21 Canonbury Place,
Islington,
London,
N1 2NS
(020) 7704 2887
The ViewLondon Review
The Canonbury is a food-focused pub that blurs the lines between pub, bar and restaurant by embracing contemporary design and offering above average food and drink.
The Venue
The Canonbury is a bit of a surprise: tucked away in upper Islington near small public gardens, the pub is unexpectedly large. Spread over a large area, there is a contemporary bar at the entrance with tables and couches for lounging. Further in, there is the dining area, where mirrors, shades of brown, clean-cut furniture and a striking modern fireplace contribute to a masculine décor.
The garden is the real focus of interest, though. Large and L-shaped, there is plenty of space to enjoy drinks and food during good weather. Once again the boxy furniture is dark and modern while the flower beds add softer touches throughout.
The Atmosphere
The Canonbury is a firm favourite not only for locals but also those who have discovered it and adopted it as a regular destination for a meal. This pub, in fact, feels less like a drinking establishment and more like a restaurant, but this does not detract from the laid-back atmosphere.
The clientele varies but it’s mainly composed of small groups of 30-and-40-somethings, a civilised bunch who enjoy the airy garden or the cosy comfort of the fire indoors.
The Food
The menu is based on pub, international and all-time favourites. The starters (£4.75-£7.75) include chicken liver parfait with toasted brioche and chutney, classic prawn cocktail, salmon fishcakes and more. The roasted red pepper and tomato soup is smooth and not at all acidic, although the herb croutons are quite bland. The chicken wings with BBQ sauce, instead, are succulent, crispy and arrive served on a bed of fresh salad. From the mains (£9.75-£24.50), you can pick from pasta (spinach and ricotta cheese tortellini, fresh crab linguine and more), fish (including moules mariniere), beef burgers, rib-eye steak, rotisserie Suffolk farm chicken and even the unexpected half char-grilled lobster with fish skewers. The sautéed garlic and herb mushrooms on toast, with a rocket and shaved parmesan salad is slightly too small to satisfy but the mushrooms are cooked well and the rocket is well dressed. But it’s the halloumi cheese burger with pesto and portobello mushroom that excels – it’s impeccable. The chips (£3.50) - a great benchmark for any restaurant - are also divine as they’re incredibly crispy and soft inside.
The Drink
The wine list is good, with three dozen bottles available (£15-£47, with selected glasses priced at £3.50-£11.25). You can select your tipple from a selection of several popular grapes including sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and malbec. Bubbly is fairly priced at £28.50-£65 per bottle or £6.75-£11 per glass. And the beer (£3.80-£4.60 a pint) includes Asahi, Moretti, Doom Bar and more.
The Last Word
Upmarket but not stuck-up, The Canonbury is a thoroughly contemporary pub; it has the relaxed atmosphere of a public house but smarter, more luxurious surroundings.
The Canonbury has been reviewed by 25 users