Highbury

• Test Driving Lupa, the new Highbury Italian co-owned by actor Theo James

  

  What do you get when an actor opens a local restaurant in London with two very experienced restaurant folk? We went to Highbury's Lupa to find out.

• Theo James joins Carousel co-founder Ed Templeton in opening Lupa restaurant in Highbury

  

  As Highbury locals ourselves, you'll have to forgive us for focusing more on the fact that actor Theo James is also apparently our neighbour, than the news that he's opening a restaurant here. But if we stop wondering why we've never seen the White Lotus star out and about in N5 and look instead at what he's actually involved in, then Lupa does sound rather interesting.

  First off, Theo's got himself a solid

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• My Manor, Ben Allen's local guide to the best places to eat and drink in Highbury

  

  Born and raised on Blackstock Road, Parakeet chef Ben Allen shares his top Highbury food and drink recommendations with us.

• The Dusty Knuckle come to Highbury Fields with a cafe in a van

  

  Dusty Knuckle have arrived in Islington, and they're trying something new. While they've delivered by milk float before, this will be their first-ever bakery in an actual van. It's parked up in Highbury Fields (near the bottom of the tennis courts section) and they say they're planning to be there for the next 12-18 months. 

  The bakery will have a selection of bread (including

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• Barra Bourgogne launches as a Spanish-Burgundy pop-up in Highbury

  

  Exciting news for North Londoners - we're bringing you news of a new pop up that will satisfy both lovers of Spanish flavours and the wines of Burgundy.

  After a successful soft-launch weekend in early March the team behind Barra Bourgogne, comprising chef Iain (formerly of Stoke Newington’s Jolene) and

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• Test Driving Saltine - the Fink's team's grown-up restaurant for Highbury

  

  The Fink's team have opened a neighbourhood restaurant in the heart of foodie Highbury. We went to check out this tardis-like space.

• Saltine sees the Fink's team opening a restaurant in Highbury

  

  10/10/23 - updated with the opening date

  Eagle-eyed Highbury residents may have noticed some construction work going on up at Highbury Barn over the past couple of months. Turns out that's going to be a brand new neighbourhood restaurant from Mat Appleton and Jess Blackstone, the founders behind local coffee shop group Fink's.

  Saltine, as it'll be called, scores highly on the 'must

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• Giacco's wine bar hits up Highbury's Blackstock Road

  

  Eagle-eyed N5 residents will have noticed work going on over the past few months at former arts space Light Eye Mind on Blackstock Road. This week it unveiled itself as an Italian-accented wine bar, Giacco's.

  The bar's owners are Leonardo and his partner Danilo. Leonardo is the one with the background in hospitality - he used to run the Farewell Cafe which used to play host to popups from the likes of Ling Ling

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• Nourished Communities have opened a farm shop with a mushroom farm and beehive on Blackstock Road

  

  Here at Hot Dinners we've long been fans of Nourished Communities, whose neighbourhood store in Canonbury really felt like a game-changer when it came to showcasing local and sustainable food when it opened.

  So we're particularly pleased to hear that they've now branched out with a

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• Duckgate - how Westerns Laundry's duck neck dish went viral

  

  It's the dish that made a North London restaurant go viral this week. When Westerns Laundry put up a shot of their stuffed duck neck on their Instagram page, they presumably never thought the story would be discussed as far away as India.

  The Mail, Sun and Mirror all picked up on the story, triggered by one of the

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• Barbecuvée is Top Cuvée's upgraded park delivery service this spring

  

  Last year they were first to the party when it came to delivering drinks to the park. Now Highbury restaurant Top Cuvee has gone one further and will be cycling around North London bringing its Barbecuvée offering to pimp up our park picnics.

  So, not only can you get Pet Nat and cocktails brought to your spot in either Clissold

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• Test Driving The Nook - an Islington neighbourhood restaurant par excellence

   

  The Nook in Islington launched quietly in the pandemic - and turns out to be an absolute neighbourhood gem.

• Paella Shack lands on Highbury's Blackstock Road - with paellas, tapas and more

  

  The streetfood arm of the London Paella School has landed on Highbury's Blackstock Road where they'll be serving up ALL the paellas plus other great tapas.

• Fink's Gillespie reopens with a new toastie menu and other treats

  The duo behind neighbourhood favourite Fink's Salt & Sweet are expanding - but they're not going far. Their second place will be a coffee shop on nearby Gillespie Road.

• Shop Cuvee wine shop and deli is opening on Blackstock Road

  

  There's no getting away from the fact that lockdown was hard on London. But, equally, it's fair to say that some businesses coped better than others. Highbury restaurant Top Cuvee didn't let any grass grow under its feet when the city shut down. It pivoted quickly to become a natural wine distributor Shop Cuvee - actually growing its business over lockdown.

  Now that owner Brodie and his team have been able to reopen the restaurant,

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