The best restaurants in north London, from Mambow to Mangal II

London spills over with terrific restaurants. The only problem? So many of the attention-grabbing ones require a trek into “town.” Can’t think of anything worse? Look to one of these north London destinations found above our arbitrary and invisible line that runs between Maida Vale, Regent’s Park and Bethnal Green. This guide isn’t exhaustive, but it’s a good place to start.

Famous almost for its famous diners — Gilbert and George ate there every night for 25 years, until a sound system was put in (the decamped to the also-excellent Mangal I across the road) — this Dalston spot is big online (about 57k followers on Instagram, and there was once a now-missed and long-gone Twitter account). But social fame shouldn’t detract from the restaurant itself; it’s no hype job. Ferhat Dirik and his family have put in the work into their Turkish restaurant: what is offered is recognisably of country (dolma, kebap, köfte), but it has been cultivated with thought. “Refined” is a cliche, but that’s what’s been done. And it’s beautiful.

10 Arcola Street, E8, @mangal_ocakbasi

Abby Lee’s Clapton spot is magnificent — some of the best cooking in the capital, not just north London. Lee’s menu is one layered with spice, with dishes glistening under prickling sauces, all coming from an open kitchen where Lee stands at bubbling pots and pans, attentively tuning and refining, adjusting, perfecting. Brilliant? No; it’s even better than that. Read the Standard’s review here.

78 Lower Clapton Road, E5, mambow.co.uk

Sat on the water, this ramshackle spot is the creased linen of restaurants: stylish, a little worn, perfect for the summer. It used to be a simple riverside trattoria, cheap in the early days but perhaps unremarkable. But the hiring of Mitshel Ibrahim in 2018 put in motion a change that has paid dividends: the food is Italian, though far from strictly, and made with a sense of invention (pistachio and pecorino might be added to spaghetti with fava beans). It’s not cheap, mains in the £30s, but there is four-course chefs menu at £65-a-head. The room gets loud with crackling conversation; people stay late and drink and totter down the canal afterwards to walk it off. Across the road, Ibrahim’s Forno does excellent pizza, too.

1 Vyner Street, Bethnal Green, E2, ombrabar.restaurant

You can often tell the quality of a restaurant by the number of hospitality professionals who frequent it — and Cadet is usually busy with at least 80 per cent industry folk. Founded in 2022 by wine importers Tom Beattie and Francis Roberts alongside charcutier George Jephson, this Newington Green wine bar, pictured at the top of this page, unsurprisingly boasts an excellent drinks list. The food is simple; this more a cave-à-manger than proper bistro, but plates are carefully considered and there’s enough to snack on to make up a full meal with no problem, and usually always a couple of full mains too. Expect things like confit duck, or a bit of simply-grilled fish. Good paté en croute, too.

57 Newington Green, N16, cadetlondon.com

The two garçons in question have some history. The pair met at Marco Pierre White’s three-starred Oak Room, when Robert Reid was head chef and Jean-Christophe Slowic looked after the floor (he had been manager at Harvey’s). Here they forgone the Michelin stuff in favour of a bistrot de quartier, but the high standards that define their careers have not been forgotten. There is no cynicism here; it feels driven by love and passion and and an insouciant feeling of doing what they like (you might have simple onion soup to start, or perhaps scallops with Champagne and orange butter). Jean-Christophe runs a wine import business; this is invaluable (mark-ups are fair, and the choice is excellent). Easily one of London’s best French restaurants.

14 Middle Lane, N8, les2garconsbistro.com

Sebby Holmes’ Farang was one of the first of the new wave of Thai openings, and it remains one of the best. Whereas others since decided unmitigated spice is the route to take, here Holmes takes a more measured approach, prefering subtler, richer flavours that, while they do not hit with the same burn, offer more to actually taste. His approach is Thai food with British ingredients, and the restaurant’s relative longevity — its been going in one form or another for a decade — is proof of just how utterly excellent both his food and the experience here is.

72 Highbury Park, N5, faranglondon.co.uk

This Tuscan-inspired haven moments from Highbury & Islington station is one of London’s most lauded restaurants for good reason, and has rarely if ever stepped a foot wrong during its 15 years open. The formula is simple: fine Italian food done without much meddling, always using the finest seasonal ingredients (most of which are sourced from producers around the UK). Chef-owner Conor Gadd’s unctuous, delicately prepared fresh pasta is especially good, though it’s matched by whatever is coming off the grill (the pigeon always works; the sharing steak is a joy). The place is romantic, built for dates — but small groups work here too.

300-302 St Paul's Road, N1, trullorestaurant.com

Steered by chef duo Ed McIlroy and Jamie Allan, known as Four Legs, this once old school Finsbury Park boozer was the darling of London when it opened in the latter months of 2021. It remains good. Serving proper pints and low intervention wines alongside broadly European small plates and one of London’s best burgers, it’s still the place to go for long, rambling suppers with friends and lovers who don’t take themselves too seriously. The kitchen, chaotically open in the corner, remains the burbling heart of the place.

52 St Thomas's Road, N4, @the.plimsoll

A mile down the road, give or take, and McIlroy and Allan have their follow-up, Tollington’s. It’s an old chippie from the Seventies, and decidely not wearing a disguise. But the battered sausages have been given the heave ho in favour of a Spainish-inspired fish bar: come for simple plates of piled-up peppers, grilled and blackened fish still swimming in pools of olive oil, devilled crab fritters and the chips bravas. These chips are famous — as chips go — cooked in beef fat and served with bravas sauce and garlic aioli.

172 Tollington Park, N4 , @tollingtons.fishbar

Helmed by brothers Fin and Lorcan Spiteri, this cosy, intimate, candle-lit space that fills a barge is a brilliant place to paddle for pared-back, carefully executed bistro-style fare and creative cocktails. The caviar and sour cream-topped potato röstis are a must, and Lorcan is particularly adept with fish. Keep an eye out for guest chef series, too, and afterward, try Bruno, the brothers’ floating cocktail bar.

172 Shepherdess Walk, N1, caravelrestaurant.com

Mat Appleton and Jess Blackstone, the brains behind north London’s beloved Fink’s cafes, have built what might be the perfect neighborhood restaurant — and it’s something of a beauty. Filled with foliage, its drenched with flattering natural light by day, and becomes a dark, sleek, seductive space by night, perfect for sitting back to former St. John chef Phil Wood’s seasonal, broadly-European fare on any and every occasion. It’s not a jostling, gutsy restaurant, but it is a good one nevertheless.

11 Highbury Park, N5, saltine.co.uk

This Green Lanes institution is famed for its lightening quick service, variety and easy atmosphere. Serving a vast array of comforting Turkish and Mediterranean fare in generous, family-sized portions, either nip in for a speedy bite or settle in to graze. The grill will not let you down. Be warned — it might be huge but it’s very popular, so be sure to book or prepare to queue at peak times and weekday evenings. And be prepared to pay a touch more than you might expect.

26-28 Grand Parade, N4, gokyuzurestaurant.co.uk

It’s Black Axe Mangal, basically, just with a different name. Created by Lee Tiernan, it’s an ode to the Turkish grills of Stoke Newington — peppered with flavour from just about everywhere else on the globe. It’s been called “genre-neutral”, which more or less means Tiernan takes food he likes from anywhere and puts it all together. If this sounds careless, it’s not: despite the chaos and noise here, Tiernan is a serious, masterful cook. Dishes change regularly; the menu is the work of a wandering, wondering mind. Though the forever-hyped spot has evolved in the past 12 years, his signature style — flavours with a boxer’s punch, a liberal use of spice, invention rarely found — has never wavered. There is a focus on nose-to-tail cooking, learned from his days in St John, but vegetarians and vegans are both catered for. A la carte menus are now offered too, rather than just a tasting menu, and the place even does brunch.

156 Canonbury Road, N1, blackaxemangal.com

Sucker for fresh(ish) air, hyper-seasonal fare and natural wine? Head to this Highbury neo-bistro off the beaten track for an excellent selection of low-intervention vinos and small plates rustled up using sustainable, regenerative produce. The menu changes in a flash, but keep your eyes peeled for anything seafood related.

34 Drayton Park, N5, westernslaundry.com

This reliable Queen’s Park spot is made for a casual breakfast, brunch or lunch on the terrace, or an intimate dinner in its plush, sultry interior. Hearty and wholesome, almost everything on the menu can be interpreted as healthy, which means you’ll struggle not to find yourself going back again and again. Go for the delectable array of squishy, flame-licked flatbreads, stay for the lamb shank shawarma and Figaritas starring fig-infused tequila and kumquat.

23-25 Lonsdale Road, NW6, carmelrestaurant.co.uk

If you haven’t yet been, prepare to make Xen and Elena’s cosy, Greek-Cypriot escape your new home from home. Rustic, vibrant and fuss-free, the concise, considered menu at Tsiakkos & Charcoal offers excellently executed classics such as feta salad, pork souvlaki and moussaka alongside Keo (a cypriot beer) and a handy, globally-influenced wine list detailing which liquid pairs with what dishes — don’t be surprised if you end up staying into the early hours chatting to the next table and trying each and every one.

5 Marylands Road, W9, tsiakkos.co.uk

The little sister of Mayfair’s Michelin-starred Taku, Iné (which means rice in Japanese) is undoubtedly the best place in north London for sushi. Imagined by Takuya Watanabe, head chef Law Kwok Meng’s daily changing sushi and omakase offering sees him blend contemporary techniques with the traditions of the cuisine’s rich heritage. The omakase, priced at £100 for 18 courses, is an absolute steal. If you want to remember getting home, though, don’t attempt to pair a sake with each one.

16 Hampstead High Street, NW3, inebytaku.com

Every neighbourhood needs a brilliant, family-run Italian restaurant, though sadly not many live up to this one. Run by husband and wife team, Avi and Simonetta Wenkert, with the help of their three children, here you’ll find an ode to a beloved aunt’s home cooking and celebration of dishes found all over Italy. Most of the dishes are adopted to meet the seasons, though the unctuous ragù made the “Marchigiano way” with gizzards and hearts, is a safe bet 365 days a year.

222A Kilburn Lane, W10, idarestaurant.co.uk

Whether you’re after a cheeky pint or a long, boozy, multi-course meal, The Hero is a top shout. Described by the Standard as being perhaps the most beautiful pub in London (or even the world), the warm, cossetting interiors are bound to blow you away, while the low-key pub menu starring fish pie and ham, egg and chips is as comforting as it gets. A more formal restaurant is upstairs, the Grill, which is truly stunning to look at, serving terrific food and even better wine. A pub dining room to spend hours in, which is all too easily done.

55 Shirland Road, W9 2JD, theherow9.com

The great French bistro revival may be long have been underway, but there are places, like this one, which have been doing it for while. Paulette is perhaps the platonic ideal of a small, French neighbourhood spot, where steak comes drenched in Bordelaise sauce, the specials change daily, and old jazz is always on the soundsystem. It is exceptionally well done, pleasingly eccentric, and so impressed the Standard’s David Ellis that it earned his first five star review ever.

18 Formosa Street, W9, paulettelondon.com