Archie's in Islington

Very friendly buzzy little cafe serving absolutely delicious food. Four fussy people were very very satisfied. Pity its only open during the day and closed in the evenings

My friend and I had a pleasant lunch at Archie’s. My friend paid for the lunch while I visited the bathroom and I paid for the lunch when she went to use the bathroom.  Each wanted to treat the other without knowing she had done so!   The place is small and had two members of staff present. At no point did either of them say that the lunch had already been paid by my friend. It is only when we were leaving the cafe my friend said that she had paid. Obviously we then found out that both of us had paid.   The two staff present had a guilty look on their faces. They knew what they were doing. The female staff member had the audacity to ask us to show proof of the payments.   Eventually one of us got a refund. This left a very bad, sour taste in our mouths. Never again will either of us set foot in this place.

I’ve been going to Archie’s once a fortnight or so for the past few years as I live locally. The food, though a bit over-priced, is generally decent and the cafe itself has a lovely warm vibe. However, recently there has been a really noticeable dip in service. The staff seem disorganised (possibly due to high turnover) and it’s not unusual for it to take 30 - 40 minutes to get your food, even when it’s not particularly busy. Recently I had to ask for a refund when, after waiting more than 30 minutes, I was told my order hadn’t been given to the kitchen. Hope things improve as this used to be one of the better places to eat in this area.

Spent a few hours doing some work here with a friend. I waited 45 mins to be served, though I think that may have been because the waitress was waiting for my friend to arrive - I didn't mind though, just got on with work. Although I heard a few tables around me complaining about potentially gone-off orange juice/other problems, we ourselves had a nice experience. Ordered food on previous occasions which was very nice, if on the more expensive side for what you receive.

Nothing special here. All very mediocre. The disdain received after staff were informed that it was only a drink that was required and nothing more spoke volumes. The drink was also fairly over-priced for what was provided too.

There were three vegan items in total in the menu. Avocado and Toast, the Green Breakfast, and the California Burrito. The Green Breakfast looked the most interesting so we went for it. Well when it arrived we are very pleasantly surprised. It looked amazing, with a very unusual combination of Spinach, Mushrooms, Hash Browns, Beetroot Chutney, Avocado, Beans, Toast and On-the-Vine Tomatoes. It tasted gorgeous also with the fresh and diverse flavours. Excellent service. Good pricing. And lovely ambiance.

Excelent food very fresh tasty and beautifully presented. Very cozy and familiar atmosphere full of young people.

Really unfriendly service. No acknowledgment as I arrived and ignored my goodbye. Tiny coffee at a very expensive price. Plus gave me the wrong pastry, but I only noticed when I had walked to the top of Highgate Hill and could not be bothered to walk down. If you want bad service, over priced food surrounded by dead plants then this is the place for you otherwise lots of other places to go to!

An absolute gem of a place. From start to finish this little bolt hole provided the most amazing food, impeccable service and the atmosphere was quirky and cosy. I will be returning to Highgate just to return. The servers were so attentive and efficient. We tried most things on the menu in our group and everyone loved it.

Absolutely loved this place! We stopped off for a quick bite to eat on the way to Highgate Cemetery and I honestly raved to my husband about their panko chicken tacos ALL afternoon! The food was just fabulous. I wish we were local so could go back more often. Service was spot on, the atmosphere was just right and the toilets were spotless which is always a lovely bonus!

We passed here on our way to Highgate Cemetery, we looked inside and we liked what we saw so we decided to pop in on our way back. Greeted and seated by friendly staff. Food and drinks ordered. We both had the Middle Eastern bowl. The presentation was great, the food itself was delicious! Such a lovely mix of food. Reasonable prices too. Shame we don’t live closer, if we did, we would visit a lot more often.

Very disappointing visit. Very slow service, waitress more interested in flirting with chef. Ordered burrito and paid extra for chicken which ended up being 2 small pieces of chicken thigh. I don’t mind chicken thigh, but what I do object to is being fleeced. I did complain at the time, but received no feedback from staff/management. They then had the cheek to include service on the bill. I know we’re in a cost of living crisis, but have some respect for your customers please.

Lovely coffee and almond croissant on way from Archway tube to Highgate cemetery. Friendly service and good atmosphere

As a local, I frequent Archie’s, as the coffee is good and the food carefully thought out, with plenty of vegan choices or subsitutes avaliable. However, time and time again I am faced with two large downsides to the cafe - the prices, and the staff. £4.5 for an oat mocha is astronomical for the local area, other independents nearby charge around £3.50 I believe, and brunch for two will cost around £40. In central London, this would be expected but this is Archway, not Soho. The staff however, are where the true cons of this place lie. Just today I waited 10 minutes for my coffee, despite having no queue in front of me and the seated area pretty much empty. It emerged this was due to training a new barista, which, let me clarify, I have no problem with and understand everyone starts somewhere. Yet it was being ignored when I first walked in, and no comment to why wait times were longer that I found displeasing. Waiting to be acknowledged while the proper way to create latte art was being explained did not make me feel valued as a customer. While you may think I am being dramatic, this is not the first time this has happened. Many a time I have had to wait up to 20 minutes for takeaway coffee, watching as others who have come in after me leave satisfied. This has even happened while visiting for a sit down meal - I have been left waiting for 10 minutes multiple times for even menus to be brought, up to 20 minutes for orders to be taken and 40 minutes for food to be brought out. The food is great, always well presented and good portion sizes, yet waiting an hour to eat after being seated always leaves a bad taste in my mouth. If you aren’t bound by time, and are happy to pay central London prices, this is a fantastic spot, which will leave you wanting more.

Just had lunch at Archie's. What a magical find... Lovely food, atmosphere and service. Even bought a great little plant on the way out!

Lovely airy, light feel to the dining room which was boho-chic with lots of plants around. Open kitchen so we could see the chefs at work and the service was prompt and efficient. Food was lovely, set us up for the day and felt fresh and as if care and attention had been put into it. Very good spot to start the day

I went this morning for a nice breakfast and i really enjoyed the vibe, music and my full english was delicious as my chai latte. Definitely recommend it for a nice brunch too. Will be back.

Lovely place but staff are incredibly rude and dismissive. Wouldn’t return. It doesn’t take much to be polite!

This restaurant is a hidden gem. Beautiful decor, lovely staff and tasty organic food. There is a large breakfast available which my partner thoroughly enjoyed - the hash browns deserve a mention!. I had eggs and bacon -the bacon was so tasty and eggs were perfect. The staff really care about the food which is why it was So good. I can certainly recommend this place for a relaxing brunch. I hope to return again soon.

Popped in for lunch with my daughter. Lovely little cafe and staff were friendly. My daughter had a lovely meal (rancheros). I ordered avocado on toast as it was the only vegan meal and some mushrooms. My meal was a small piece of toast with avocado - it looked lost on the plate! I had to ask again for the mushrooms - I think they'd forgotten them - so they came later. They were lovely, and the avocado was good but more of a snack than a meal. I asked for more toast but this took at least 15 minutes to make (cafe was not full) so by the time it came I'd finished the rest of the meal and it was too late. The tea was good quality and I think if I'd been able to order something more substantial I'd have been happy. But what I was served was a small, mean portion and I didn't feel as if it was good value compared to my daughter's lunch. When we said this to the server she said shrub asking the lines of 'It was so good you wanted more.' I said no, I just wanted a meal not a snack.

Little gem of a business - visited a couple of times and the food and customer experience was fantastic - well done team for caring about your customers 😀

I discovered this place whilst going through a terrible experience with a relative dying at the Whittington Hospital. We were camped out at the hospital for days. It is very near accident and emergency (across the road and a few yards up the hill). Anyway,...

This place is great. The food is delicious and fairly unique breakfasts. The staff are a delight and its well priced. An excellent independent coffee and brunch stop.

We had a family brunch here on a Saturday. The room and atmosphere are both lovely and our server was friendly and efficient. The menu was so great we had trouble deciding but all our food was delicious with good coffee and fresh juice. What...

I Had vegan options including the green breakfast, hot chocolate and flat white with oat milk- all very tasty with meticulous care obviously put into presentation and taste. Cafe has a great relaxed atmosphere. Just wish there were more slightly healthier/lighter options for vegan treats...

We went for the half price deal on tacos and steak between 5.30-7.30 fri-sat! Although small (about 3 mouthfuls big) they contained a lot of flavour and were well presented. Enough food for a light dinner/snack but if going for a full meal then reckon...

Lovely vibe & great food. Went for breakfast with the family. Good selection and interesting dishes.

We had to make spur of the moment plans whilst in the area and saw a couple of good reviews of Archie’s. Upon entering, the tunes were banging (Pull Up To The Bumper Baby by Grace Jones) and from there things only improved. Just brilliant...

We decided to visit this establishment as it was close to our accommodation. On arrival we were ignored by the member of staff and obtained the menu and seated ourselves. A further 5 minutes of ignorance was followed by the member of staff choosing to...

Following a co-lodger for breakfast, since the hotel we were staying at, didn't serve any... apart from the good company the breakfast was great. So, the following day a group of us friends went for lunch...each and everyone of us justabout licked their plates. Service...

Lovely cafe - a good place to catch up with work and to recover from the experience of visiting the Ghana High Commission for visa purposes! Staff are very friendly and welcoming. Food excellent and very good value - had the Steak sandwich on my...

We just caught the last half hour in here, after walking around the cemetery. It was a welcome warm spot for a lovely coffee and vegan flapjack. The decor inside was really cool and the guy behind the counter was friendly. I’d like to visit...

We live on Highate Hill so were delighted when the run down and always empty Popeyes steakhouse was taken over by Archie's. The renovation is lovely - really bright and contemporary. Great coffee, really amazing brunches (try the 'BEC') and lovely staff. They've started opening...

Good food here and speedy service. Nice place to eat. Not that big but plenty of tables available. Easy to find on Highgate Hill.