Londoners Magazine Cafe review: The Fig & Olive
By Sarah Riches • Mar 13th, 2008 • Category: Cafes & Restaurants, Daylife
Dieters beware - Sarah Riches reckons few can resist the cake display the Fig & Olive cafe on Islington’s Upper Street.
It’s open until midnight most nights, so if you’ve had your fill of cocktails and crave something sweet and sobering, try the lemon tart decorated with swirls of dark chocolate, that crack at the touch of a spoon.
Visitors can sit on mismatched antique chairs next to a gilt mirror near the entrance. The tables are mostly for two or four, except for a long communal one - Japanese restaurant style - in the bright conservatory at the back.
The main dishes (£8-£12) are mostly meat-based, the most imaginative being wild boar with apple sausages.
The vegetarian options include vegetarian moussaka or aubergine with sautéed mushrooms.
Lighter dishes like grilled Mediterranean vegetables with halloumi cheese are available, and are undoubtedly classier than a doner kebab.
There’s a good wine selection for those still drinking (glass £4.50; bottle £12-£18). Italian, French, South African and Chilean wines are available.
But most visitors are there for the cakes (£3-£4), of which we had four. Not because there were four of us, because one of us had two.
151 Upper Street
Islington
N1.
020 7354 2605
Mon-Thur 9-12am
Fri 9-12.30am
Sat 10-12.30am
Sun 10am-11.30pm
All photos taken by Sarah Riches
Sarah Riches is our chief sub editor. She knows the difference between learnt and learned, favourite and favorite, hyphens and dashes; and gets cross when we don't remember.
Favourite place in London: Hyde Park in the summer.
Email this author | All posts by Sarah Riches
