London Restaurants - North London

3-4 Wells Terrace, London N4 3JU

A newcomer that’s already made quite a stir, this Vietnamese cafe right behind Finsbury Park station serves up exactly what the name suggests - boba teas and baguettes (aka banh mi). They also do a nice line in spring and summer rolls, mango salads and rice boxes.

27 Blackstock Rd, London N4 2JF

There aren’t all that many places serving up Uyghur food in London (and for that matter the UK), making Dilara a place of pilgrimage for anyone who wants to try it. Specialities include amazing hand-pulled noodles (the beef is a must if you’re a meat-eater) and they also do a range of Turkish dishes too.

2 Chapel Market, London N1 9EZ

Tucked down the far end (some might say the wrong end) of Chapel Market, this seafood spot has been turning out superlative dishes since opening quietly early in 2024. Chef Maoz Alonim has swapped the markets of Tel Aviv for North London and in doing so has given Islington this enticing oyster bar and grill.

172 Tollington Park, London N4 3AJ

Four Legs, the team behind nearby pub The Plimsoll, have transformed an old fish and chip shop into a Spanish-style seafood bar. That means there are plenty of seafood tapas and small plates on offer like their deep-fried deviled crab. And yes, there are chips too, with bravas sauce poured all over them.

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Rd, London NW1 2AR

Taking over the old Gilbert Scott space, this sees Allegra chef Patrick Powell in charge of the main restaurant at the St Pancras Renaissance hotel. There's a decadent French menu on offer here (expect lots of rich sauces) in a drop-dead gorgeous room that's also paired with one of the best cocktail bars in the King's Cross area.

300 - 302 St Paul's Road, London N1 2LH

Probably Islington's most famous restaurant, this Italian affair sees Tim Siadatan (also behind Padella) and Chef Owner Conor Gadd in charge. Expect superlative Italian cuisine at any time and at weekends, you can also pop into their wine bar next door for a glass and some snacks.

124 King's Cross Rd, London WC1X 9DS

Everyone’s raving about Dim Sum Duck, a tiny gem in Kings Cross. It's run by a dim sum chef with more than 30 years in the business and specialises in hand-made dim sum and in-house roasted duck. Critic Fay Maschler said it was the best Cantonese cooking in London.

156 Canonbury Road, London N1 2UP

Lee Tiernan's Black Axe Mangal (or F.K.A.B.A.M as it's now known) has made a small site on Highbury Corner into one of the best restaurants in London. With metal and rock music blaring out on the speakers, it's certainly unlike much else in town. It's described as 'an unauthentic, bastardised take of Turkish Mangal and Ocakbasi, with global influences.' It has a set menu that changes regularly while still featuring some of the classics like their squid ink bread.

172 Shepherdess Walk, London N1 7JL

Caravel is a restaurant on a barge, floating on the canal in Hoxton. In charge are brothers Lorcan and Fin Spiteri who are in charge of the food and drink respectively. Expect the kind of food from Lorcan "that he and Fin enjoyed growing up". There's also now a sister barge moored alongside which is a floating bar.

44 Barnsbury St, Islington, London N1 1ER

This Islington pub is tucked down a quiet side street and remains one of the prettiest pubs in the borough. Run by Nick Gibson, the menu is a modern take on British pub grub. Grab a table in the garden if the weather's behaving itself.

292-294 St Pauls Road, London, N1 2LH

Prawn on the Lawn is a fishmonger and seafood bar - with a wine bar on the side. Expect the usual fruits de mer platters and whole crab as well as some more tapas-style dishes like scallops ceviche and their signature dish - the prawn on the lawn which is toasted soda bread with avocado and prawns.

72 Highbury Park, Highbury East, London N5 2XE

Seb Holmes' Farang has become a huge Highbury hit, offering some of the best Thai cooking across London, made with both Thai and British produce. Originally a pop-up, it soon went permanent and they've recently added an excellent in-store larder.

Unit 2, Building, 4 Pancras Square, London N1C 4AG

The BAO team continue their success with this opening inspired by the western style cafes in Asia. You'll find their signature bao buns alongside inventive western-style dishes like Chicken XO Kiev. As this location is also a bakery, you can take home your very own BAO goodies.

34 Drayton Park, London N5 1PB

Owners David Gingell and Jeremie Cometto-Lingenheim also run nearby Primeur and Jolene, both also excellent. Here, there's a distinct focus on seafood and the menu changes every day, although if the cuttlefish croquettes with aioli are on there, make sure you order those. In the summertime, you can take a glass of something cold out on the front courtyard and if you're really pushing the boat out, ask for the leather-bound, handwritten, ‘black book’ of fine wines.

5 Stable Street, London N1C 4AB

We often daydream about the bacon and egg breakfast naan at Dishoom. Consistently packed and offering a buzzy atmosphere, people keep coming back for its excellent Indian small plates. Its take on Bombay cafe culture ensures long waits and queues at all their restaurants. Be prepared to queue at busier times.

171 Holloway Rd, London N7 8LX

This is the Holloway home for critically acclaimed Malaysian laksa specialists Sambal Shiok, headed up by Mandy Yin. The laksa is great, but so are all the other dishes. Look out for regular events there and enjoy the wine list with a focus on Riesling.

117 Benwell Rd, London N7 7BW

This Holloway restaurant (it's just across the road from the Emirates stadium) has won a deserved reputation for cooking up some of the best Shang Xi-inspired street food in London. Yes, that means there's a bit of heat involved here, but their hand-pulled noodles are among the best in town. Their pork/beef "burgers" are not to be missed.

4 Compton Ave, London N1 2XD

The Compton Arms has been a tiny Islington mainstay for many years but has really blossomed since its most recent revamp. Originally the home for Four Legs, the kitchen is now run by Dara Klein's Tiella which is all about traditional, rustic Italian food.

220 St Paul's Rd, Highbury, London N1 2LL

The Nook comes from Angus and Lale Oztek-Pook who have experience at Zucca, Bernardis and Oklava among others. The food is described as "contemporary European with a Turkish twist" and is paired with a winelist of sustainable, organic, biodynamic and minimal intervention wines. It works as a deli too, so there's lots to take away.

105-106 Upper St, London N1 1QN

This restaurant comes with the backing of Zhang Chao of Xi’an Impression. The team behind the restaurant are aiming to cover multiple regions of China, all helped by the fact that they have chefs in the kitchen who originate from different regions and bring with them varying experiences and knowledge. Here you can expect an excellent pan-Chinese meal, that just happens to be plant-based too.

9 Islington Green, London N1 2XH

Originally launched by Corbin and King, this is a revived Islington grand cafe which now offers a menu that's more of a traditional French brasserie. It's one of the largest restaurants in Angel and there's a very handy bar in here too.

115 Hemingford Rd, London, N1 1BZ

The Tamil Prince is a pub in Islington's Barnsbury area that has a big focus on South Asian cuisine. It's named after the chef, Prince Durairaj and the cooking has specific references to the cuisine of his home state of Tamil Nadu

84-86 Rosebery Avenue, London EC1R 4Q

Morchella comes from the same team behind Perilla in Stoke Newington, but this is quite a different beast. Taking Mediterranean influences as its starting point, it's a laid-back affair in a bright dining room just off Exmouth Market. Expect small to medium sharing plates, a strong European wine list and there's also a separate bar too.

119 Essex Rd, London N1 2SN

After success in Crouch End, Sourdough Sophia's second bakery is in Islington and it's a much bigger affair than before. As well as various loaves of sourdough, you can buy pastries, cakes, amazing cereal milk cookies, sandwiches and more. There's a big space for eating-in here, as well as a large outdoor terrace for when the sun is shining.

406 St John Street, London EC1V 4ND

This Islington shop, deli and bar comes from Gregg Boyd, the man behind Scottish food stall Auld Hag. At his permanent home in Angel, he's serving up filled Glasgow morning rolls baked in-house as well as things like macaroni pies, tattie scones, cakes and more. Get in early if you want to make the most of the baked goods, and it's also a very handy spot for an early-evening drink in Angel too.

163 Upper St, London N1 1US

Named after the Vietnamese word for ‘Cheers!’ this casual spot features a menu that takes in most of the classic dishes you’d expect to find in any good Vietnamese restaurant from summer rolls to noodle rolls. They also make a big deal of their regularly changing seasonal specials.

106 Islington High St, London N1 8EG

Run by the same family since the Sixties, this longstanding Islington institution is a tardis-like space that stretches from its Camden Passage facade back to a bright conservatory restaurant and gorgeous gardens. Food is modern European that’ll please most people, making this a great family restaurant.

176 Upper St, London N1 1RG

Sharing plates are the heart of this independent Peruvian restaurant on Upper Street. Expect to find everything from ceviche and anticuchos to tiradito on the menu, along with some punchy cocktails.

189 Upper St, London N1 1RQ

London’s pizza obsessives know that a pizzeria run by Neapolitans is a good sign that the pizza is going to be great. And so it proves at this restaurant, a follow-up to the group’s central and west locations. A traditional pizzeria with an oven imported from Italy to make sure the pizza is as authentic as possible.

16 Elia St, London N1 8DE

This is the second Islington Indian pub from the team that scored such a huge hit with The Tamil Prince. As with its sibling pub, you’ll find Indian and Tamil bar snacks and sharing plates. The Sunday roast with an Indian twist is a particular draw.