When you're searching for a top eatery across the capital, this historic area (complete with its pretty townhouses and winding canal) is a great place to start. While it hosts a vibrant arts and culture scene, it's also home to some fab venues, including rooftop haunts, 1920s-themed spots and those pairing Japanese plates with cocktails. Read our guide to the best Angel restaurants and book your table today.
Last edited by Scarlett Welch
Last updated on 3rd June 2024
Not wanting the fuss of a formal, fancy dinner? As one of the top restaurants near Angel Station, The Vineyard is offering you the chance to scoff top-notch pub-style grub in a relaxed setting. Think bottomless brunches featuring avocado and hot honey toast with free-flowing bubbles from £33 per person, tacos topped with grilled halloumi and guacamole, and crafted burgers. There are plenty of vegan and vegetarian options for the meat-free, including a must-try 'hot dog'.
Flight Club is bringing social bottomless brunches to this Islington neighbourhood. Decked out with fairground-themed interiors, dazzling lights and a pretty terrace ideal for people-watching in the summer, it makes for a top food destination with entertainment. Stop by for the chance to battle it out with your mates over high-tech darts, pizza paddles and a bottle of fizz each, all from just £35. Or, order an array of sharing plates to enjoy with your cocktails, like pulled pork bao buns, spiced cauliflower wings and buttermilk chicken bites.
Out of all the eateries on Upper Street, The Skinny Kitchen really does pull out all the stops when it comes to healthy eating. Its bright and airy decor (think plenty of leafy foliage scattered about and pretty baby pink furnishings) is reminiscent of the fresh ingredients and flavours on its menu. Re-imagine what low-calorie dining is all about, as these guys pack a punch with their health-conscious burgers, bowls and bottomless brunch offerings. From smashed avocado and beetroot houmous on toast, to fish tacos topped with salsa and pink opinions, this joint has it all.
The Castle's roof terrace might be its main draw, but you shouldn't pass up on the food here either. The cosy and cool pub has head chef Hamza at its helm sourcing some of the freshest British ingredients to create classic dishes with a cheeky twist. From pork and fennel Scotch eggs to ox cheek croquettes, the menu here is really serving some beauties in the food department. Better yet, you can accompany your meal with martini trees in a variety of flavours, from espresso to passion fruit.
For some of the finest meat-heavy dishes around, be sure to check out Grillshack Steakhouse and Cocktail Bar on Upper Street. This place does exactly what it says on the tin, serving up 28-day aged Aberdeenshire beef cooked on the grill, paired with sides such as spicy onion rings, grilled mushrooms and chips. They cook up plenty of burgers, fajitas, tacos and more here too, alongside a cracking selection of wines or cocktails - to be enjoyed in laidback interiors of exposed brick walls and pretty plants.
Hoxley and Porter has an old world-class vibe that leaves you feeling like you've stepped back in time. The interior resembles that of a stunning Victorian dining carriage and the uniformed staff certainly bring a sense of 1920's glamour, among the vintage lamp shades and printed furnishings. Dine on gourmet British fare while you soak up your classy surroundings: delve into homemade salmon gravlax to start, followed by pan-fried seabass then wash it down with a signature cocktail. The gin-based Ginger Smash, perhaps?
This quirky tiki hideaway acts as the perfect retreat from city life. Located in a trendy part of Angel and one of the only Upper Street restaurants fronting burlesque dancers and DJ beats, Laki Kane is the place to visit if you're looking for a feast with entertainment. The outrageous tropical and rainforest-inspired decor complements the zingy rum-based cocktails and pan-Asian bites - ideal for special occasions or after-work romps alike. Tuck into chicken satay skewers, drunken noodles and green curries, followed by tipples such as Fatal Attraction, with notes of lychee, or a Gin Thai Fizz.
Add "Tasting Tuesday" (4x 50ml) for £15 per person! and 6 other offers
While known for its wine (the clue's in the name), Humble Grape Islington is also something of a winner on the food front. It fronts sleek, modern interiors in the from of stone walls, dangling plants and rich, emerald-green tiles. Surrounded by racks of quality wine, tuck into the likes of braised short rib croquettes, burrata with smoked aubergine and pickled fig, and miso-marinated mushroom 'steak' served with polenta fries while washing it all down with your favourite bottle.
Set slap bang on the banks of the Regent's Canal, this gorgeous pub also happens to be one of the best restaurants in Angel for dinner. With fantastic views over the water from its balconies, modern interiors fronting a nautical wooden panelled bar, and a menu comprised of fresh, locally sourced dishes, The Narrow Boat has charm by the bucketload. Look forward to sipping on a Plymouth negroni or a Makers Mark old fashioned, before devouring plates of baked camembert, fish pie and lamb shoulder ragu tagliatelle.
Taking you from breakfast all the way through to dinner, Megan's at the Sorting Office is a twinkling setting for fresh cocktails (think frozen espresso martinis) and Mediterranean flavours. One of the best restaurants in Angel for lunch, it provides pretty thatched interiors paired with gorgeous hanging lights to create an alfresco feel inside. When you're not obsessing over their mezze feasts, perfect for sharing, mop up rich and tomatoey shakshouka with organic sourdough bread, or wolf down an open kebab, filled with overnight-braised lamb shoulder and feta.
Bringing together unique cocktails and craft beers against a backdrop of eclectic interiors, this cosy but modern pub is a must-visit. While boasting the exterior of a traditional British boozer, the inside is laced with chandeliers and quirky paintings. As for food? The Islington Townhouse has a menu full of crowd-pleasing plates, like a bucket of cheesy chips, ideal for sharing in groups, and mains like beer-battered cod, Aberdeen Angus beef burgers and sticky toffee pudding for dessert.
Striking from the onset, the interactive and sassy Karen's Diner is one of a kind. Fronting retro interiors with quirky trinkets like Las Vegas signs and food served in baskets, it prides itself on amazing burgers and very rude service - Karen-style. Prepare for some good-natured sass from the waiters and hilarious games, all while tucking into big, juicy parties topped with Swiss cheese, bacon and peri peri mayo and American-style milkshakes. Whatever you do though, don't ask to speak to the manager.
Hot Stone is an innovative Japanese restaurant where you can cook your own meals on scorching hot stones in the traditional way, hence the name. Among pretty, dark wooden interiors and dainty trees, you'll find their kitchen, run by Padam Raj Rai, the former head sushi chef at Tsukiji restaurant in the five-star Westbury Hotel in Mayfair. He's serving up delicious bites like rock shrimp tempura, grilled miso aubergine and fresh scallops, and is offering A5 sirloin Japanese wagyu for you to cook yourself within seven minutes before the stone starts to cool.
When only the best brunch and Eastern Mediterranean plates will do, make your way over to Brother Marcus. Created by three best friends, Arthur, Alex and Tas (and named after Alex's little brother), it showcases their knowledge and extensive travels across the region in the form of delicious dishes. There are sweet potato fritters, harissa poached eggs and brioche French toast with lemon cardamom curd for morning munching (alongside honey and grapefruit bellinis), while meze or grilled meats make up main meals.
Among the best restaurants on Upper Street is this absolute belter from chef James Cochran of Michelin-starred The Ledbury fame. He draws from his mixed heritage (with parents from St. Vincent and Glasgow, and a personal upbringing in Whitstable) to create innovative dishes at his own eatery, 1251, since its opening in 2018. Among minimal interiors and dangling lights, you can enjoy a tranquil escape from the city and dine on the likes of smoked Scottish mussels with carrot and pickled mushrooms, roast pork with jalapenos, miso and burnt onion puree, plus a choux bun filled with Yorkshire rhubarb, lemon and creme fraiche.
One of the best restaurants Angel has to offer has to be Farang. The award-winning Thai eatery sees chef Sebby Holmes's food market expand into a popular dining destination with a Michelin Bib Gourmand to its name. Fronting bare-brick walls and potted plants, it's a laidback to enjoy some affordable and delicious fare in. The feasting menu will set you back £60 per person and includes seven incredible dishes: from crispy coconut aubergine to beer-battered free-range chicken thighs glazed in a sticky fish sauce, what's not to love?
