The 8 best restaurants in north London
The art-bedecked Parisian-style sister of The Wolseley, a flawlessly romantic all-day restaurant and bakery and an earthy neighbourhood joint in a converted block of flats: we’ve picked out the best restaurants north London has to offer.
- Patricia Niven
1. Jolene, Stoke Newington
Not just one of the best restaurants in north London but across the capital in general, Jolene is the third venture of dynamic duo Jeremie Comotto-Lingenheim and chef David Gingell, who initially opened it as an all-day bakery. Now a restaurant spot too, the idea was born out of the co-founders desire to encourage the use of chemical-free grains – working with an ethically minded farmer in France – which are milled daily to make a beautifully rounded harvest line-up of raisin bread, sausage rolls, financiers and cinnamon buns. Housed in the spacious converted bottom floor of a three-storey block of flats, the tables aren’t cramped and the space feels earthy and unfussy, with uneven walls and shelves ‘decorated’ with vintage meat troughs. The menu changes daily (quite a feat and one which more and more London chefs seem to be tasking themselves with) and the up-to-date version is posted to its Instagram each day for those who like to have a pre-dinner browse. Past highlights have included spelt risotto with sage-roasted pumpkin and satisfyingly crunchy walnuts, mackerel with wild garlic and spring greens and confit duck leg with purple sprouting broccoli. Though, true to its bakery roots, a lighter provender can be grabbed in the form of a coffee and crumbly pastry on-the-go.
Address: Jolene, 21 Newington Green, London N16 9PU
Website: jolenen16.com - David Loftus
2. Soutine, St John's Wood
The neighbourhood sibling of Mayfair’s esteemed The Wolseley, Soutine’s elegant Parisian-style restaurant is perhaps less grand in stature but its atmospheric, art-bedecked offering is the next best thing to hopping on the Eurostar. The menu here attracts more than just the well-heeled inhabitants of this exclusive north London locale, with the steak tartare (up there with the best we’ve tried in all of London) and the Coq au Riesling (a fresher, more summery alternative to coq au vin) among its biggest crowd pullers. As well as authentic French service and waiters who are more than a little enthusiastic about the menu (ask for Eric if you want the story behind the dishes, as well as just flavour recommendations), your visit will invariably offer an opportunity for absorbing people watching – you’re likely to see bichon dogs popping their heads above the table, perched beside their owners on the banquets, where they are rewarded with biscuits from staff.
Address: Soutine, 60 St John’s Wood High Street, London NW8 7SH
Website: soutine.co.uk 3. Trullo, Highbury
From barely poking its head above the menu parapet to a cohort of eateries dedicated to it, and it alone, pasta has now become the humble (or not so) hero of the capital’s carb-loving food scene in many ways, and Trullo leads the way north of the river. Head chef Tim Siadatan and business partner Jordan Frieda describe themselves as ‘evangelical about pasta’, which helps when you’re running a joint dedicated to just that, and their personal passion shines through. Pappardelle with beef shin ragu is the signature dish here, though the Pici cacio e pepe refuses to be left behind, and the menu changes not once, but twice daily. Classic and homely, in both space and menu, Trullo is both an ideal date-night spot and somewhere to hole up with a friend and set the world to rights over a tiramisu.
Address: Trullo, 300-302, St Paul's Rd, London N1 2LH
Website: trullorestaurant.com4. Toff’s of Muswell Hill
You might wonder why a humble fish and chips restaurant has nudged its way onto a ‘best restaurants in north London’ list, but Toff’s is not any old ‘chippe’. Instead, it's a family-run institution atop Muswell Hill’s highest point and has earned itself numerous rewards. The shop was forced to close early on in the pandemic, when its owner, George Georgiou, passed away, but it gallantly reopened again under his son’s watchful eye, much to the delight (and tears, we’re told) of the locals; still managing to retain its accolade of ‘best fish and chips in London’, according to its many, many reviews. Most people choose to get their paper-wrapped potatoes and buttery battered items to go, though there is a small wood-clad dining space in the back (if you can find room, as weekends often see a queue snaking from the door) which is as much about making new friends as it is about tucking in.
Address: Toff’s, 38 Muswell Hill Broadway, Muswell Hill, London N10 3RT
Website: toffsfish.co.uk
- @lateef.photography
5. 12:51, Islington
Fans of The Strokes will immediately recognise the name of ex-Ledbury and Michelin-starred Harwood Arms Chef James Cochran's signature restaurant, 12:51 (called so after the band’s song by the same name), but you needn’t be a diehard listener of the rock band’s repertoire to appreciate the meticulously thought-out menu and vibrant atmosphere of this Islington-based gem. The walls are covered with vinyl sleeves and the tables are pretty scuffed, but the food speaks for itself and the complex, layered dishes are each a nod to Cochran’s heritage. With parents from St. Vincent in the Caribbean and Glasgow, Cochran grew up by the sea in Whitstable, Kent – a mixed-heritage reflected in his innovative and exciting dishes.
Address: 12:51, 107 Upper Street, London N1 1QN
Website: 1251.co.uk 6. Perilla, Newington Green
If you recognise the name but not the location, it’s likely because chefs Ben Marks (ex-Claridges) and Matt Emmerson (who lists Polpetto among his previous digs) tried out their concept in East Dulwich and Clapton first, before plumping for Newington Green as their permanent location. You can see why they picked this corner plot, lining themselves up among the famed Shakespeare pub and various other long-standing haunts, adding their own brand of rough-edged charm to the neighbourhood. High ceilings, tables made out of re-loved barn doors and floor-to-ceiling windows that encase the space all add to the charm, easily helping it earn its accolade as one of the best restaurants north London has to offer. It’s rustic, it’s achingly cool and that’s before the food has even hit the table. When it does, expect a formula of humble ingredients of the highest quality combined to create modern interpretations of classical European flavours (hello, moules mariniere with beef dripping), ordered via either an à la carte menu or a five-course tasting feast.
Address: Perilla, 1-3 Green Lanes, London N16
Website: perilladining.co.uk7. Aix of London, Crouch End
Quaint Crouch End feels as though it has more institutions per metre than anywhere else in north London, each fanning out from a central clocktower. There’s long-standing bakery Dunn’s, with more than 200 years worth of baking history, lively all-day Caribbean eatery Banner’s, offering an extensive menu of eclectic dishes served within walls lined with posters and community notices and the family-run Morley Butchers, voted one of the top of its kind in London. But Aix arguably rises head and shoulders above the other establishments, and has been serving loyal locals since 2002. The dining room manages to capture the chalkboard romance of a proper French bistro with its spotlit murals, crisp white table linen and a menu that sticks faithfully to provincial classics. Top dishes include pan-seared foie gras with roasted apples, fillet of beef with bordelaise and Dover sole with lemon butter, plus more vegetable-based options, such as the tart with St Marcellin. There is a cheese selection sourced from Islington’s La Fromagerie, and a biodynamic, organic wine list made up of bottles from small French producers. It’s about as fun as earnest ever gets.
Address: Aix of London, 54 Topsfield Parade, Tottenham Lane, London N8 8PT
Website: bistroaix.co.uk- Koray Firat
8. La Ferme, Primrose Hill
Primrose Hill promises one of the best views in London. Just a minute's walk away from its grassy mound, La Ferme is one of the newer additions to its halcyon high street. A light, summer bistro, the space (divided into three, with an airy loft area that doubles as a Champagne bar) includes a small cheese and charcuterie fridge at the front (for those keen to sample the delights and whisk them away for lunch al-fresco), wine stacked in rustic crates and wispy greenery peppered about the tables and bannisters. The menu is small, but perfectly formed and changes throughout the year, though baked Camembert with soldiers for dipping still holds steady as one of our favourite sharing options. The restaurant also hosts brand new, monthly wine tasting, each with a different theme.
Address: La Ferme, 154 Regent's Park Rd, London NW1 8XN
Website: lafermelondon.com