The best Finsbury Park restaurants, cafes and bars

A newcomer that’s already made quite a stir, this Vietnamese cafe right behind Finsbury Park station serves up exactly what the name suggests - boba teas and baguettes (aka banh mi). They also do a nice line in spring and summer rolls, mango salads and rice boxes.

There aren’t all that many places serving up Uyghur food in London (and for that matter the UK), making Dilara a place of pilgrimage for anyone who wants to try it. Specialities include amazing hand-pulled noodles (the beef is a must if you’re a meat-eater) and they also do a range of Turkish dishes too.

Four Legs, the team behind nearby pub The Plimsoll, have transformed an old fish and chip shop into a Spanish-style seafood bar. That means there are plenty of seafood tapas and small plates on offer like their deep-fried deviled crab. And yes, there are chips too, with bravas sauce poured all over them.

Giacco's comes from a team with a strong background in hospitality and wine and this is their Italian-accented wine bar in Highbury. Expect Italian charcuterie, fresh pasta, their own small-batch gelato and a focus on Italian wines.

This much-beloved Finsbury Park spot serves up a menu of Korean and Japanese favourites so you’ll find bulgogi alongside sashimi and kimchi along with nasu dengaku. The set menus are a particular steal for food of this quality. Take note - it’s cash only.

A personal favourite of the Hot Dinners team, this ocakbasi restaurant on Blackstock Road has been turning out great Turkish food for years. The chicken shish never disappoints and there’s something about the way their bread soaks up all the meat juices that just finishes us.

Over the past few years, Tenmaru has been quietly carving a reputation for itself as a place for good ramen. Their chicken-based ramen broth particularly makes them stand out from the crowd. They also do a nice line in izakaya style snackage too.

Although it’s probably most often used as a takeaway, this branch of the Yard Sale pizza group does have room for 20 folk to dine in. Enjoy regular pizzas like their TSB (Tenderstem broccoli with Parmesan and pine nuts) along with inventive specials.

There is cutthroat competition in this part of the world when it comes to great kebabs, so the fact that Petek is so often namechecked is worthy of note. Expect generous portions of the Turkish food

Not to be confused with Shop Cuvee or Cave Cuvee, this is the original opening from the team who brought their enthusiasm for natural wine to the Highbury/Finsbury Park borders. Dishes change regularly but might include treats like a very good pate en croute or asparagus cassoulet.

Neapolitan owner Paola is one of the friendliest folk in Finsbury Park and takes inspiration from her homeland for the dishes and wine list here. Food is homely but delicious and the welcome is big on Italian warmth.

This diminutive female-owned cafe manages to be a large presence on Blackstock Road despite its size. Maybe that’s because of the hatch which is so handy for grab and go coffees, but they also run supperclubs and offer catering services too.

With a huge garden that looks right over Finsbury Park this Turkish cafe is the perfect pitstop if you’ve just done Park Run and need reviving. And when the Park View breakfast also includes lamb chops why would you want to be anywhere else?

Whether you’re after a super sarnie, great coffee or a seasonally inspired bottled cocktail Fink's is the place for you. Currently operating as takeaway only it also sells a curated selection of fresh and cupboard provisions along with interesting wines and spirits.

Serving coffee from Dark Arts and a wide range of top sarnies and pastries, this Stroud Green cafe is extremely popular - good luck getting a table out in the garden on sunny days. They’ve now extended their hours to offer an interesting plant-focused menu in the evenings at weekends too.

As the name suggests, this indie cafe is all about supporting those producing the best British food and drink. Their full English breakfasts are legendary and they do a nice line in bread and pastries too. At the back is a surprisingly capacious back garden complete with Anderson shelter.

One of the first places to open by the new look Finsbury Park station, this cafe and patisserie is great for baguettes and cakes, but it’s their pasties which have utterly stolen our hearts. Owner Dahmane Ladjassa trained as a pastry chef in Paris and is now committed to winning over North Londoners with his baked goods.

The first time someone sees the garden at this rambling Irish/Thai pub in the back streets of Finsbury Park they’re always taken aback. Over five floors of terraces, like a crazed boozy treehouse the pub features all manner of nooks and crannies to drink in. The Guinness is good and the Thai menu always goes down a treat. Busy - as you’d expect - on any kind of big sporting event days.

A popular Irish pub which has made quite a thing of its Sunday roasts which are, in our own humble opinion, bloody marvellous. There’s a nice wraparound terrace too if you’re looking for drinks in the sunshine.

This lovely wine bar and shop was an early adopter of this street behind Finsbury Park station way before it got all gussied up. There is a list of wines by the glass or you can just peruse the shelves to see what takes your fancy. The charcuterie and cheese boards are good accompaniments to all that wine.

When the Four Legs crew took on this Finsbury Park there were expectations sure but who could have predicted what a white hot success it would be? It’s often very hard to get a reservation but you can always rock up to the bar bit for a drink and one of their fabulous cheeseburgers.