Looking for the best places to eat in Highbury? We’ve got you covered with our unrivalled guide to the finest restaurants in this popular North London area.
Highbury is a bustling suburb of North London, home to several popular restaurants and adorable eateries.
This means that no matter what cuisine you’re craving, you’ll be able to satisfy your culinary desires quickly by pounding the streets of this beautiful, trendy North London hotspot.
Let’s explore the best places to dine in Highbury.
Best Restaurants in Highbury
Trullo
£££
Trullo is one of North London’s go-to Italian restaurants for the Highbury glitterati.
It serves up all the finest pasta dishes you’d expect from a high-level Italian, and we adore their Tagliarini with picked Dorset crab. Still, their unbelievable selection comes off the charcoal grill and sets them apart.
The Shetland monkfish tail with treviso and brown shrimp is one of the most succulent 2-person sharers you’ll find anywhere, while we also dig their Dorset lamb rump seasoned with oregano.
Trust us; you will not go wrong at Trullo, it’s the perfect spot for a leisurely dinner.
F.K.A.B.A.M.
£££
F.K.A.B.A.M, or the restaurant formerly known as Black Axe Mangal, is a genuinely brilliant shared dining experience.
They serve a fixed menu that changes regularly, is priced per person, and is brought out as a sharing platter where each party member can help themselves to as much as they like.
The servings are enormous, so there’s plenty for everyone – and there are even tempting bolt-ons available to elevate your platter.
For drinkers, F.K.A.B.A.M. focuses on the best low-intervention wines served with a capped markup. For social dining at its best, F.K.A.B.A.M is one not to miss.
Xi’an Impression
£
Xi’an Impression is a Chinese restaurant serving street food from Xi’an City in Shan Xi Province, best known for the Terracotta Army. Chef Wei, a native of Xi’an, brings her unique take on food from her home city to the vibrant streets of North London.
Located across the road from Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, we thoroughly recommend their cold cucumber noodles, whose notoriety has grown over the years (in the best possible way), and their biang biang noodles, which are a delight to chow down on.
There’s no need to reserve; just rock up, sit down, BYOB, and revel in the best Chinese food.
Patron
£££
Patron is a charming French brasserie that lies on Blackstock Road. The sweet, soft ambience transports you from North London to the squares and streets of Paris.
Book ahead to reserve one of their cosy booths, or just rock up and take one of their walk-in seats at the bar to enjoy the best French-inspired food in Highbury.
We adore their duck confit, which melts on the tongue and makes the perfect high-class accompaniment to their daily Happy Hour between 4 & 6 pm. Whether you’re into small plates, charcuterie, or the best of French comfort food, Patron has you covered.
Prawn on the Lawn
££
Prawn on the Lawn is a charming little seafood restaurant, just as the name suggests, found on St. Paul’s Road.
This London branch of the tiny chain that originated in the Cornish harbour town of Padstow is a laidback location to enjoy some of the best and reasonably priced seafood in North London.
Small plates, such as the seared tuna or Szechuan prawns, are delightful, while those with a craving for shellfish can gorge themselves on whole Padstow lobster and Cornish Brown crab.
Better yet, all dishes come beautifully presented with a perfectly curated wine list.
Farang
££
Farang became the full-time location for chef Sebby Holmes in 2017 after initially serving his unique blend of Thai food using the best British-sourced ingredients from a pop-up out of the back of his car.
Since then, Farang has been inducted into the National Restaurant Awards top 100 and even received the Thai select award from the Thai Embassy.
Our top picks? Standout dishes include the crispy pork belly with pickled apple and raspberry nahm yum, as well as their delightful coconut curry.
Westerns Laundry
££
We explicitly advise you to refrain from bringing your dirty clothes to Westerns Laundry, an example of a restaurant not providing the service you might expect.
Instead, bring your friends or dates to enjoy their beautiful, relaxed vibe and incredibly tasty (and wonderfully presented) seafood and fish dishes.
The menu changes daily depending on what’s in season and what the fishermen around the British Isles have been able to catch. This popular dining spot regularly fully books up. So, get in quickly to sample this incredible dining experience.
Ristorante Trevi
£
The Ristorante Trevi is the ideal spot for anyone wanting unpretentious but incredible-tasting Italian food.
Boasting a loyal customer base that seeks out their authentic, rustic, and homemade Italian dishes, this Highbury Corner-based eatery is perfect for a relaxed catch-up with friends, family, and lovers.
Grab a bruschetta or omelette to start, add a stunning pasta dish, and still have change from £15 while leaving with a full tummy. This is North London dining done perfectly.
Sambal Shiok
££
Located on Holloway Road, Sambal Shiok brings their wonderfully tasty take on Malaysian cuisine to North London.
From their mild dishes, such as Prawns in Pineapple Sambal, to the punchier tastes provided by their gluten-free signature curry laksa, you’ll find your South-East Asian desires fully-sated here.
For anyone heading to take in an Arsenal match at the nearby Emirates Stadium, they adjust their opening times to allow you to grab something pre or post-match. Healthier and vastly tastier than burgers and chips, we urge you to add this to your matchday experience.
Ninh’s
££
Staying on the Asian vibe, Ninh’s Vietnamese Restaurant is a beautifully appointed restaurant that serves weekend lunches and dinners between Tuesday and Saturday in Highbury Park.
Of course, the menu is adorned with everything you’d hope to find from an authentic Vietnamese eatery, with several Pho noodle soups and Bun Hue noodle soups.
For those wanting something a little more, their main dishes make the most of the best authentic Asian techniques. We think their Mongolian lamb or duck are the hidden menu gems.
Frank’s Canteen
£
You’ll have to egg-scuse us in advance for the dreadful and predictable punnery, but reviewing Frank’s Canteen in Highbury Park makes it inevitable. Eggs are one of the many highlights of Frank’s menu, being served in every imaginable way and ways you’d never considered.
The innovation on offer tickles our taste buds, with poached eggs served with tarka dhal and eggs perched atop duck and jersey royal hash. This isn’t just a neighbourhood cafe; it’s a dining extravaganza that simply cannot be missed.
Iznik
££
North London is famed for its fabulous Turkish restaurants, and Iznik ticks the box for Highbury.
Serving the N5 postcode area for more than 30 years, Iznik is named after the city in Turkey that provided the ceramic tiles that adorn the wall of this authentic Turkish eatery.
Indeed, the menu contains all the reassuring favourites you’d expect to find on any good Turkish joint, from the Bakla and Falafel starters to the Tavuk Sote and Anatolian Kebab mains. Vegetarians and vegans won’t go hungry either, with a vast range of large plates, starters, and salads to satisfy every palette.
On The Green
££
Located a short walk from Highbury, On The Green is a quintessential European restaurant in Newington Green that offers brunch, mouth-watering a la carte dishes, rustic pizza, and their signature Sunday roasts (which we absolutely can’t get enough of).
Value for money is extraordinary at On The Green, with all mains costing between £13 and £16, and believe us, you will not go hungry.
We recommend the cauliflower steak with hummus and the spinach tagliatelle with cherry tomatoes and red pepper.
Other Places to Eat in Highbury
Top Cuvee
££
Top Cuvee is a wine bar and bistro on Blackstock Road that has become a favourite among refined Arsenal fans as a pre-match and post-match haunt for something cold and crisp to drink and warming to eat.
Their dishes include small plates of oysters or anchovies, while larger plates include beef tartare or braised pork belly. The £45pp set menu is a genuine treat if you want a wine-filled leisurely dinner.
Fink’s Salt & Sweet
£
One for anyone looking for a laidback brunch or lunch spot during the day, Fink’s Salt & Sweet provides the area’s best range of salads, sandwiches, and cakes all day, every day.
It’s a perfect weekday or weekend spot to catch up with friends, sit down and work, and enjoy some of the best light dishes in North London.
Practical Tips for Exploring the Best Restaurants in Highbury
- Highbury is popular with young professionals, many of whom have families, so these brilliant Highbury restaurants are regularly busy. We recommend you call your chosen restaurant in advance to ensure a spot and save yourself from missing out on a culinary treat.
- Arsenal home match days are hectic on the streets and in restaurants near Highbury. If a sea of red-and-white-shirted fans isn’t your vibe, you may wish to check the Gunners’ fixture list in advance as well.
