The best restaurants in Stoke Newington, Turkish, Mangal 1, cafés on Church Street, wine bars and where locals eat in N16. A complete dining guide.
Best Restaurants in Stoke Newington: A Local's Guide
Stoke Newington's restaurant scene is compact but genuinely good, anchored by a strong Turkish and Middle Eastern offer that reflects the neighbourhood's demographics, and supplemented by independent European restaurants, wine bars and cafés that serve a community with high food expectations and a strong preference for independents.
Turkish
Mangal 1 (10 Arcola Street, N16): The most celebrated restaurant in Stoke Newington and one of London's most famous Turkish restaurants, a mangal (charcoal grill) restaurant where the fire is the kitchen. The cooking is focused on the essentials: lamb chops, chicken wings, kofte, liver, all over charcoal. The quality is extraordinary and the prices are reasonable. Booking is essential and tables are often available only at early or late sittings. A destination restaurant that warrants a trip from anywhere in London.
Turkish cafés and pide houses (Church Street): The Church Street strip and surrounding streets have several Turkish cafés serving pide, gözleme, breakfast and tea. These are neighbourhood businesses for the Turkish community as much as restaurants for general visitors, genuine rather than tourist-oriented.
Wine Bars and European
The Jolly Butchers (Stoke Newington High Street): Primarily a craft beer pub, but also serves food that is better than average and provides a good venue for a casual evening meal alongside serious beer.
Loft (Stoke Newington High Street): A restaurant-bar with an eclectic European menu and a good drinks list. Popular with the local young professional demographic.
Natural wine bars: Several small natural wine bars and wine-forward restaurants have opened on and around Church Street in recent years, reflecting the same demographic trend visible in Hackney, Dalston and Peckham.
Cafés
Church Street's café scene is excellent. Several independent coffee shops serve the working-from-home population that is a core demographic of the neighbourhood, and the standard of coffee and food is consistently high.
Church Street independent cafés: The best are those without names that precede their reputation, the ones that are full of regulars at 9am on a Tuesday, which is the best indicator of quality.
Saturday Market
The Stoke Newington Farmers' Market (Saturday mornings on Church Street) is one of the better small farmers' markets in North London, seasonal produce, artisan bread, cheese and meat from small producers. A good source of weekend food shopping.
Value Note
Stoke Newington is significantly better value than Islington, Hampstead or Highgate for comparable quality, a reflection of the lower rent base and the Turkish restaurant tradition. Mangal 1 offers a restaurant-quality meal at approximately half the price of a comparable dinner in Islington.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best restaurant in Stoke Newington?
Mangal 1 on Arcola Street, a famous Turkish mangal restaurant with extraordinary charcoal-grilled food. Booking essential.
Is Stoke Newington good for food?
Yes, particularly for Turkish food (one of the best areas in London for it) and for the value offered by Church Street's independent café and restaurant scene.
