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 go and check this out' chart due to its chef Phil Wood. He arrives here with experience at restaurants like Spring and St John Marylebone. The restaurant will be open all day serving up coffees, pastries and dishes to grab and go during the day, then switching up to a more formal menu in the evening.
On that launch menu you'll find dishes like:
- Fried stracciatella & anchovy sandwiches
- Cured bream with fennel seed saltine
- Pigeon, corn, miso butter and hazelnuts
- Mackerel, spigarello & chickpeas
- Raspberry ripple ice cream with blackberry and verbena jelly
For those of you who like a bit of local history, apparently this area was once a big dairy farming district (back from the 16th century onwards) when Islington was known as - we kid you not - Cow Town. Queen Elizabeth I was apparently serenaded by a song about the delights of a Highbury syllabub which will duly be on the menu here.
As for drinks, there will be a short cocktail menu and a wine list that leans towards low-intervention wines from Europe.
It sounds like it's a tardis-like space that goes back a fair way from the street frontage and will have a bar area at the front leading through to a glass-roofed dining room at the rear. As locals, we can't wait for this new opening.
More about Saltine
Where is it? 11 Highbury Park, London N5 1QJ
When does it open? 25 October 2023 (50% off food until 28 October)
Find out more: Follow them on Instagram @saltine.london
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