I really enjoy eating in pubs, especially ones which do great food; I love the whole atmosphere and conviviality. The Scolt Arms does an amazing Scotch egg in the bar, while the main menu is sort-of European, with some familiar British pub favourites like fish and chips and a great burger. I like that they use independent suppliers, who they credit on the menu, and make their own chutneys and jams on-site.
See also
For more of these local area guides, visit the My Manor page.
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