Theo James & Ed Templeton

There are lots of brilliant Italian restaurants in London but Trullo has inspired many of the newest iterations. The menu focuses on season and quality ingredients – be that Cornish squid, delica pumpkin or Sicilian pink grapefruits. All the pasta is made in house and paired with hearty flavours of golden garlic and marjoram or a classic beef shin ragù. Trullo’s low-key little sister is the smash- hit Padella (sites in Borough and Shoreditch) but this Islington original is the spot to linger in. 

Mix top-notch wine importers Beattie and Roberts with king charcutier George Jephson and you get Cadet, a wine bar and shop serving rustic French plates such as confit rabbit with chard and aïoli or shallot tarte tatin. If the weather holds, snag a coveted spot out front. A Newington Green treasure.

With a chef from St. John and a multi-layered potato cake to rival The Quality Chop House, Saltine makes no secret about its inspiration. Founders Mat Appleton and Jess Blackstone are also behind north London mini coffee empire Fink’s. And while the exposed brick space is a little predictable, the genuine and charming staff maintain Saltine’s spot as a solid Highbury favourite.

In the morning there are queues for some of north London’s best pains aux raisins. At lunch, it’s for fat ciabattas filled with courgettes, ricotta, hot honey and pangrattato. And in the evening, a changing menu that includes comforting, homemade plates of orzo with pork and beef ragù. The restaurant everyone wishes they had in their neighbourhood.