Ottolenghi serves breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner to Islington literati - at a price.

The Venue
There is one long and deceptively roomy space, done up in white Barbarella-esque 1970s modern and broken up into table seating with a long communal table in the middle. Bar stools are dotted around as an afterthought, which they are, as the area was given over to food displays previously.

The Atmosphere
The room is chilly and canteenish, although candles at night soften the mood. Service varies from friendly to standoffish. It gets very crowded very quickly in the evenings and at weekends, when a queue out of the door is standard.

The Food
The menu at Ottolenghi is seasonal and changing. They do outside catering as well as supplying takeaway in cute (and expensive) boxes. They always have a good selection of salads, which makes it a cinch for vegetarians to eat well. Everything is fresh and soups are served with nice wedges of fresh bread, although it is pricey. Fresh baked goods ensure that the all day menu flows nicely. Chunky salads like beetroot and aubergine and rare beef sit well among the sweet potato and broad bean salads. Breakfast jams are served out of big round pots and toast is do it yourself so it all feels home away from home in the morning. Teatime sees freshly baked cakes and the famous meringues (displayed to great effect in the windows) being served with teas and coffees.

The Drink
Coffees are great and highly recommended. As for the alcohol, the wine list has all the usual bottles and nothing too special.

The Last Word
Ottolenghi is lovely if you can get past the inconsistent service and the long queues to get in - don’t even bother trying on Saturdays.

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