Ottolenghi - Islington in Islington

This is my favorite restaurant. I have never been disappointed. The food is creative and delicious, andthe service is impeccable.

Service was good but the food very disappointing. My cauliflower starter was very average and the squid main course was served only just warm, overly salted and to much chilli making it uneatable. I did complain and the staff were apologetic but I came here to eat something nice and I was disappointed. I will not return.

Staff were friendly and very attentive, the sea bass and the hibiscus kombucha delicious. The focus is on simplicity, both in terms of décor, and also the menu (apart from the extensive wine list). Not least, it is a place for conversation, and free of the loud music which plagues many restaurants.

Do not be tricked! Not much more than a tourist trap- with rip off prices and hostile service to match. Seated just yards away from a deli counter serving cold salads (that have no doubt been sitting out for hours) for £3.30 per 100g, you’ll be served the exact same salad for two or three times the price with your meal. The 2-3 small plates per person coming in at £15-20 each (including the aforementioned deli counter salad) means you are paying high end restaurant prices here (£45-60 per person for food alone!) for little more than glorified buffet-style dishes. Be prepared to be sandwiched in between other guests on a long communal table making it difficult to talk to the companion you have sitting across with you, while simultaneously bumping elbows with the stranger sat next you, stacked together like very unhappy sardines. As for the service… rude, inattentive and unhelpful. This review is coming from an Ottolenghi fan, but this place is a total scam.

I finally made it to Ottolenghi's - what a treat! Of course the food was interesting and utterly delicious. Not cheap, but reasonably-priced and good value for the quality. I have cancer and am on a strict diet; I wanted to thank the team for letting me know in advance which dishes met my criteria and even providing me with a menu on arrival with these dishes ticked off as a reminder (this was about a month ago). I was very touched by your efforts. I wish I lived closer to pop in all of the time! Thank you.

Seriously disappointed. I'd been here years back with my wife for a delicious meal. This time I came with friends visiting London having extolled its atmosphere. Food was good but the worst, rudest service I've ever experienced. The waiter a serious liability for a business. Won't be coming back no mind how nice the food is.

A restaurant where you can enjoy healthy and delicious deli food and wine. There are so many elaborate deli dishes that you can't find anywhere else that I was spoiled for choice. Everything we ordered was delicious.

Generally good food but overpriced and sterile environment

Staying in Islington and stopped by this very busy restaurant for a quick lunch take away after going to the Tate Yoko Ono exhibit. So delicious, roasted broccoli and roasted carrot salads and a wonderful mushroom samosa. Just great.

Wonderful as always. Israeli food with lots of love..

Called at the last minute to see if we could be accomodated for dinner and the very lovely member of staff was able to book me in two hours later. The dinner service and food were fantastic. The Aubergine and Sea bass were cooked to perfection. We were waited on by Lola and she was so attentive and gave us a personalised experience which made us feel at home. I would like to add how well the bathrooms are maintained for such a small space and the volume of people using them.

As always, excellent. The staff is super nice. Is a petty tho they don’t allow dogs.

Absolutely divine cuisine, even if the desserts are uninteresting. On the other hand, extremely unpleasant waiter.

The food was good, portions tiny for the price. 4 carrots £13.90 or something closer to that but the team issue was the prices on the menu did not include VAT. This is not America. Gosh we aren't but won't be going back.

Ngl everyone here was rude as hell and I could get the same meal at a Whole Foods deli for half price. Super expensive experience, only one server briefly spoke to me and I had to ask to get my check after 15 minutes and it was slow

We had a lovely late lunch here. Delicious food, and great recommendations for cakes from Atkin, who was really helpful and friendly all round. We’ll definitely come back when we’re next in the area.

A taste sensation from the bread to the pudding. Highly recommend this restaurant

The food here was absolutely delicious m, and I can see why it is so highly revered. The service was also good and the staff were friendly and helpful. I especially recommend getting the delicious desserts from the bar- they were all great. The only reasons that I’ve given 4 stars are 1: The atmosphere is pretty poor, and I hate the concept of their “long table”- it is just uncomfortable and weird to have to sit directly next to random strangers. 2: The price is really, really high for the level of dining experience- when I first walked in, I though, ‘£18 or so for a main, seems fully reasonable’, but when you are told that they are all starters and they recommend 2 dishes per person, I think this renders the price a bit unreasonable.

Come for the food, leave for the attitude... My colleague and I went in there for a late lunch but ended up regretting our decision. While the food was indubitably great, the plates were basically thrown in front of us, our server (gentleman with a huge chip on his shoulder) misinformed us about the availability of certain items and the manager kept yelling about that tables had to get ready for dinner service. We did initially want to buy an item to go but after being ignored for quite a while we decided to leave. It seemed as if everybody in there had gone through some sort of attitude training – and not in a good way.

Had wanted to try here for ages and I’m so glad I went Fabulous evening .. great food … so many flavours and fabulous service

Go to local favourite. Ottolenghi recently accommodated my civil partnership party of 12 for a set menu which vastly exceeded all expectations on the incredible food, casual and attentive service and relaxed vibe. Huge thank you to everyone that made our meal special!

Delicious food, cosy space and smart wine list, with great selection. Thank you Ottolenghi for a wonderful evening. We will be back soon

An address that keeps all its promises! We took our seats around one of the two large communal tables, in a dim room, lit by candles. The key word here is sharing, so we shared several very well served plates, absolutely delicious. All that's missing is a warm pita or challah bread, so much so that we don't want to leave a crumb!

Food was excellent and the reputation precedes it. It did feel a bit stuffy having come back after a few years but you can't fault the menu and service.

Cantina lunch - the food was good, but not impressive and not worth the price (lunch for two with soft drinks came up to >£70)

Walked into the busy ‘reception’ area (think disorganised cattle pen) and waited, and waited, whilst surly, miserable-faced individuals ignored everyone or pointed at an invisible place in the mid-distance where the queue apparently started (no actual signs). If that passes for engaged hospitality professionalism, then things really have take a nose-dive. Pitiful.

Have been buying the take away cakes here for over a decade. Quality and variety is always great. Prices are becoming quite steep. Service not very attentive.

Very expensive to pay for soup and salad with dessert at 7.30 pounds and water. Lots of waiting even though the room was almost empty.

This is a must in London! Three locations, the food is remarkable, the service friendly, cozy restaurant, great for friends' dinner or romantic one. Maddy, thank you for your service! 🙏

We were lucky to get in as it's understandably busy. But the small vegan plates were delicious and the staff took great care with the dietary needs of one of our party. Only sorry I did not have room for more dessert!

Excellent breads and oil. Tasty food especially the roast carrots and the sea bass. Cakes to die for. Very good service. Pleasing decor and acoustics tolerable. You get round the intrinsic problems of a sharing menu (more of a kitchen than customer benefit; plates too small to share) by ordering two of each dish you like. Could have been a five with a couple of non-alcoholic beers on the list. £50 a head with waters.

Delicious food we were all impressed

Most mid cookies and brownie ever, especially for the price, I was expecting for £4.75 to have a decadent rich brownie or even gorgeous cookies (£2.70) but…I should have just gone to M&S, I could have got 4 delicious ones for that price. Service was condescending and rushed. Maybe if I were white and/or visibly wealthy I would have had a warmer reception. Never going here again, even if I was in the mood to throw money away.

Had a carrot walnut cake for takeaway it was absolutely delicious!!!

Geo & Magda! you gave me 10/10 service and i am so grateful!!! i will be back soon to try loads more things :)

Excellent food, amazing flavours. Service was perhaps too fast, our large shared plates arrived whilst going through the starter plates. One staff had a habit of shouting the dishes, which was generally in close proximity to your ear as she was bending over to place the plate on the table. Became a bit annoying! Other staff member could perhaps smile!

Sharing plates, lovely flavours great service, very attentive.

I was so excited to be able to come to this restaurant as I have several of Yotam’s recipe books but I must admit to feeling very disappointed by the service and agree with other diners that it was very slow. I only had a coffee and a piece of carrot and walnut cake, the cake was extremely dry and the cream cheese frosting didn’t taste fresh. I also didn’t like the male/female shared toilets. I was also quite shocked at the cost of my cake and coffee, especially when a 15% service charge was added automatically to the bill. All in all, I felt it was a rip off and wouldn’t recommend eating at this venue.

Last minute, off the cuff visit. After an early theatre visit we called in on the off chance. We struck lucky - just the two of us. They looked after us well, my but allergy I knew would be a challenge - but not for this crew. Spicy Mediterranean food. Flavours to blow our minds, beautiful wine, & a chocolate fondant cake to literally die for. Great friendly staff, no pressure selling, just giving us choices with flavours that we would not have guessed.

Had a delicious meal with Ottolenghi's surprising dishes. Treated like royalty, compliments to the staff.

Ottalenghi Islington is an interesting restaurant. We sat on a long table, like a viking where you sit beside people you don't know. I found myself listening to other people's conversations as well as listening to my date 😊 The food was small but really quality. I didn't think I would be full but to my amazement I was. The staff were really lovely and attentive. They explained the menu and answered all my questions. I'll certainly go back again.

Known for its great meals and pastries, it is wise to make reservations for this outstanding restaurant and bakery. Friends tell me their cookbooks are excellent.

Been here due to a recommendation in Lonely Planet and liked it - but not more. The food was really good and pretty much worth the price. We were recommended to share 4 dishes (two persons; ordered 2 salads and 2 warm dishes) and that was alright; I could've had one more but my partner was full. Instead, we had an amazing cake for dessert. Also, the wine was great showing there's some effort done selecting and offering quality. Unfortunately, the food came way too fast. We were prepared to stay for 2 hours (time of a booking), getting in the different dishes every now and then, eating everything in a relaxed manner. Instead, I went to the toilet just after ordering just to find both salads already on the table when back and the warm dishes were rushed in shortly after. That felt kind of stressed and we could've been out after an hour if we wanted.

Fun afternoon break from shopping Salads fantastic and yum Staff friendly Shop to buy bits to take away Very large and generous potions so don’t order too much!

Only thing that was average was the Slovenian red wine. Food and service excellent.

Very good coffee and food. Highly recommend. Plastic chairs are a bit weird to sit on.

Magnifique … diner en famille un vrai régal !!! Découverte absolue à partager !!

Have been here few times when visiting london. Always a great experience. Food and service top level.

It is very expensive for what it is.

Smaller Ottolenghi location with delightful bakery/shop up front and restaurant with shared tables in the back. Excellent experience with creative food combinations and sensational flavors. The shakshuka for brunch is incredible. We also tried three different salads…all with what I consider the classic ottolenghi flavorful twists. There simply isn’t a bad option in my mind. The hardest part about eating here is making your food choice—so many good options! The coffee could use a little work—a bit bitter. The staff are attentive and relatively friendly. The price point is a bit high but worth the occasional splurge. I will certainly return!!

Amazing and delicious takeaway cakes - definitely a place to try!

One of the best veggie restaurants in the Islington area of London. Price/quality is very good for this restaurant. I would go for 3 salads per person. That's plenty. If you're on a budget, just let one person take one meal of 4 salads and share them between 2 people. The layout of this restaurant is very clever, you have one big long table in the middle and then a bunch of smaller side tables for 2 people. The service is impeccable: super friendly and super fast. The desserts are delicious but have a slightly higher price tag. Sometimes you can spot Ottolenghi himself walking in ...

The food was a bit dissapointing compared to what I had expected. There were not many 'from the kitchen' vegetarian options. The salads were nice, but in winter I would have liked them to be warm. Also the waiter was very friendly and professional but busy and forgot our order at some point.

Classic Ottolenghi food that rarely changes

We had a lovely brunch here - the shakshuka in particular was exceptional and I wish I'd got it myself. The coffee was burnt and when I asked for a new one, it was still very bitter. I don't know if that's a particular roast but it wasn't to my taste. One of our waitresses (with red hair) was absolutely lovely, balanced out by another waitress (brunette) who treated us with classic London indifference and sullenness lol. The bakery counter and lunches looked absolutely delicious.

Me and my boyfriend visited Ottolenghi and had such a great evening. The food was fantastic and the atmosphere was so lovely. Special shout out to Atkin, our waiter who made our night so enjoyable! They were really charismatic, helpful and attentive and had some great recommendations! Will definitely be visiting again as it was such a wonderful evening! Thank you so much!

Outstanding service and food. What a delight 😍

Probably the best salads in town but the desserts became average and that is why I stopped visiting. It puts me off having to sit next to other people without your own table and space. Also, the staff at his Tel Aviv restaurant is so rude that I think how a talent manage to link with such. Overall, the innovation and sense of anticipation has declined as the effort made is less. The pandemic meant many talented people left and you can notice he does not manage each restaurant personally but just drives the menus. Mostly average but the spices and the combination to make the salads are what they excel at as a whole.

Food always excellent - always busy so get there early! Cannot book. Had seabass and salads delicious

Pretty poor. Maybe expected too much? This isn't a restaurant. If it is then it's a 1* experience. Limited options, many unavailable. At 1800 on a Thursday night it's poor. Not having your first or choice red wines means you're paying double for a wine you didn't want. Service is all over the shop. Lacks leadership and professionalism. Long waits for service. Too many chiefs and not enough Indians. All in all left massively disappointed having spent £160 on a meal for 2, thankfully our show up the road was worth it. Wouldn't stop here for a take away coffee. Plenty other options available st the same mediocrity for half the price. Seldom say this, but give it a swerve. Next to no redeeming features. But the weird cheap moulded plastic seats scream Macdonalds. Not top end dining.

I love their French Toast, one of the best in London. The only gripe I have about this place is the staff are a bit disorganised and if you want a takeaway they are very slow to serve you.

Excellent dinning experience - food and service are out of this world.

Ottimo posto per degustare un brunch di assoluta qualità, in ambiente informale ma ben curato

Had the salad Gorgeous and large portions Very tasty! Extremely reasonable Goodies available to purchase Service courteous

Very disappointing after all the hype about this chef. The dishes were not well seasoned, lacking flavour, nothing that compares to the middle eastern restaurants you can find by the dozen in Paris and many other places. The lamb has such a strong mutton taste I could not eat it. Well...

AMAZING!!!! One of the best meals I have ever had! The O’fresco pressed juice is awesome! The salmon and the salads (squash, cauliflower & string beans) were fabulous!!

Crowded and there’s nowhere to move but I still love coming back for the food.

Lekker. Wel duur voor wat je krijgt. Je hebt ook weinig tijd: het moet vooruit gaan zodat ze zoveel mogelijk klanten kunnen bedienen. Er wordt 12.5% extra aan de rekening toegevoegd voor de service.

I had an incredible dining experience at Ottolenghi! The food was simply to die for, and the atmosphere added to the overall enjoyment. We ordered two starters and two mains for our table of two, and we were pleasantly full by the end. The mackerel dish was a delightful surprise, and the chicken with hummus was absolutely delicious. Overall, it was a fantastic dining experience.

OVERPRICED HARDLY ANY CHOICE AND MORE INTERESTED IN TURNOVERS POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE NOT EVEN ORDERED AND ALREADY WERE TOLD HOW LONG WE HAD BEFORE WE HAD TO LEAVE. OTTOLENGHI 1ST IMPRESSIONS COUNT .............NEVER AGAIN Having posted this review the restaurant staff have started harassing me by phone 2 missed calls and when answering the phone a third time they quickly hung up. Tried calling back but they refused to answer. SO IF THEY ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE REVIEW EXPECT CALLS!!!

Oh Yum Oh Yum Just the most delicious salads and one of the best cake and pastry displays in London What’s not to love

We booked in advance to get a table for 2 rather than sit at a communal table. The salad starters ( aubergine caponata/ courgette and roasted peppers were delicious. The main, seabass with romesco sauce was ok, but the portions were TINY. As was everything else about the restaurant , except for the service , which was GREAT and the bill which was expensive. Ok if you are not too hungry and not concerned about price!

I feel it’s quite overpriced. Although I’ve had amazing time there and the atmosphere is lovely I find it too expensive

Everything was perfect ! The food is really good and the staff too ! I recommend ;)

Very nice place but to expensive

Love the food, service is patchy and pretentious. UPD: The takeout station - please oh please do something with the attitudes and your packaging. No need to smash four salads in a tiny box, or to load 3 kg of salads ignoring all “that’s enogh, thank you’s” into the slightly bigger box you ask for to have the salads be in a decent shape and form by the time you bring them home. No point in having 8 salads/dishes on display if I end up bringing a wild bucket of everything home, spices-sauces-vegetables in a senseless cacophony.

First time at Ottolenghi for dinner and it was terrific. Delicious and fresh food, very good service and a wonderful atmosphere.

The shop had a nice fit out, the coffee was good and so too the pastries but the staff were quite indifferent and not interested. Changed a good experience to a poor one.

Exceptional service, food and atmosphere for Wednesday evening party of six.

The restaurant's atmosphere seems to oscillate somewhere between modern chic and clinical austerity. If the objective was to make one feel like they're dining in an architect's sketchbook, then hats off, mission accomplished.The dishes make their entrance with a flourish. Each plate is styled with the sort of artistic commitment you'd expect at the Tate. There's no faulting Ottolenghi's presentation. But then, the taste. The promise hinted by the vibrant visuals sadly doesn't echo on the tongue. The culinary compositions, while innovative, land somewhere between 'I think I get it' and 'Did someone forget the seasoning?' It's a bit like savoring the memory of a good meal rather than the meal itself. In all fairness, Ottolenghi deserves applause for making Middle Eastern cuisine feel both stylish and accessible in London. But I found myself pondering whether it's better to eat with our eyes or our mouths. I reflected on my Ottolenghi experience – a feast for the eyes, certainly, but perhaps more of a murmur for the palate.

Bit fetishized. Salads look great.

So disappointing. We waited to be seated for a while, we finally got noticed by a waiter who sent a waitress to get us a table. I had carefully read the ingredients for the vegan chocolate cake with tofu mousse to ensure both my child and I could have it. There was NO mention of coffee. The cake arrives and as soon as we have some we taste a strong coffee flavour, so I asked the waitress if there was coffee in the cake. She goes to find out, meanwhile she serves another table and she finally comes back and says yes there is espresso in the cake. £8.20 later and leaving half of the cake there I left and mentioned to someone at the counter that they should have listed ALL the ingredients, particularly coffee, since it's something not everyone can have. He just looked at me and said ah ok I will let my manager know. What bad service all together. Have been to other Ottolenghis before and the service and attention to detail was impeccable. Not in this branch unfortunately.

Great food featuring lots of vegetables with surprising and wonderful flavors. Not just for vegetarians. Best for people who like well seasoned food.

The lady at the shop was sooooo sweet, friendly and, helpful! And the food was delish or course!

Perfect dining experience. The food was wonderful and perfect for vegetarians. The service was so friendly and our waiter gave excellent wine advice. Just sublime.

Great atmosphere on long shared table - nice buzz - delicious food - just a great pity service was curt and unfriendly..

Porridge, shakshuka, cinnamon pretzel, halva danish -- all phenomenal.

Cake is great 😃 I just don't like the seats and whiteness.

Amazing food and great wine. For a group of 4+ would suggest sharing all the dishes. The place is small and intimate so they have arranged it into a large long table where groups sit next to each other. While that is a nice idea, the lack of any sound absorbing materials or insulation in the ceiling mean that you will soon find yourself shouting to hear your group. The service felt rushed and everything came at once when though we said we would like the mains after the starters.

Cold food, cold decoration with a hospital feeling, no tasty at all. I couldn't eat the food, it was like a frozen food and also I got sick. Not a good experience honestly.

The salads here are amazing and the portions are huge. The mains are a bit overpriced but with large salads its super filling. Great wine selection. Good vibe inside. Grab a pastry or some spices on your way out!

Lovely food as always but disappointed that I could not have a coffe with the milk of my choice ....what's wrong with full fat milk? why oh why am I policed by only being allowed semi skimmed milk?? It seems there are choices for vegans and veggies ...but normal full fat milk is off the menu ... So didn't have a coffee ...if I am paying a fortune for a cup of coffee surely it's not hard to have some full fat ...it's not like I'm asking for the milk of a goat milked on a mountain under a full moon

Light, crisp, delicious decor and food. I could not fault anything. Service was perfect and charming , menu (lunch) short but with wide variety. No hesitation in returning for a light lunch in the future.

Incredible food you'd expect from Ottolenghi, and nice staff, but the communal tables were extremely uncomfortable and really detracted from the experience. Go to the Spitalfields location instead, or get takeout.

Excellent service and amazing food.Aubergibe salad is out of this world. keep up the good work!!

Great food, rude staff. The woman who served us our takeaway acted as if she was upset we were even in there. I use to come here once a week but will likely stop because of the staff.

The food was delicious, the portions were small, but we expected this when our overly pretentious (in a condescending way, as if we have never eaten food before) waiter bluntly told us the portions are ‘very small’. The other staff we spoke to were lovely, I think we drew the short straw being in this particular waiter’s section. I will unlikely visit again.

We hebben hier fantastisch ontbeten. Het eten is goed van smaak, royale porties en zeer goede kwaliteit. Het restaurant waar wij hebben gegeten is Islington. Deze was zeer simplistisch ingericht wat voor ons wat steriel overkwam.

Perfect place for the light meals. Had a plate of three salads and all tasted lovely. Not a big fan of atmosphere as interior in the table areas felt a tad like a library. —However honestly cannot complain for the price and the taste of the foods. Will come back to try other salads and desserts!

I was happy to be able to eat at Ottolenghi. We ordered quite a lot, some of the dishes were good, others just okay. Overall, for my taste food lacks of spices, fresh herbs and exotic flavour. Maybe the menus are too much adopted to European expectations. Lamb, fish and Aubergine were my favourites. Service was very friendly but not so well organised. The idea of the long table is nice but due to the bad acoustic and therefore noise it is difficult to talk at all. And air conditioner was freezing cold.