HIDEN - Japanese Curry Cafe - in Islington

Sorry no pictures as the food smelled so good I couldn't wait. Never had a meal that was less than sublime. Katsu Curry as its meant to be. And with the addition of Karee pan (deep fried bread with curry in the centre) always a winner. Staff are super friendly and fast service as well. 100% recommend

Lovely food, lovely atmosphere, staff really nice and the food great, a great find! Was worried there wouldn't be good vegetarian options but had a teriyaki tofu donburi and it was lovely.

I love this place so much! The agedashi tofu is one of the best and i really liked the matcha too

Their curry be fantastic. Amount of rice feels bit less compare to curry so may ask extra rice next time when I go. Their cutlets also lovely match to curry as topping.

An absolute hidden gem in London! The best chicken katsu curry I’ve ever had, crispy, perfectly cooked, and paired with a rich, flavorful curry sauce. The atmosphere is cozy, the service is warm and friendly, and the quality of the food is outstanding. If you love Japanese curry, this place is a must-visit. I’ll definitely be coming back! 😁🍛

Really great food and friendly staff ! Excellent music too 👌

We love going to Hiden for lunch on the weekend, it’s become our little tradition especially as our 1 year old seems to love it as much as we do, she smiles the whole time we’re in there and loves looking at Japanese children books while we enjoy the most delicious Chicken Katsu Curry and Katsu Croissando - a must try! The service is lovely and the atmosphere is nice and relaxed, a much needed little gem in Finsbury Park.

We came to try the curry and it didn’t disappoint. We all had variations on the Chicken Katsu Curry. Really tasty. Also has a nice little shop selling Japanese goods including popeye magazine!

Lovely place great staff and value for money

The cinnamon matcha latte was delicious. Lovely, chill ambiance upon arrival with friendly staff.

Banging katsu curry and Kara age

Quite relaxing atmosphere, lovely cafe design. Food is wonderful too. Greatly presented all-round.

What a fabulous find! Was in the area with friends and we decided to head up Stroud Green Road for a change to find food. It's a small restaurant but worth waiting for a table if nothing available as the food comes quickly. My friends had the chicken katsu which they both thoroughly enjoyed, and I had the vegan curry bun and the Agedashi tofu. The bun was like nothing I've had before, ever so slightly sweet which was interesting with the curry filling but I really enjoyed it and would get it again. The agedashi tofu was so delicious, perfect tofu and a flavourful broth, I actually had no idea what I was ordering and was not disappointed. I also had a black sesame latte and a cinnamon matcha both with soy milk. They have Soy Boy which is THE best soy milk so both drinks hit the spot. Lovely service, lovely little restaurant with cute Japanese bits for sale. Honestly took me back to Japan which I miss with all my heart. Will be taking my husband there soon and will try some of the other vegan options. YUM!

The chicken Katsu Curry was pretty good, not too spicy, chicken was crunchy to the right level. The Matcha Latte was nice as well and the miso cookie was nutty and not too sweet. What ruined the experience for us was that the restaurant was ICE COLD. Literally as cold as it was outside. We came out not having feeling in our feet. There was no heating on at all, while outside was 3 degrees Celsius. The bathroom tap water was ice cold too, and the hand drier was cold air. We finished the evening exhausted by the cold. The place really needs heating. The cold distracts from anything else.

Went all the way from where I live in Surrey to Finsbury Park just to find my memories of the great Japanese curry taste, all worthy of it. Authentic Japanese curries which is so rare to find in the UK (forget Wagamama!) and tasted superb! Very happy with the karaage (Japanese fried chicken) topping too, super cruncy on the outside and so juicy and tender on the inside, absolutely amongst the best karaage you can find in the UK. Small restaurant but comfortable. Highly recommended for those Japan curries lovers.

Amazing food and friendly staff

It was very delicious. It's perfect. I'm looking forward to the day when I can eat there again.

Beautifully designed cafe that's friendly and very authentically Japanese. We had the pumpkin croquettes and Katsu sando both were perfectly crispy and very tasty. Thanks Hiroki, we will be back for sure!

Coffee was really good, but in a really small cup...a few sips and it was done. Didn't get to try the food as despite there being only 3 tables the service was too slow! I signaled i was ready to order and she took orders from both other tables (one that arrived after us) first and started making their drinks before coming back for my food order. After waiting another 10 minutes, I dedicded to just leave as I was hungry and it was a little cold in there. Such a shame because I love Japanese food and Katsu Curry is my favorite dish... should have been a slam dunk for a 5 star review...but you need to actually take my order 🤦‍♂️

Lovely food, friendly staff, good music, chill atmosphere

Lovely cafe. Some incredible flavours and a great attention to detail. As a foodie this is a must try !!

I love this place and often pop in during off-peak hours for a little drink because the atmosphere is so nice. Staff are always so friendly and I’ve slowly made my way through both their food and drinks menu. Have discovered a new love for black sesame lattes and barley tea as well as well as fried curry bread- all quite new to me! Finally, the atmosphere is just so chill and cheerful. A local fav.

I ordered a signature beef curry and I ate it with a spork (spoon+fork): it was delicious and I have no regrets. But I STILL had food envy because my companion had a chicken katsu curry sandwich in a phat fluffy croissant. It looked amazing! So now I have a reason to go back. This place also sells bowls with S&B branding which would make a terrific gift for any Japanese curry fans out there (of which I'm sure there are many).

Very friendly and delicious! Would recommend the sesame late and gluten free deserts

This is one of my favourite cafes in the neighborhood that I keep coming back to. I recommend the signature chicken croissando or the chicken curry, both are excellent. A great spot for a coffee and brunch or lunch, that isn't usually crowded too. Plus the staff are really friendly!

Ordered the Gyudon which I enjoyed and was then introduced to a warm choco pan accompanied by a Sesame latte. I will definitely be ordering again in the future.

Amazing Katsu Curry, large portions and good Sake selection, great service. Reasonable prices, great value We also had the tasting 3 sake's, they took the time to explain each one to us and even let us try a 4th one! Will definitely be coming back

Delicious curries, decent portion sizes, and super-friendly service. It's not to pricey either. I really enjoyed my time spent here earlier today, and am sure i’ll be back again soon enough!

The best kara-age I've had in London, great cury lots of spice with very little heat to distract!

Super friendly staff and really nice food. Cozy cafe perfect for a cold day 😊

SUCH lovely food, lovely vegan options + incred vibes. staff so so friendly ! 🥰❤️

Such a nice place! Staff are lovely, Hiroki in particular made a lot of effort to be accommodating! Will definitely be coming back :)

The best katsu curry in London. Great local spot with a convivial atmosphere.

Great matcha’s that are actually green and don’t feel like you just ordered a warm glass of milk! 🥛 🍵 Also great food, and the owners are so kind.

The katsu sando is so scrumptious. It is very innovative and I appreciated the creativity. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The atmosphere of this restaurant/cafe was cool and cute, some people were having their coffees etc whilst others were in groups eating their sandos with beer. Very relaxed environment. But best of all great value for money on the sandos.

We were looking for a place to eat when we stumbled across this lovely place, the staff were inviting and really friendly all round. Kara-ge was so juicy, curry sauce had a depth of flavour we actually ended up ordering a second plate. The miso soup is also a must try, with a whole burst of flavour too it in its own right. They had a kids menu with a portion size that was actually really decent. Our daughter loved this place so much and the staff were so kind to her.

Zhen de bu hao chi , yi gu yao wei.

this place is almost OK, but at the end of the day it's a bit of a gimmick with not much going for it.

A welcome addition to the Stroud Green Road food scene. Vegan croissant with lentils is my new favourite and the flat white gives the local cafes a run for their money.

Great food, great service and lovely atmosphere. Vegan food too. Highly recommend

Food was very good and the staff humoured my stories of how the area has changed in the past 25 years! No complaints. I will be back!

I do go to Hidden in Kings Cross a lot and tried one in Finsbury Park today. It was super tasty!!!! Friendly staffs and best Japanese food❤️❤️❤️ I would 💯 recommend!!

One of the best spots in Finsbury Park! Great food, even better hospitality and the coffee is amazing! Such a lovely atmosphere!

I’ve walked past this cafe a couple of times and always been intrigued. So when we needed some lunch after a morning at Finsbury Park, we decided to head here. Going somewhere new with children is always a bit risky but we figured they had chicken katsu on the menu so we should be fine. They even had a kids menu which I wasn’t expecting - two kids had the chicken katsu, the other had the karaage. Now the katsu sauce is different to the katsu sauce they’ve had before; here they make it themselves and it takes about 8-9 hours. However, they cleaned their bowls and then circled the two-year-old’s portion of chicken and rice. I liked that the kids karaage came with some sweetcorn. My other half had the beef curry topped with chicken katsu. I think he was quite taken with the quirkiness of having chicken AND beef. But it was tasty. I went for what our server recommended - the chicken nanban. I was a little put off by the fact it said it came with tartar sauce but this is really different to the stuff you have with fish and chips. The flavours are less bold and it complements it all really well. I was a big fan. The chicken in all the meals was done perfectly - super crispy and tasty. While we were waiting for the food, we enjoyed looking at the items for sale - lots of interesting things! Looking forward to returning :)

Food and delivery is fine but courier started calling before reaching to premise. I was waiting in front but the intention was calling me out, rather than attempting to fulfill job to full extend by delivering to door.

Tried the croissando because I was curious…😩 Please let the croissant alone and stick to traditional sando. Very average croissant and not so crispy katsu with a dressing normally used for fish. I was quite disappointed The Houjicha was good, hard to get it wrong..

I came here in the evening to visit a friend who works here. They have a branch in King’s X, but this one has a bigger seating space with a little corner displaying some Japanese products. I went for the chicken curry and my friend wanted to vouch for me to have their karaage which is what I ordered on top of that. The curry was quite different from regular Japanese curries, tangy, sour and a bit sweet. Unsure on how I feel on the taste, but definitely a new experience. Good portions The karaage was crispy and well seasoned. Just the way I like it. Matcha latte was lovely. Service was excellent.

Staff was brilliant, food was amazing and music was hitting!

So delicious! Beef curry with pickles, sublime and perfectly spicy. The little syrup cake I had, the most perfect pastry I’ve had in a long time. Best recommendations. Thank you ✨

Absolutely lovely place! Super friendly staff, real community energy and food was delicious - mouth watering. Lovely experience and again, the staff are wonderful

We had a lovely meal and great atmosphere.

Charming small business! Delicious food and good portions! The customer service is incredible! Anastasia deserves a raise!

Delicious food, lovely hojicha latte, will be coming back soon to try other bits 🤤

My fried chicken was as expected, could use more salt I suppose but it was recommended to have it with other sauces and I didn't get any, so it's half on me. They got beef curry with tofu and pickle, and a chicken katsu crossant sandwich and both said it was very nice. Good chill vibe with good music (a bit too loud for conversation in my opinion but I am more sensitive to noise than an average fellow). The area around the restaurant can be a bit scary but it should be safe enough as it's kind of close to the nearest station and all. They have a toliet and coffee bar with good dessert/drink options and sell other Japanese groceries also, ideal for local Japanese lover.

Visited with my mum who has never really had Japanese before. Cute spot. Casual. Simple menu, so not too overwhelming. Katsu (chicken) was simply delicious and flaky, very similar quality to what I had in Japan this year. The beef was good, but personally I’d go for the katsu first choice next time. My mum had the red lentil curry and said it was full of flavour. Portions generous.

Nice small Japanese curry restaurant. I strongly recommend chicken keriyaki and Chicken katsu curry. If they serve more unique sauce with fried menus, that would be better.

Love coming here for my morning coffee and vegan croissant! Such friendly staff, always welcoming and a really chill, cozy vibe :)

Katsu Don + Kimchi is the best 🔥❤️

Very cute café - would recommend! The food is tasty and the matcha latte is amazing. Very friendly staff as well.

I love this place so much, the atmosphere is homely and relaxing, the owner and the staff are all amazing, super friendly and welcoming. The food is delicious and the prices are very reasonable, what's not to like :-)

Great coffee... And they have dorayakis!!!

Very unique take on Japanese curry but there are other places with better. Enjoyed the staff a d experience

Lovely little cafe in Stroud green. Great coffee, food, and welcoming staff :)

First visit here. Located on Stroud Green Road minutes from Finsbury Park Station. This place looks good, look at all the photos I took. From the menu, it wasn't substantial but I did want to try their signature dish. Chicken Katsu curry so I went for the Hiden Special with miso soup and a few pickles. The portion looked slightly bigger than their usual portion size, I saw this from the table next to me. The miso looked minute and the dish itself was mediocre. I have tasted better elsewhere for much less. I liked the decor inside and also the area where you can to buy merchandise or sake. I don't think the toilet is step free access though but it was clean. Overall it was a pleasant experience but not sure if I'd be in a hurry to return. Good luck to them though.

Great dinning experience, delicious food

My favourite place! My visit was filled with a lot of joy and excitment. Owner is super nice. Food is beyond amazing, very special menu. It reminds me the good time visiting Tokyo. The branding is amazing too. The drinks menu is perfect with my favourite Hojicha latte and they are very well executed. Really so much in details - deserves re-visits again and again. Thank you so much xx Come visit us on Brick Lane! Nicole

Had a really nice lunch here - delicious katsu curry, and the matcha canelle was excellent too.

If you’re visiting London, it’s highly recommended as a good Japanese curry restaurant. Absolutely love HIDEN!

The Croissando was unexpectedly amazing - super yummy, crunchy croissant and katsu, with a soft tartare and brown sauce. It also surprisingly goes really well with coffee, I had a white americano. The chicken katsu curry was lovely as well with an interesting citrusy flavour!! I walk past this new restaurant everyday, and was sceptical at first, but wow, super recommend and would come back again!!

Stunning stunning food - please go here

Cute little spot. Unfortunately the Gyudon was a bit disappointing with the beef being quite dry. The curry was passable, but nothing to write home about. The cocktails were quite watery. The person who served us was lovely, but unfortunately I feel the quality of the food let the place down.

Great little easy going spot. Great food and drinks

lovely food and lovely atmosphere

I got karaage and edamame for starters, gyu-don and chicken curry for main. It was delicious and karaage was really juicy. I really liked the decoration of the restaurant. Also the staff were lovey. I’ll definitely comeback soon.

The food was lovely and the staff even lovelier. Highly recommend!!

Such a lovely place. Kind service, good prices and great food. Looks amazing also

Japanese food on croissants, what a great combo. Casual cafe vibes, bright colours, fast and friendly service.

I visited the place last week for take away, Coffee was nothing special and the food that is on window display doesn’t make you believe that is appetising, staff was really quiet and cold for a new shop

Went in optimistic, but unfortunately the experience fell a bit flat. The place itself is very cute and comfortable. The staff was cordial and nice, but the food left much to be desired. We ordered the two main curries on the menu, the "signature" beef and the chicken, both with rice and one with the chicken katsu as a topping. The katsu was the saving grace of the dish - wonderfully crispy on the outside and nice and juicy meat within. However, we found both curries to be rather lackluster. Whereas the katsu tasted hot and "fresh," the curries were both already cool on the plate with tough meat chunks within. The rice also felt as though it had been left on a counter for quite some time as opposed to from a "keep warm" cooker or fresh from a pot. For the ~£11 price of each curry, it felt like we were served leftovers instead of prepared dishes (that's not including the extra £3 for the katsu). For half that price, perhaps it may have been worth it, but this one felt a bit bad. Take this review with a grain of salt, however, as we both previously lived in Japan and may have terribly high preconceived notions of cozy Japanese curry from the motherland that soured this visit. It may have also been a one time fluke.

A hiden gem (see what I did there) I've been twice now. Great food, great service.

I very much enjoyed my beef lunch dish. Recommended!

Very cozy place with amazing food and tea

it’s a very nice place with delicious curry

A Decent Curry Adventure at Hiden: Hiden Japanese Curry offered a unique experience, but ultimately it landed squarely in the "average" zone for me. The curry sauce itself was decent, with a good depth of flavor, but it lacked the wow factor I expect from a dedicated curry place. Additionally, there's no option to choose your spice level, which might irk spice aficionados like myself. However, Hiden does have some interesting things going on! Their star attraction is the Croissando, a croissant-dough bun generously filled with savory curry. It's a textural and flavor play that I surprisingly enjoyed. They also don't offer the typical Japanese Shichimi Togarashi spice blend, instead substituting with chilli flakes if you crave extra heat. While not quite the same, it did work to kick things up a notch. If you're looking for a casual spot with some quirky menu items and a decent curry fix, Hiden is worth a try. Just be prepared for a more mild experience and a slightly different take on Japanese curry. Tips: Nearest tube station: Finsbury Park (7-minute walk) Here are some of the bus routes that go through Stroud Green Road: Northbound: 210, 4, 29, 19, 106, 259 Southbound: 210, 4, 29, 19, 106 The nearest bus stop to Stroud Green Road is on the corner of Crouch Hill Road and Stroud Green Road. This stop is served by the 4, 19, 29, 106, and 259 buses. Street parking is good in the evenings, but limited during the day. Overall, Hiden is a solid but not spectacular option for Japanese curry fans. The unique offerings like the Croissando add a twist, but the lack of spice control and standard curry elements hold it back from pushing into the "must-try" category.

Good katsu chicken, I'll come back and try something else.

Great food and really nice staff. They really need to sort out heating though.

Simplicity at its best could describe this place. Do not have expect fancy presentations or a roller-coaster of flavours. This places offer chicken in a variety of versions. We went for a couple of their signature dishes and they were good but it won't blow your mind. As I said, it is simple but it just works fine. Possibly a place for a quick meal not too expensive but tasty at the same time. Service was fine, we went with a very tiny pram and we asked what the best place would be to seat and not create trouble and we were told anywhere with a bit of a passive attitude, like the person couldn't care less. Overall good, but I would try other places around the area before coming back.

The chicken katsu is delicious but please don’t get the katsudon if you’re expecting the traditional version that comes with egg and sauce. Over here, it’s just a piece of katsu on rice with barely any sauce.. we had to order a side of curry (which costs £8 for a small bowl) because the combination was so dry..

Great space and food. Very friendly too.

Everything from the coffee to the pastry, the curry and selection of matcha based cakes is excellent. The child friendly atmosphere meant that the whole family had a great time. The curry and cheese croissando blew my mind in a really good way. This is truly a ‘hiden’ gem!!

I've been a few times now and it's always a pleasure. Delicious curries and other rice bowls (today I tried the gyudon, which featured a generous portion of beef), and it's hard to leave without a matcha dessert or pastry to take away.

I really liked it! It's all about fried chicken in different ways. The portions are good and the croissando (croissant with chicken inside and tartar sauce) was huge and delicious! Recommended!

Really great new place on Stroud Green, lovely staff and comfort food galore. VG and GF options, too which are great. Had the cheesy curry croissant which was frankly outrageous!

Really enjoyed this mash of Japanese Katsu and French pastries. It’s indulgent and delicious. Also love that they sell the S&B curry powder tins, industrial-sized Kikkoman bottles, their Batch 26 coffee beans alongside their unique tableware.

Delicious curry! Service somewhat slow, but understandable given they opened recently. Would go back!

Such a cool new place in Finsbury park, tried the katsu but will go back for the coffee.

Nice food, nice staff, defo c ome

Awesome katsu-don. Delicate, crispy with delicious sauce. Great service, super fast. Love this place.

The katsu chicken was very juicy and crispy. It’s a small menu done well, no frills.

Pretty disappointing, the cafe itself is very cool and the service is great. The curry looks very unappealing and there just isn't that much to it.