been here a few times when in london. really love it. funky and good atmosphere and much better than the obiquitous chain ones

guess you have to take these reviews with a pinch of salt as some people have an axe to grind.

this is a great coffee place though, and i have much more to complain about with the cr*ppy chain places

long live tinderbox!

I don't know where some of these reviewers have been going, or how they've behaved themselves, but they'ra talking rubbish.

I LOVE Tinderbox and go there most days. I've never seen staff being pretentious (I mean, have you been in a Costa or a Caffe Nero, guys?!)

I only have two grumbles: one, it's a bit tatty - but that's clearly because they haven't refurbished as they're moving premises soon. two, the customers who sprawl around taking up loads of space to do their homework ... and never even seem to have a drink.

Other than that - love it. Great atmosphere. Great coffee. Great cakes. Always found the staff to be friendly, attentive and responsive ... but then I guess that's down to how you treat them yourselves.

Seriously, Islingtonites have a gem in Tinderbox, and it's streets ahead of the FIVE neighbouring Star*ucks.

Go, enjoy. And be nice to the staff - they don't deserve the rubbish written here. Maybe some of the reviewers should avoid posting before they've had their morning's caffeine!

I've been drinking coffee in Tinder Box for years, I'd say it's the best coffee in the area -- the baristas certainly know what they're doing. The cakes are fresh and delicious and the croissants are good. Recently, however, something has happened in Tinder Box which makes me cautious about going in again. It's the noise. It seems that the staff think they should listen to their favourite music all day long at a dangerously high volume. I'm often deafened when I'm in there and once or twice the noise level has made me feel ill. A polite request to turn the volume down is always acted on, quickly and courteously, but it's not long before a different member of staff turns it up again. I wouldn't be surprised if Tinder Box is contravening noise regulations. I would have given more than 2 stars if the noise wasn't a problem, if there were more comfy seats, and if the staff cleared the tables quickly (which they don't). By the way, I don't sit in there for hours reading The Guardian either. Not all the customers are unpleasant!

Well I think it's great!

The coffee is yummy, the cakes are gorgeous and the actually cafe itself is comfy and cosy.

The staff aren't always the friendliest, I'll be honest. On a couple of occasions, I have walked in and not known what I wanted (ah, shock horror). I spent a good minute staring up at the menus, goggling at all the different options. I knew the girl at the till was watching me as though I was taking far too much time, thus disrupting her day (working as a barrista at a coffee shop...aren't they supposed to serve customers all day?!). I eventually decided (I took my time out of curiosity/on purpose) and paid and moved on to the end of the bar. My drink was served to me with a smile (by a different member of staff), whilst sneaky, in-jokes were made as I lifted the tray. It does make you wonder what's wrong with your clothes; or what's on the back of your head; or if you actually put your mascara on your cheek that morning instead of your eyelashes.

"So why have you rated Tinderbox with four stars?", you're now asking yourselves. Well, although the staff haven't been the most pleasant to me on previous visits, I have had very happy, joyful and attentive staff serve me as well. And as for this odd banter about the customers that frequent this coffee shop - as a regular customer, I can say there is always a variety of people in there all with very different opinions. I don't read the Guardian. And the cakes are lovely and the place is homely. And that's what I want when I go for a coffee somewhere. Until I have regular and fairly bad experiences there, I will still always choose this place over, for eg. Starbucks. No doubt about that. It's a great place to meet and have coffee and cake. I absolutely recommend it!

Everything the other reviewers have put is completely true, however; I think they miss the general spirit of the place. It is supposed to be pretentious and full of poseurs of the worst "new labour" monied liberal types: metrosexual dads with pushchairs and designer-clad babies fawning over each other's haircuts and jeans' labels while the wives [beards?] are off topping up the fake tans and trawling the boutiques for tonight's outfit. Tremendously hilarious people-watching as parodied to great effect in the Knife & Packer "Grim Up North London" strip in Private Eye, which the cafe even sells in book form for those not too bubble-headed or self-absorbed to miss the joke. Food okay, staff inept, customers vile. It's priceless - go now before the post-Blair era sweeps it all into oblivion. Better than most TV and just as cheap if you do what the other customers do and order one measly coffee and then sit there with the Guardian for 4 hours.

oops. Was supposed to be one star!

Very rude staff, expensive food, customers who won't leave even after they have finished their one cup of coffee. Its just rubbish. The staff really spoiled it for me. I am always very polite and I expect the same. Grrrr!!

I had delicious cheesecake at Tinder Box, although this was completely spoilt by the grumpy pretentious staff because my friend and I had dared wander in with a child in a buggy. We did not even feel comfortable finishing our drinks as the staff glared at us every time they walked past and rolled their eyes.


I appreciate that not every place is child friendly but it is ridiculous that we were made to feel like lepers! We went to Tinder Box to avoid Starbucks but won't bother next time.

The Tinder Box is an excellent cafe. The food is tasty, but the coffee is definitely what the Tinder Box is known for. A decent range and choice, the quality of all the hot drinks is exceptional. Coffee is it's strong point, but other hot drinks are available too.


Though rumoured to have the best coffe in London, the prices are also good for central London. The service is generally good, and the cafe itself is well done. You have to get there before five if you want to eat in, unless you're very lucky.

Tinder Box has always been an excellent coffee house in Islington, providing great coffee and cakes and a brilliant alternative to other 'chain' cafe alternatives.

However on Saturday evening, my opinion changed for the worse. Having moved away from the area, I don't get to Tinder Box as much as I used to and I was quite disgusted by the general filth and scruffy appearance. No points here Tinderbox, I will not be returning.

Tinder Box is a good idea, but more often than not let down by various factors.

First, it requires you to order and then to find somewhere to sit. Not easy if you're by yourself. At the prices charged, you might expect to be waited on. Given that many customers pose about long after they've finished, you'd have thought that an increased throughput by whatever means might help.

Tinder Box the place down is the poor range, and the quality of the cakes and similar. If it's not frozen, it tends to be unpleasant. I've just experienced the horror of their white chocolate cheesecake. It was so bad that I had to complain. One member of staff immediately sympathised, but another took the attitude that I'd eaten too much and was trying to rip them off. I was not; I'd intended simply to warn them that there seemed to be something wrong with it, but her attitude was such that I demanded my money back.

Not a pleasant experience.

Last time I visited Tinder Box a member of staff accused me of trying to cheat them - I'd ordered and paid for something which hadn't been given to me, and when I asked where it was, he called the manager over and said that I'd already had what I had ordered. Totally untrue. My order was still sitting on the till side of the counter waiting to be delivered. The manager thrust it at me rudely, making it clear he disbelieved me. Will not be going to Tinder Box again even though it is local. Also, they charge premium prices but don't clear the tables often enough, so you have your coffee surrounded by other people's debris. No thanks.

Tinder Box is just your average cafe really. I've grabbed lunch in there a couple of times (mainly baguettes) which was good but nothing out of the ordinary.

Tinder Box is good for some food on the run.