Oldroyd in Islington

Place is funky and cute. We arrived for the 6 pm service (out by 7:30).Basically, service poor and rushed, food lukewarm and uneven in qualityAs recommended by waitstaff, we ordered 4 dishes - we chose the grilled calcots, roasted jerusalem artichokes, sprouting broccoli and skrei cod.Food very uneven and mostly not at appropriate temperature (i.e. lukewarm). Cod was treated with respect but the "cipollini onions" seemed awfully similar to pickled onions from Waitrose. Also the coldness of the onions was jarring with the warmish fish. And that was the best of the lot. I liked the calcots themselves but the salsa romesco was tasteless and the "toasted" almonds were pretty pale for being toasted (rushed to the table?).Roasted artichokes were unexceptional. Partner liked the broccoli but I found it overcooked and limp.So this was a disappointment - menu sounds fun but ... just didn't deliver.To the service - we are very accustomed to the need to keep tables moving in small restaurants and are always respectful. However, you don't expect to be told 30 minutes in advance .... time to move along and be repeatedly told to move it despite saying - yes don't worry, we'll be done. So we felt very rushed and this was also an issue with most of the dishes arriving with no sense of timing - too much on the (small) table at once (which added to the temperature issues).Waitstaff seemed in some sort of alternative universe, floating around other than dropping dishes off and reminding us it was time to leave. Has potential but suspect the chef/owner needs to re-evaluate timing / quality of dishes and provide some training to staff on their engagement with customers.

A charming restaurant - very small but characterful. Tables close together but it was fine. The food itself is delicious - small and large plates. I would recommend ordering 3 small plates and two large (or just all small plates as they were particularly delicious). Best was the mushroom croquettes, the smoked cauliflower and the ricotta. Delicious and the accompanying sauces were excellent. I love truffle oil.Wine list is ok but not brilliant but it is a small restaurant.Only criticism was that the service was too good! We arrived at 7.30. Our first dish arrived about 6 minutes after we had ordered and the rest came in short order thereafter. There was no tempo to the meal. It's nice to have breaks. As it was, we were out by 8.30, which was a shame. Our fault perhaps - maybe you're supposed to order a little food and then some more later on, plus we had an early table and I guess the chefs just want to get the orders out and be ready for the busy period. Either way, though, it was a short evening! But I'll definitely go back.

Cosy restaurant, interesting and different style of menu. Very well looked after by the friendly staff. Wine a little pricey but overall to be recommended

Comida razonable, pero muy caro en general. Nos fuimos decepcionados.Viernes por la noche, pequeño restaurante lleno. La selección de comida estaba bien. La comida estaba bien, ¡nada que realmente nos haya dejado boquiabiertos! Servicio bastante bueno. El costo total es el mismo que el de Tredwells, pero no obtuvimos la misma experiencia y se sintió más como un café que como una experiencia gastronómica. . No recomendaríamos ni volveríamos a ir tristemente.

Mi hija y yo tuvimos un almuerzo maravilloso. ¡Compartimos algunas papas crujientes con alioli para comenzar y fueron las mejores papas! Crujiente por fuera y esponjoso por dentro con un alioli muy ajo. Mi hija tenía malfatti spincach con trompeta de mort para su plato principal, que dijo que estaba muy bien cocinada y que tenía caballa en una cama de berros marchitos. La caballa estaba tierna con una piel crujiente y estaba deliciosa. Compartimos un poco de queso morbier para budín, que venía con uvas, chutney y pan tostado. Teníamos una copa de prosecco con nuestros entrantes y una jarra de rojo con nuestros platos principales. Este es un gran lugar para almorzar ya que todos los platos principales son solo 10 cada uno, lo cual es una ganga ya que los productos son excelentes y la cocina es de primera categoría. También hacen lunes sin carne. El servicio es encantador y nos atendieron muy bien Francesca y Ollie. Este es mi restaurante local favorito y es una verdadera joya.

... So said my husband as we walked out of the restaurant and I have been inclined to agree. We booked a table for lunch at the last minute on a quiet Sunday. We were delighted they had space and had expected it to be snug.the server was very pleasant and explain the menu although I still found it puzzling... A section for small plates, one section of 3 larger plates (meat, fish, veg), and a section of sides. from this I took that you could order a couple of small plates or a main with the side but the server then explained we should order 4 to 5 from across all three sections. we found it a bit baffling but decided to order one main and 3 small plates which actually was very nice and a good mixture. there was an aubergine dish which was the hit for me, with really intense flavours and a certain delicacy. The smoked haddock cricketers had a lovely texture and light batter but tasted not much of haddock, smoked or otherwise. The squid ink aioli was good and dramatic but surprisingly subtle on flavour. we had to look up what malfatti was as the description was not forthcoming but it turns out they are spinach and ricotta balls and they were yummy. The hispi cabbage dish was nice but we couldn't really taste the cabbage although all of the other elements where delicious. I thought it was a bit cheeky that they gave us sourdough bread with anchovy butter without us ordering or asking for it and charging £3.50 but it was nice bread (though I always appreciate when bread is warmed and couldn't they offer something that didn't have anchovies in it or ask if we ate fish?) No one asked how the meal was at the end. But everyone working there was very smiley so I guess we didn't care...!the drinks list is really good: nice variety of wine by the glass carafe or bottle and some interesting looking cocktails and teas, and reasonable prices. the server suggested we could try a couple of wines before choosing a career which was really helpful.so the welcome was warm and friendly but the service a bit lacking. The food was pretty and interesting though somehow forgettable and very subtle flavours. The drinks are good as is the location. if you are anticipating not being able to fit between the tables and sitting elbow to elbow with lots of other people it's fine, just manage your expectations and the atmosphere is charming.A bit up and down but a nice meal and had the feel of something a little bit different. Would recommend but not necessarily revisit.

Such a shame because apart from a rather bland fish main course the other dishes were excellent. The place is very small so table are VERY close together, you hear everyones conversation..tricky at this time..politically.. anyhow apart from that my wife sat with her back to a window with a very cold draught. We lowered the blind but it stopped 6 inches short of the bottom of the window..in the end we piled some coats u[ and she wore a scarf throughout dinner. Our meal arrived sequentially, her starter arrived as I finished mine and almost the same with main courses, we were told the kitchen was very busy. They emailed to ask about our experience, I told them the above, they said Oh the building is old and we moved you as soon as another table was available. And our dishes are made for sharing and arrive when they are ready. the building is old but does that stop you buying a blind that fits or even a bit of draught excluder? We were moved but by that time were ready for coffee, and nowhere on the website does it say sharing dishes and we were not told on the evening. Seems to me that is a cop out for a kitchen that cannot cope. Bear in mind this was not a cheap meal, just leaves a slightly bad taste, real talent there but not enough customer care.

Come prepared to share dishes and savour excellent food. This tiny restaurant serves up some of the best and most interesting food in N1

A cosy restaurant, with excellent service - solicitous and attentive - inventive and tasty food, cocktails and wine list. The food came swiftly and was beautiful. Great place.

This was the fourth time I had been to this restaurant and previously it had been excellent.It has a lively buzzing atmosphere and the service is good.Last week however, the food was disappointing. Incredibly small portions at vastly inflated prices. The mussel starter contained four very shrivelled mussels and the walnut tart , although delicious, looked as though one portion had been divided int 4 pieces....maybe it was the last piece and that was what they did but it certainly wasn’t reflected in the price.It wasn’t a patch on any of my previous visits and the guests we brought with us were unimpressed and hungry at the end

I had the good fortune to be taken to dinner at Oldroyd last week. Absolutely delightful..mini-kitchen produces wonderful food (among the many treats, the most succulent monkfish I've ever eaten), the impressive manager kept things moving in both their cozy spaces (upstairs and down) and our waiter was simply one of the most charming (and efficient) guys any dinner could wish. A true jewel in the Angel's crown.

Not one dish would make me return . No outstanding flavours , portion size ridiculously small and food not cooked well . I would not recommend this restaurant in any way whatsoever.

I often take friends here for their excellent value £10 lunch. I decided to bring my friend here for her first time. She ordered sardines and she said that they were delicious and perfectly cooked. I ordered bavette but sadly, it was a bit cold, so I sent it back. Our waiter was apologetic and he gave me another glass of wine on the house as I had almost finished mine by the time my freshly cooked steak had arrived.The steak was cooked with care and the accompanying chard was lovely. The restaurant was busy and he was managing the service alone and he coped really well. We had almost finished our meal when a group of very rude, obnoxious people were seated near to us. They demanded that they wanted to order whatever they chose as they didn't like the small lunch selection on offer. and expected the chef to accommodate them. The waiter tried to explain that this might not be possible and they verbally attacked him for his poor attitude. He remained calm and friendly throughout this exchange and said he would have a chat with the chef. I was so impressed by the way he dealt with these awful people. It was a lovely meal, despite this. When our bill came, he said that he hadn't charged us for service as he didn't feel it was right as my steak had been served cold.

We found this nice little place in angel good food and a good service as well,The croquetas.I will be back

Excellent food in an intimate setting, perfect for a romantic date. The place is on the pricier side but serves well for a celebration or a special even between a small group of people. The place is super small so it's necessary to book a table beforehand.

This is a really nice, small friendly, feel at home restaurant of Angel’s high street! Quite a good find, the staff are very accommodating and helpful, and the food is really nice. Prices are fairly reasonable too.

Our first impressions were very good: staff were friendly and welcoming and the restaurant is tiny but beautifully decorated. As is the current trend, all plates are for sharing and come when ready. They recommended five. We ordered the suggested five plus some bread to start.

Absolutely fantastic! Delicious food. Delight staff. Great place to sit and watch the Angel go by. Recommend very highly.

Very average overpriced food, we were told to order 4/5 dishes. The menu consisted predominantly of vegetarian options - out of these we got baby gem, beetroot and corn. Whilst they didn’t taste awful they were not anything special and for what was being served they were very expensive. We left restaurant hungry and sulky. Service was fine.

My understanding is that Oldroyd is a north London legend. If you know, you know. It's on Upper Street (Angel end), but I've probably walked past this joint a gazillion times and thought nothing of it.

I have been here several times before and it is still as good as ever. There is no longer a set 2/3 course menu but just a choice of 4 main dishes at £10 each plus a few side dishes and 1 pudding. I had pasta with clams and the clams were sweet and plump and my friend had her favourite malfatti. I was treating her as it was her birthday and she has a sweet tooth, so was happy to order the chocolate dessert but I don't like sweet things, so asked our waiter Ziyao if it would be possible to have a piece of cheese. He went to ask and came back to say that cheese is only available for dinner. My friend said that she didn't want to eat without me, so I asked Ziyao if he would check again, as if the cheese is on the premises, surely I could buy a portion. I was very pleased when he returned to say that I could have some goat's cheese with toast and grapes. He really went out of his way to help me. The manager came over and said that they are always happy to try to accommodate customer's needs but that they have streamlined the lunch menu. My point to her was that not everyone likes desserts, so there should always be a cheese option and if no one orders it, there is no waste as it can be served at dinner. Everything perfect apart from that, which is why I knocked a point off the rating. It is still a fabulous place to eat and the ingredients are prepared with care.

Tuvimos una pequeña reunión con amigos que viajaban a Londres. Teníamos un amigo local que recomendó este lugar. Bastante delicioso. Teníamos un buen asiento junto a la ventana con vistas a la calle Upper Street. La comida era excelente, aunque el servicio era un poco lento en la 1 F.

¡Qué lujo que un restaurante tan pequeño pueda dar un golpe tan impresionante! Muy buena comida, preparada con amor y orgullo. El menú es ecléctico con algo para todos. Pequeños y grandes bocados para carnívoros y verduras. El linguini de almeja era delicioso y mi vientre de cerdo de socios era perfecto. Él es un hombre codicioso y estaba agradablemente lleno al final. El personal no podía ser más amable o atento (especialmente nuestro camarero, Gabriel) y fue un placer comer allí. El restaurante es muy pequeño pero aún más íntimo. Volveremos.

Really enjoyed the food. Great wine and service too. Chicken liver mousse, asparagus and crab tart all delicious. Will definitely come again.

Pequeño restaurante realmente encantador con un personal muy atento y servicial. Teníamos una mezcla de platos de pescado y verduras, tanto los platos de pescado eran maravillosos y bajaron muy rápidamente.

We went to Oldroyd on a meat free Monday. Very impressed with the choice of dishes and the quality of food. The ingredients were fresh and interesting. The plates are small which makes them very good for sharing and trying different things. The restaurant is quite tiny, so reserving a table is probably a good idea!

Have been meaning to try this place for awhile now and it did not disappoint! The service was excellent, food was yummy and overall atmosphere was very welcoming, especially on a rainy evening.

Two young couples and a pair of elders went for a family dinner and loved every bite. We ordered one of everything on the tapas menu and the portions were very generous. Crab croquettes with squid ink mayo were to die for. It's a tiny place, though, and easy to walk straight past unless you keep a sharp eye out!

Some of the best food I’ve eaten in a long time. Interesting. Small place to share. Delicate and varied. Highly recommended. The lovely friendly service tops it off! ps COLD red wine!! Yum :-)

Oldroyd es un restaurante en la calle Upper Islington de Islington, casi directamente enfrente del Business Design Center, donde la Feria de Arte anual de Londres estaba en pleno apogeo. En la planta baja es un espacio pequeño, principalmente cocina con taburetes alrededor de su borde y en la ventana delantera y unas pocas mesas más allá. Ocupé una mesa para dos frente a una pared que anunciaba "lunes sin carne". No es algo que pueda impresionar a un carnívoro que interpreta "sin carne" como "sin alimentos", como el café "descafeinado" significa "uncoffee". El menú del almuerzo es conciso y consta de tres platos, cada uno con tres opciones y un plato del día que parecía inquietantemente vegetariano. Comencé con un pate de hígado de pollo que era hermosamente suave, servido con chutney, hojas y dos rebanadas de pan tostado. El ala de patinaje era un pescado delicado bien cocinado en un beurre blanc nadando en un lecho de hojas. Pero una parte de las papas nuevas llegó un poco tarde y no me interesaron especialmente los trozos de cebolla que contenían. El espresso era bastante acuoso y, sospecho, no se hace con café espresso adecuado.

an intimate setting with lovely food and wonderful staff make this place very special. Thoroughly recommend a visit if you are near Angel - this place stands out from the usual chains that clutter Upper Street.

Tomado aquí por un amigo, un restaurante muy pequeño, subimos a una habitación acogedora. Comencé con un sabroso salmón tartar, la presentación no es tan atractiva, pero se compensa con el sabor. Plato principal, Skate wing con espinacas y alcaparras, bien presentado, fresco y muy sabroso. El vaso del vino blanco más barato está bien con la comida, pero no lo tomaría solo. En general, muy buena vfm con el 16 para dos cursos, el personal es muy amable, fue una buena experiencia y volvería.

Pleased we got a table here at short notice, it’s small and was pretty busy so we clearly got lucky.

This is such a quaint restaurant, the staff are so welcoming and there's a nice vibe here. The menu looks great, but the every dish we ordered was bland and flavourless which was a real shame. If they sorted that aspect out it'd be perfect.

I was very excited to try this restaurant and we went there for the wedding anniversary.

A nice range of 'small plates' in a tiny, cosy restaurant. Starters particularly tasty. Lovely staff. Slightly on the expensive side, particularly for the simple cocktails.

Tuvimos una comida encantadora aquí para nuestro aniversario recientemente. Hacen platos de gran sabor de diferentes tamaños, lo que permite una comida muy variada y lo alienta a compartir, lo que siempre es bueno. También hay un buen número de platos un poco menos habituales, por ejemplo, probamos los 'Sweetbreads' de cordero por primera vez. Algunos de estos funcionaron bien para nosotros, algunos fueron menos para nuestro gusto, ¡pero eso podría ser simplemente nuestro gusto / disgustos! Hemos estado aquí antes y, una vez más, el servicio fue excelente, muy amable, y el ambiente es muy íntimo dado el pequeño número de asientos. Nuestra única observación es que el costo total de una jarra de vino + 3 platos cada uno y el postre fue de más de 100; claramente es un lugar superior, pero esto se sintió un poco demasiado alto si se compara con lugares similares en los que hemos estado en más lugares del centro de Londres. también. Aún así, vale la pena una visita y nos lo pasamos genial!

Upper Street Islington, donde se encuentra este pequeño restaurante independiente, está lleno de cadenas de comida. Hazte un favor y apoya este lugar. El tartar de salmonetes con bergamota, huevas de trucha y pan crujiente era fresco y mi esposo acaparaba TODO. Compartimos un lomo de cerdo perfectamente cocido con nueces tostadas y col rizada y ciruelas variadas, con un lado muy generoso de un montón de papas asadas con aceite de oliva y ajo confitado. no hay tiempo para pud tristemente, pero volveremos otra vez.

Great food, great service and a really cool and relaxed atmosphere. Strongly recommend. The fish particularly was beautiful.

Last night was my third visit to Oldroyd. And it was great!!!

We were excited to go here, but frankly it was a bit of a disappointment. Based on my meal alone, I would rate it "poor", but my daughter really enjoyed hers. My starter was the pea croquette with truffle mayonnaise - I thought the croquettes them selves were too oily, and the combination between them and the mayonnaise just gave an overall fatty finish - there was too much of the mayonnaise, too - it was the dish featured in the photo, but the proportions were completely different. My daughter's started was the saussicon and coronations, which she really enjoyed, but to me looked just like stuff you could buy in any deli for half the price. And do you know, I can't even remember my main course, which says something, but again she had a pasta dish and enjoyed it. I wouldn't go back (she might)

If you are walking along Upper Street and for 4 paces are distracted, say by your mobile, you will completely miss this tiny restaurant. Indeed the outside is unremarkable looking like a cheap cafe. In the 1st floor dining room 20 covers are squeezed into the space of a small bedroom. You will nervously take hold of your glass of red wine as new diners manoeuvre themselves onto the table next to you. If your conversation lags you can easily and obtrusively listen in to all the personal and medical secrets of the diners on the next table. Staff are efficient and attentive if not overly friendly and you will have a glance of the open kitchen as you negotiate the narrow spiral staircase. The theme is sharing of dishes from the small menu although it is seemingly divided into starters and mains. The Pea and Pancetta Croquetas were pleasant but at £6 for 3 small pieces set the scene for an expensive evening. This starter was accompanied by a very good Negroni cocktail but this had disappeared after 3 small sips (£9). Heirloom Tomato Salad contains 4 - 5 pieces of tomato but the crab was difficult to find and taste (£10.50). The remaining juice was mopped up with a spoon and delicious. Monkfish Tail with apricot and chicken liver sauce was beautifully cooked. Exquisitely cooked and tender Babette Steak was a joy to taste with delicious courgettes. One of the highlights was beautifully roasted corn with a lavender dressing - innovative and a relative bargain at £4. We had room for dessert and recommend the Mirabelle and Frangipane Tart. However the Ice Cream/Sorbet is listed on the menu at £3.50 but a small scoop of each in a single bowl will set you back £7! By the end of the meal we were satisfied but those with a larger appetite may still be hungry. The cost for 2 mains, 4 starters, 2 desserts, 0.5 litre carafe wine and 1 cocktail was a not insignificant £118 including service. This restaurant has legitimate aspirations but needs to improve ambiance and a somewhat grubby looking interior.

The Oldroyd restaurant in Islington is a really welcoming restaurant on two floors.

Tiny restaurant located next to Islington Green. Small eating area outside , a few downstairs and 20 covers upstairs. Small space means small tables and a VERY cosy atmosphere so not for the discrete tete a tete. Menu is limited by design and unusual. Portions are small and nibbles and starters especially so for the price but it was all tasty as we tried one of everything between 4 of us! main courses were limited and you need to think hard about what sides you may want - no standard sides on this menu. Overall a good experience and different but priced to reflect the trendy nature and location. Worth a try but lots of good competition close by.

We had a late lunch with friends at Oldroyd’s “Meatless Monday”.

It might be hard to find this place as it is so small and easy to pass by , but if you manage to find it you will definitely enjoy it! Food was great , portions was on point to make us feel full enough , but not to overeat. Waitress was friendly and helpful with a menu . Place is not spacious , but gives cosiness to a place and does not become very noisy , which is a plus! Will definitely return soon!

Outstanding and inventive food as well as great service. The table outside can be very noisy as right on London thru way and inside can be very hot. Still worth it as the food is outstanding and the small portions " tapas" style make it fun to share. Reservations a must as small place.

I visited Oldroyd in June. It was a Monday, the restaurant has “meatless Monday”. It was excellent. We shared a selection of sharing dishes, all we full of flavor and a joy to look at. I highly recommend a visit if you are in the area, heck make the effort to go and eat there, it is worth it. The service was very attentive but not over done. I will definitely be going again. Well done Oldroyd.

Mi hermano y yo cenamos aquí anoche y fue magnífico. Excelente servicio, comida deliciosa y de inspiración. Es pequeño pero eso le da un ambiente acogedor, y el hecho de que no muchas personas significa asiento cada plato está hecho con cuidado y atención, y no que ya mencionamos. Usted puede ver los chefs en la cocina de abajo y parece que los artistas en el trabajo! Este es mi lugar favorito. Recomiendo encarecidamente!

By far the best in the neighbourhood. Excellent food, very tasty dishes well presented. Service smooth and not too intrusive and good value for money.

Very small and uncomfortable. Bathroom is like stepping into a cupboard. Poor service. Food fresh but extremely bland and portion size is ridiculously small. Left still hungry after two courses

Visited for a quick ish , casual lunch.

Everything about Oldroyd is small, stylish and well made. The space is definitely not one for claustrophobes - wherever you’re put, you’ll be very close to your neighbours. However, the quality of the food and combination of flavours is worth it. Everything was well presented and executed, with the only gripe being a delay of a side of potatoes ordered with the fish. The staff were attentive and professional. The desserts also scored points with me, as even with the tiny, ever changing menu, they had a gluten free option as well as their ice creams and sorbets (a chococolate mousse encrusted with toasted hazelnuts and fresh strawberries). Highly recommend this place for a meal out that’s indulgent in price and flavour, but light on the palate

We went there for dinner after reading reviews and we were not disappointed. The seasonal menu offers an amazing food experience. Yes, portions are relatively small and the place is quite tight ...but the flavour/texture/composition and the quality of the food ...rewards everything. We will definitely come back, so please keep the chocolate mousse in your card ...forever!

Vinimos aquí para el almuerzo el domingo y, para ser honesto, pasado, ya que parecía oscuro y cerrado. Así que me alegro de que tenía otra mirada. Nos llevaron arriba y menús dado. Pedimos unos cócteles y ordenados. Tales pequeños platos de delicias! Absolutamente deliciosa, muy bien presentada y es simplemente precioso. Tuvimos la croquetas (magnífico); Gnocchi (Wow - y normalmente odio gnocchi) Malfatti (delicioso); Rape (no estaba tan interesado en eso, pero mi amigo comentado); Patatas y compartimos mousse de chocolate. Con 4 bebidas de la factura era de £95 incluyendo el servicio. El personal es encantador, muy amable y me explicó el menú. Si yo estaba siendo quisquilloso, pediría que se aseguraron de que sus camisetas/tops estaban limpios, pero todos hemos tenido días malos armario. Sin duda, volveré

Oldroyd never disappoints. Excellent food and very friendly service in a small, cosy dining area. Do visit for a lovely meal.

Nos fuimos a cenar allí. Me dieron la opción vegetariana, mi compañero el cordero y nuestro amigo el rape. Cuando el cordero llegó parecía mal cocida y después de la degustación que nos impresionó cómo pobre la calidad de la carne era.

Un menú de temporada y un poco espacios coincida con el chef y diminuta en la cual todos los clientes existen. Es sólo una pequeña tienda en un lado del Ángel, pero delicioso ambiente y personal. El producto es muy bueno, y hay una cantidad completamente adecuada en el plato, lo que ayuda a mantener un precio muy razonable. Fue una agradable noche de nuestro grupo. No esperes a caminar, pero preguntar/previamente concertados incluso como un par en un grupo.

It's a tiny little place but feels cosy and warm. Fantastic service with a charming waiter who gave us limited time but made up for it by getting the food out pronto and gave us the MOST delicious cod croquettes I've ever had. Sweetbreads were insane good, main pork a little less so but overall extremely good. Will be back.

Staying in Islington for long weekend in London. Saw Oldroyd's mentioned on various sites and intrigued by menu - we were not disappointed. Yes, the dining area is small but adds to the intimate atmosphere. Food was excellent and good vaue, blood orange salad, oxtail and spinach/ricotta mains. Very well looked after by staff particularly Joe? Bailey.

Gran restaurante, si no un poco estrecho espacio, que era, para ser justos, lo que se espera. Probablemente uno de los pocos lugares que bajo - recomienda en la cantidad de comida. Estábamos un poco de hambre después los campos que teníamos. Dicho esto, la comida era excelente, el servicio era estupendo y disfrutamos mucho. Lo recomiendo, muy cerca de excelentes :-)

It's small, occasionally you may have to wait for the odd dish but 'possibly'the best place to share a meal in Islington. Worth a detour

We'd heard good things about this tiny dark green restaurant in Islington but left slightly underwhelmed. The food is perfectly OK but lacks oomph. A main of malfatti (fried balls of spinach and ricotta) needed another ingredient (anchovies?) to lift it. And a pud of pear and almond tart was too cakey and not nearly peary enough. Rillettes of rabbit, on the other hand, was excellent. Drinking sparkling water, and with service, we paid about £25 a head, which seemed OK. Service was excellent. Maybe we hit a dull patch, but I'm not sure I'd return.

A group of us had lunch on Wednesday. What struck me from entering, was how small this restaurant is. We were seated on a table upstairs and ordered from the set menu. I ordered the salt Hake starter followed by the rump of lamb and...

I've wanted to go for ages so I was delighted that the boss chose it for our team Christmas dinner. I had heard and read such good things that my expectations were perhaps dangerously high - but I can happily say it did not disappoint one bit.

Lovely little place in Islington - we enjoyed a three course Christmas meal (mixture of meat/vegetarian/vegan options), all of which were full of wonderful flavours. It was refreshing to try new dishes and cocktails. The staff were lovely although the service could be improved - some drinks were forgotten, however complementary drinks were offered instead which was a nice touch. Will definitely recommend and come again.

We enjoyed a meal here and the only criticism is that the service was erratic. The food was good but we didn't get our starters at the same time and we had to remind the staff several times.

Platos deliciosos, llenos de sabor y atractivamente servido. La lista de cócteles agradable. El servicio de camarero de arriba era muy buena. A un precio muy razonable.

I went here with my friend as I had a dining voucher that was gifted to me and Oldroyd did no wrong. The squid ink risotto and also the mackeral were the star dishes for me. They had a nice little cocktail selection which I enjoyed. The service was friendly and the vibe was very cosy. It would make a lovely date restaurant.

A really outstanding small restaurant in Islington opposite the design museum. Excellent choice of tapas-like dishes, with good service and staff.

I had a lovely meal, the Onglet steak and fried courgette chips. Beautifully tender, very tasty.Only downer was being asked to sit on a stool when tables were left empty; It really wasn’t very comfortable and I’d understand if at 6pm it had been busy but it wasn’t busy downstairs on a Monday night.Still i’d definitely go again as it was very good value.

My wife son and daughter in law had dinner here last Saturday night and can say without any hesitation this was the best meal we had during our stay in London .My compliments to the chef who has the hands of an angel with serious flavours throughout every dish while trying not to be over fussy with the presentation .All of our dishes were for sharing with no disappointments from start to finish. Front of house was handled by Fabrizio who made the evening even more special .Has a real comfortable connected way with people and cannot thank him enough for how our evening went .Would have no hesitation recommending this restaurant.David

Wandered in on way back to the tube. Nice find. Tasty little share plates. We ended up with 3 mushroom croquette plates they were so yum! Would go again.

We visited Oldroyd yesterday for casual dinner after work. I love how small and intimate it is, loooove the round brass lambs hanging from the ceiling and the greenery in the clay vases. Now for the food, we had the yummy croquettes with truffle mayo which we thoroughly enjoyed and we really loved the spinach dish too (Can't remember the full name). I also went mad for the tiramisu! The menu changes frequently so no need to describe all the dishes, however, overall it was a great experience and I will definitely go back

Went for the set lunch and it was really perfect. Quiet unfussy environment, great service, really special food.

Oldroyd is a very small but lovely tapas restaurant, I celebrated my birthday there at the weekend and had a great time. The staff were amazing and made a real fuss of us, the food was delicious, we had a selection of most of what was on the menu and enjoyed it all. We had the house wine, which was also very drinkable, and a selection of deserts which we enjoyed very much. I would definitely go back for the service alone.

We had a wonderful supper here where we tasted everything on the menu between 4 of us. It's a tiny and casual place but the food and service were really wonderful. Would highly recommend!

Very much enjoyed this little place ( and please note is very compact!) . Italian style tapas/ anti pasti . Garlic prawns , rabbit risotto and spinach and ricotta pasta all excellent as was the French Pinot Noir . They were short of waiting staff but made every effort to keep up and most things arrived on time .

We visited Oldroyd for dinner and was surprised how small on entry the chefs area was, but we were pleasantly surprised by the sheer quality of not only the food but the talent of the chefs. Starters were pea & pork belly croquetas, truffle mayonnaise  £6  with excellent spinach & ricotta malfatti, summer truffle & berkswell  £12.5, served with a bottle of lovely Casano Terre Siciliane Grillo white although a little overpriced @ £25, very nice .Mains were the succulent rabbit leg arrabbiata, borlotti beans, rainbow chard & smoked anchovies  £16, and the top draw was the Hake totally amazing, the best fish dish ive had in a very long time £17.50, total bill inc service charge £96.00, well worth a visit to this unassuming and vibrant upstairs eatery.

Small, but cozy and with excellent style,beautiful blue walls and designed lights, the Oldroyd is a pleasure. Smiley, friendy and professional staff, for an excellent cuisine of small "tapas style" starters, and then dishes which mix in interesting and creative flavours.As I said, a pleasure, and at a very honest price.

Great little find having been recommended Oldroyd by a friend. Travelled from.deepest darkest south London - not short of decent restaurants itself these days. Oldroyd was well worth the northern line journey. Absolutely stunning food without any pretension. This place truly nailed the French/Italian food we had. Great food, great service, we will be back!

I loved the food here, lovely combinations, and nice to mix it up a bit...lots of different plates which we shared between friends. The tables were a bit tight probably but didn't detract from the experience,,,,I liked the ambience. cool place to hang out..

The food at Oldroyd is original and extremely good. Their menu changes regularly, constantly offering new and exciting dishes that are perfect for sharing. The service is extremely friendly, efficient and knowledgable about the food they are serving. The restaurant is very small and it definitely feels like it however this is made up for by the food.

This restaurant gets very good reviews on all platforms. I'm not sure why. After several visits, we've found the food, at best, to be ordinary. Some of it works, some not. Service is sometimes excellent, sometimes not. Others complain about tables being close together, which they are -- not particularly a problem for us.

Great staff, atmosphere and venue but, wow, the food was a real let-down. It's a small plates venue (this is not clear at all from the menu online) and some of these really are small but it's the dishes themselves that really let this place down. Small plates should be packed with interest, flavour and originality and what we actually got was pretty standard, fairly bland and uninteresting food which in no way matched the menu's descriptions. This restaurant needs to amp up its offering to keep up with competitors as it will not have repeat business otherwise. We essentially had a dinner of tiny portions of boring and everyday food with no flavour impact or originality. Very disappointed overall and a whopping bill to finish it off.And we left hungry.

I had a lunch here today. Don't trust the restaurant outlook as the food quality was so spectacular. Highly recommend and will definitely come again next time.

This place does what I would maybe describe as European (not necessarily Spanish) tapas, so a lot of small dishes. Everything I had there was pretty tasty. The only downside is that the place is tiny, so you're pretty closely packed to the people next to you, although at least the last time I went it was not a communal table, per se. Because of the closeness, it might be a tad noisy at times, but a nice place with good food to go with a date, particularly since you pretty much share a bunch of small dishes.

From the moment I walked in with my daughter and her boyfriend I got the very definite feeling this would be an evening to remember. It was my birthday and as soon as we made ourselves known, we were handed three glasses of bubbley and totally engaged by the warm, friendly staff who were keen to chat and share a laugh. It's a small menu for what is a very small eaterie. But every dish counts. The three of us had a tasting mix of various starters and mains and not one failed to hit the 'excite' button. Great food in a special, intimate atmosphere. Just go!

This was our 2nd visit- this time with friends. The food is amazing and excellent value. I was in food heaven with the croquettes, chilli spinach and lemon tart with rhubarb. We were so lucky to just drop in and get a table without booking. The staff are amazing- so helpful and always pleasant. Cannot recommend this enough

This is the second time i've been here - first time was near the opening. It was quite good back them. The menu changes (daily according to the website) and the prices have been bumped up 50p - £2. A dish jumping from £7 to £9 could be a lot for some. Based on this evening's experience, I don't plan on returning. There are very mix reviews this year. The reason is, it's a hit or miss. You either have a great menu where most items are great or a bad one where a quarter of the items are total rip offs. The bad ones are hard to tell because it's disguised behind cryptic descriptions. For example: cornish seaweed & cider saucisson, cornichons £5.5 - Reality it's small slices of salami and a few baby gherkins in a bowl If you do get invited ie volun-told to go - Rule of thumb is to order a desert - it's great, can't lose on that. The rest is broken up into three sections: top being the smallest plates and the bottom being the largest - order 1 medium and 1 large item and you're set. Avoid the smaller ones. It has a higher chance for disappointment. Management do not appear to review the bad reviews, yet. Tip: If you're wearing a skirt be the last person to walk up the spiral staircase.

Lunch with a friend today was a pleasure here, although access to the main floor by a rickety spiral staircase is not for the elderly or infirm. As everyone has s aid the space is very small, but really nicely decorated.The portions are ok, but not hearty by any means and the starter is really wee. It was cod's roe with radishes, really delicious, but should be served with a slice of toast or pitta as a minimum. (I live in France and Italy, and I tear my hair out in the UK about the habit of charging 3.50 for bread and fancy butter. I cannot eat much bread and would just ave liked a single piece with a meal that was crying out for some.The main pasta was absolutely perfect, giant balls of spinach flavoured with nutmeg enclosed in fine pasta with some broad beans and a light creamy sauce with broad beans. It's the sort of dish I could eat regularly. My house red by the glass was very nice and fruity. My friend had saddle of lamb on roasted carrots and loved it, but said it was a bit fatty. The cuisson looked perfect to me, slightly pink.

Wasn't put off by recent negative reviews, sounded very picky - and judging by my own experience today, they are ! Admittedly most of the downstairs space is cramped, but friendly waiter gave us the only double size table (set for two) without a quibble. Wine by the glass is not over-generous, but when I spilt mine half-finished, they immediately refilled it to the top without charge.Recommend anchovy butter with sourdough as many do here, but also anchovies with blood orange as a starter, my partner's cod roe was too dominated by fresh radishes, very good but not quite what was expected.For mains, both were excellent, the spinach and ricotta filled balls with butter sauce and the bacalao potato with semaphore ( I think )They were out of the dark chocolate with not-so appealing prune, but to our delight, replaced with a milk chocolate mousse with really great roasted pistachios.Did visit upstairs for bathroom and with half a dozen tables taken was very noisy, so I'd recommend this restaurant for a late unrushed, midweek lunch, downstairs, three courses for £19, very good value.

This looks lovely on its website and has some great reviews, so I arranged to meet my best friend Vicky here on Saturday for a long-overdue catchup lunch. I was overall a bit disappointed. More shabby than chic, with stained fabrics on the seating, tired-looking painted walls and nondescript "brown" furniture that needed either a jolly good polish or a quick coat of chalk paint to liven it up and give the place some character. It has a vertiginous narrow spiral staircase up to the first floor with curtain rings all along the banister which slid about a bit disconcertingly as I was clutching hold of the banister - warning, wear high heels at your peril! The service was quick and very charming with a lovely waitress, who explained the menu twice but I still didn't quite 'get' what I was supposed to be doing, and she had to explain it a third time and even then I was a bit stumped. The food that other people had looked very nice, sadly it wasn't what I had to eat (though the lemon posset pudding was really delicious and had a gorgeous shortbread biscuit with it). The idea was to have lots of sharing plates but I can't say any of them filled me with joy - we had something described as cornish seaweed & cider saucisson with cornichons but honestly, it just was a teeny amount of some salami and a few gherkins chopped up in a bowl - not impressed. Some sort of croquettes with a sauce, some bread and anchovy butter, then a swordfish thing and something that was basically spring onions. The menu I looked at before going had some scrummy looking things on but none of these seemed to appear on the menu we had in front of us. The only thing I really fancied was a duck dish but that wasn't ready, apparently. I can't exactly fault the place, and what I ate was nice enough, but I wasn't blown away. My restaurant test is could I make a better version of what I ate at home (and I'm only a basic and fairly lazy home cook - not a foodie at all). Sadly on this occasion, I think I could. The pud and the lovely waitress rescued it, and for the sake of being kind I would say perhaps it was an off-day - we all have them!

At Oldroyd lower your expectations.This is a popular place, small and always fully booked, I have no idea why. The food was very very very very very very.... disappointing. The cuisine was of a standard you'd expect at a domestic dinner party. Amateur, lacking any skill or creativity.Value for money? NOWe had dinner here after lunching at the Ledbury, The Ledbury was 3x more expensive but hundreds of times better quality.Don't waste your money in this little holeOh... and to disagree with what others have writtenOldroyd is not "cosy" it is cramped

I was between giving Oldroyd a 3 and a 4. I chose 4 because most of our dishes were very tasty, the service was pleasant and clearly they are making an effort. We had: Veal meatballs- flavorful and very big portion, but tasted like something I could make at homeSpecial- peas with pea shoots - very delicate and the cheese on it was very interestingSquid Ink pasta: I thought it was very tasty, also very spicy, but I missed some real chunks of seafoodSpinach and Ricotta Malfatti: Balls of deliciousness, rich, cheesy and butteryDessert: Fruit tart- quite niceIt's a tiny restaurant which some people may not like, but I thought is was cozy and romantic.I would return if I were in the area assuming the menu changes regularly.

I'd looked forward to trying this restaurant after reading a promising review soon after it opened. I was up for it and hopes were high. The reality though was a progressive flow of under-delivery. The special of smoked roe was served with radishes.. a harsh rather than subtle paste being the mainstay of the dish. The haddock croquetas were like fish cakes stuffed with an overly thick bechamel. The best dish was comprised of charred calcots with a romesco sauce. The main of squid ink tagliatelle with crab comprised a small plate of broken pieces of thin tagliatelle swimming in a thickened bisque that overwhelmed any crab. The wine was off key. A poor Sicilian grillo casano, a thin muscadet, and a bland Pinot. There may be some explanation to be had in as much as this was a Sunday evening reservation and maybe the chef was away. A rushed sense to the evening though.... out within 50 minutes with a £60 bill for the effort. Shame!!

Excellent , freshly made inventive food. My lamb rump was generous with the very well prepared ( pink) meat, but small underpinnings of vegI found the quince ice tea just way too subtle, and small glass, but good that they try something differentGreat value 3 course lunch, with friendly service, but tiny seating areas

Just enjoyed a good dinner at Oldroyd in Islington - despite walking past the unassuming place twice. Small - bijou might be a word for it - and sitting downstairs means you can hear the chef ensuring his commis is keeping up with the orders, something I liked. Good duck rillettes and excellent calçots. Nice service. Would come back.

Scoperto questo posticino grazie a un'amica. Un ristorantino davvero carino. Tanti piatti fra cui scegliere. Molti da condividere. Abbiamo preso un po' di tutto. I gnocchi (da italiana) non erano eccellenti, ma i piatti di pesce invece erano davvero molto buoni.Buona carta dei vini.Personale GENTILISSIMO

Went here on spec for an evening meal. The menu made it look like it offered starters and main courses when in fact all the dishes are small plates, tapas style and size. After a shared starter I was expecting my shellfish pasta dish [at £14] to be a normal size, but it arrived side plate sized. This wouldn't have been so bad if it had tasted of something. My partner's hake with sprout tops was delicious and well executed. We ordered a side dish of fennel and celeriac which was very tasty. It was a cold February night and our table was pretty draughty - I had to put my coat back on as we were near the main door, although they try to subdue the draught with door curtains.