Three North London eateries have been named on a list of top 100 restaurants based on diner's reviews.
Farang in Highbury, Jolene in Newington Green, and The Quality Chop House in Farringdon all made it onto the OpenTable Top 100 restaurants in the UK for 2023.
The list was compiled from over 1.2 million OpenTable reviews using diner ratings, percentage of reservations made in advance, and number of five-star ratings.
Farang was founded by Sebby Holmes, who first fell for Thai food during a tour of Asia. In 2015 he started trading on London street markets from the back of his car, and initially took over a former Italian restaurant in Highbury Park as a pop up. Now permanent, Farang has won a Michelin Bib Gourmand for five years running, is in the National Restaurant Awards top 100, and has a certificate of authenticity from the UK's Thai embassy.
Playfully named after the term for foreigner, Farang blends Thai cooking techniques and flavours with Thai and British ingredients in dishes such as green curry mussels with ginger and pickled cucumber, and massaman lamb shank with pineapple, peanuts and sweet basil.
If you can't get a booking you can try making magic at home from the online shop selling cook books, fresh curry pastes, stir-fry and dipping sauces.
The Quality Chop House in Farringdon Road is a London landmark which opened in 1869 and boasts Grade II listed benches and a tiled floor. Victorian chop houses served thick slices of meat such as chops and steaks in unvarnished shop surroundings, and this one advertised itself in the window as a “Progressive Working Class Caterer”.
Today, head chef Shaun Searley nods to its meaty past with a range of steaks and chops alongside a contemporary menu with quality ingredients from the British Isles such as Yorkshire game with all the trimmings, or Brixham brill with Vermouth and clams.
Recent OpenTable five star reviews include: 'Brilliant food and brilliant service. Would highly recommend,' and: 'Great food and great staff. A London institution that always delivers quality.'
From the same stable as Westerns Laundry in Drayton Park, Islington, Jolene is a relaxed neighbourhood restaurant and bakery, which opened in 2019, and works with regenerative food growers and small producers who prioritise land care and animal welfare.
It has a natural wine cellar and weekly changing evening menu. Recent OpenTable five star reviews include: '10/10 absolutely loved it! Great food, ambience, decor and staff. Can’t wait to come back'. And: We’ve been wanting to come here for ages and I’m so glad we finally did. The staff were all so lovely and helpful, and the food was incredible. We can’t wait to come back!
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here