The best restaurants in Highgate, from village bistros to gastropubs and Sunday lunch spots. Where locals eat in N6, what to book and what makes Highgate dining special.
The high street, centred on the junction of Highgate High Street and South Grove, is the main cluster. A handful of restaurants and a very good selection of pubs occupy the old buildings along the street, with further options on the side roads.
What Highgate does particularly well: relaxed neighbourhood bistros, gastro-level pub food, and a consistently strong Sunday lunch offer. What it lacks: the breadth of a larger area, if you want Vietnamese, Korean or Ethiopian, you will need to go elsewhere.
The Flask
The Flask on Highgate West Hill is technically a pub rather than a restaurant, but the kitchen is serious enough to merit a place in any Highgate eating guide.
The building dates from the early 18th century and is one of the most historically authentic pub buildings in North London, low ceilings, original fireplace, a maze of small rooms that fill up with Highgate regulars on weekend evenings. Dick Turpin is said to have hidden in the cellars.
The food menu covers gastropub standards done well: seasonal mains, decent sharing plates, a Sunday roast that is among the best in the area. The beer selection is good, the wine list functional. The beer garden at the back is one of the few decent outdoor drinking spaces in Highgate.
Book for Sunday lunch; walk-in is manageable at other times.
The Wrestlers
The Wrestlers on North Road is the other historic pub worth knowing. It has a slightly different character to the Flask, older clientele on weekday afternoons, livelier on weekend evenings, with a kitchen that produces reliable pub food at reasonable prices.
The building has a good claim to being one of the oldest pub buildings in the area, and the interior retains character that has not been over-restored. For a weeknight dinner without the effort of booking, it is a solid choice.
The Bull
The Bull on the high street operates as a gastropub with a more ambitious food offering than either the Flask or the Wrestlers. The kitchen produces modern British cooking, seasonal ingredients, some technical effort, a menu that changes with some regularity.
It attracts a younger professional crowd and is popular for weekday evening meals after work. Weekend evenings are busy and booking is advisable. The wine list is above average for a Highgate pub.
Neighbourhood Bistros
Highgate has a cluster of independent bistros and restaurants along and around the high street that between them cover most occasions.
Italian: There are one or two Italian options within the village that occupy the reliable neighbourhood trattoria territory, pasta done well, wine by the carafe, no strong ambitions to be anything more than a comfortable local restaurant. For Italian food with more ambition, the options in Hampstead are broader.
French-influenced: A small bistro culture has established itself in Highgate along the lines visible in other prosperous North London villages, seasonal menus, good wine, modest prices for the quality. These places change over time, and the local neighbourhood groups are the best source of current recommendations.
Pizza: A wood-fired pizzeria on the high street serves Neapolitan-style pizza and has built a local following. It is particularly good for a casual weeknight dinner or a family meal.
Highgate for Sunday Lunch
Sunday lunch is arguably the format that Highgate restaurants do best. The combination of a morning walk on Hampstead Heath or through Waterlow Park followed by a proper Sunday roast is one of the area's reliable pleasures.
The Flask, the Bull and the Wrestlers all do Sunday roasts, with the Flask's being the most consistently well-regarded. Several of the independent restaurants also offer a Sunday lunch menu, which tends to be their busiest service of the week.
Booking is essential for Sunday lunch at all the better options, Sunday at 1pm in Highgate fills up fast.
Cafés and Daytime Eating
The café offering in Highgate is good for a village of its size. Several independent cafés serve the daytime crowd, walkers coming off the Heath, residents working from local spaces, the school run crowd.
The best cafés are on and around the high street, with a particular concentration near the junction. Quality coffee is available without difficulty; the food offer varies from pastries and sandwiches to more substantial brunch plates.
For post-walk coffee specifically, arriving at the Highgate end of a Heath walk puts several good options within easy reach.
Getting to Highgate
By Underground: Highgate is on the Northern line (High Barnet branch), approximately 25 minutes from central London. From the station, the village high street is about a 10-minute walk uphill via Archway Road and Highgate Hill, or a slightly shorter route through the residential streets.
By bus: The 143 (from Archway) and 210 (from Golders Green via Kenwood) serve the high street directly. The 271 runs from Highgate to Holloway and Islington.
On foot from the Heath: From the eastern Heath entrance near the ponds, the walk to Highgate village takes around 20-25 minutes, passing through Kenwood grounds or along the Heath edge.
Practical Notes
Highgate's restaurant scene is small enough that the better places fill up quickly, particularly at weekends. Booking 48-72 hours ahead for weekend dinner or Sunday lunch is usually sufficient; at busy periods a week's notice is safer.
Prices in Highgate are broadly comparable to Hampstead, mid to upper range for North London, with a typical dinner for two (two courses, wine) coming in at ÂŁ70-ÂŁ100 depending on the restaurant and how much you drink.
The village does not have the after-dinner options (bars, late venues) of a larger neighbourhood, but the pubs keep reasonable hours and the walk home through quiet residential streets is part of the appeal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best restaurants in Highgate?
The Flask and the Bull are the most consistently well-regarded options for a full meal. The Wrestlers and several independent bistros fill out the scene. Sunday lunch is the format where Highgate restaurants perform best.
Is Highgate a good place to eat out?
Yes, particularly for relaxed neighbourhood dining, Sunday lunch and post-Heath walk dinners. The restaurant scene is small but consistent, and the village setting adds to the experience.
Do Highgate restaurants need booking?
Yes, for weekend evenings and Sunday lunch. The better options fill up quickly. Weekday evenings are generally more flexible, though booking is still advisable for the most popular places.
