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Best restaurants in Stoke Newington: our editors' picks

Published: October 21, 2026 at 9:35 AM

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Discover the olive London team's favourite tried-and-tested restaurants in Stoke Newington, from barbacoa tacos to underground cocktails.

Looking for Stoke Newington restaurants? Here are our favourite restaurants in leafy Stoke Newington, from creative brunch plates to late-night cocktails and fab neighbourhood-style restaurants.

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Next discover the best new restaurants in London and some of our London food guides, including the best restaurants in Shoreditch, best restaurants in Hackney and best restaurants in Kings Cross. If you're partial to a cocktail served with stellar sound systems, discover our favourite listening bars in London.

Our expert's personal recommendations

"Stoke Newington is my favourite place I've lived in London. When I was up there my go-to spots were Esters for chic neighbourhood brunches and Escocesa for unique Scottish-Spanish tapas, ideal for an intimiate date night." Alex Crossley

Where to eat and drink in Stoke Newington

Da Pino, Stoke Newington Road

Da Pino is a confident modern Italian restaurant on the former site of N16 favourite Bianca’s. From the team behind Casa Fofò, it’s led by Puglian chef Giuseppe ‘Pino’ Pepe and restaurant manager Federico Giannuzzi. The space remains minimalist, chic and understated, with a vintage sound system and a bar overlooking the tall open kitchen.

The menu moves from antipasti to primi and secondi, infusing southern Italian cooking with subtle Asian influences. Kickstart with juicy chunks of baby aubergine with pickled herbs and wild garlic and yogurt sauce, then move on to the delicate raw beef and stilton wrapped in a nasturtium leaf and eaten by hand.

Both primi dishes raised the bar: tomato ravioli showered with Spenwood cheese and basil, and smoky grilled rice with mussels and crisp potatoes.

Next, flaky trout with blistered, pickled fushimi peppers and impossibly tender chicken with a light sabayon and silky cabbage made a mouth-watering main event.

Finish with shiso semifreddo, drizzled in coffee caramel and thick cultured cream – an immaculate end to a faultless meal.

To drink, expect punchy Italian aperitifs and beer, plus wines from small-scale independent producers.

We’re excited to return for Sunday dining, promising a more casual line-up of wine, antipasti and snacks. dapinolondon.co.uk

Calong – for European-Korean fusion

With its exposed brick walls, bottle-lined shelves and windows opening onto Stoke Newington Church Street, this friendly bistro is coated in neighbourhood feels. Chef owner Joo Won peppers classic European training with Korean flavours, and the result is a succinct menu of unique signature dishes.

Refreshing grapefruit-laced shiso spritz or zingy ginger martini (think moscow mule in martini form) make vibrant Korean takes on classics, perfectly paired with a round of kimchi fritters – crunchy balls of spiced fermented veggies to dip into umami-rich chilli mayo. Starters continue the Korean twists, namely in heritage tomatoes and creamy stracciatella lifted with shiso granita and soy vinaigrette, and three silky mandu tofu dumplings braised in silky gochujang butter emulsion, topped with courgette and perilla seeds.

Joo's succulent, crunchy coated fried chicken is doused in sweet chilli sauce and peanuts. BBQ onglet comes pink with caramelised edges alongside crunchy pickled greens, best paired with a clay pot of rice, stirred up with earthy mushrooms and yolk butter until glistening.

For pud, a stunning slice of matcha swirl cake hides a red bean curd centre, served with milk ice cream and sweet syrupy strawberries. calonglondon.com

Bar Etna – for east coast-style pizza and negronis

Bar Etna is Stoke Newington’s buzzy bar-cum-pizzeria from Four Legs’ Ed McIlroy and Philadelphia pizza maestro Joe Beddia. The lively split-level space channels late-night Philly energy downstairs with stainless steel, mirrored surfaces and terrazzo tiles, while the moodier upstairs, with its custom mosaic and timber panelling, is perfect for more intimate gatherings.

The menu spotlights four 14-inch east coast-style pizzas with thin crusts – standouts include the cheese-laden Number One and the fiery Etna Curry, which delivers real heat. Snacks are as considered as the pies: tomato pie focaccia is sweet and tangy, anchovies and judion beans arrive in pools of olive oil, and a swirl of coffee soft serve neatly rounds off the meal.

Drinks lean European, with three house spritzes – don’t miss the vermouth and hibiscus – and negronis on tap for £5. Bar Etna is already a magnet for those craving punchy pizza, a strong drinks list and a sociable, late-night vibe. instagram.com/bar.etna.london

Image credit: Finnegan Travers

Primeur – for neighbourhood feels

This neighbourhood restaurant started serving small plates and natty wines back in 2014, long before it became a staple combination. Thanks to its positioning in a converted car garage away from public transport, the restaurant has maintained its status as a true local favourite. Garage-style doors open to reveal a huge communal table lined with mustard chairs, or perch at corner kitchen counter seats to watch chefs in action.

The sharing plates menu is chalked up on the blackboard daily. Olives, bread and butter, saucisson and Cantabrian anchovies are always there to nibble on while you pick your wine. Regular small plate stars include a terrine (pigs head or chicken and hazelnut perhaps), crudo (Cornish tuna with sauce vierge, scallop, cucumber and coriander or trout, watercress and white asparagus) and vibrant veggie salads (think blood orange, walnut and mint in winter, feta, peaches and soft herbs come summer). Moving into larger numbers – the likes of steak haché with peppercorn sauce and shoestring pommes allumettes, braised cuttlefish and panisse and lemon sole with crab butter and monk's beard. To finish, try seasonal twists on classic desserts such as crème caramel, île flottant and chocolate mousse, it's most recent guise on the 12th anniversary visit with a hazelnut crunch. primeurn5.co.uk

The Golden Tooth – for creative gastropub fare

The Papi team brings their signature flair for crowd pleasing plates to this chic Green Lanes gastropub, now boasting a smart split venue with white tablecloths, dark green walls and parquet floors. It’s an inviting spot, whether you’re after a perfectly poured Guinness or looking to impress out of towners.

Chef Matthew Scott’s menu champions quality British ingredients, with highlights such as brined tomatoes under Dorstone cheese and mussel toast wrapped in lardo for a briny, melt-in-the-mouth bite. The standout is the red prawn and chicken stargazy pie, designed for sharing and rich with salty, creamy flavours beneath a golden crust.

For dessert, the light, silky crème caramel with citrusy todoli blood orange is a must. Drinks are equally considered, with low-intervention English wines curated by Charlie Carr and a concise cocktail list featuring a standout pickle martini and smoky-sweet mezcal paloma. goldentooth.co.uk

Image credit: Caitlin Isola

Jolene – for seasonal food and baked goods

This cool yet cosy neighbourhood joint attracts a friendly crowd of locals. Striped back to basics, plastered walls, zinc tables and exposed pipes are warmed up by flickering tea lights, and single stems of red berries cast shadows onto white walls. Take a seat at the long bar area to catch a glimpse of the chefs at work in the open kitchen, or, in the warmer months, lounge on the outdoor benches sipping punchy begronis and slathering butter onto hunks of sourdough.

On our visit, highlights include warm, doughy flatbreads dripping with garlic butter; silky smooth ravioli, filled with smooth pumpkin purée, that soaks in a sage butter sauce; and flaky grilled stone bass basked in a creamy, salty butter sauce. The flourless chocolate cake rivals that of The River Cafes, with an almost molten centre and crisp exterior.

An all-natural wine menu, split into sparkling, white, and red options, offers primarily European varieties. Be sure to peruse the counter, brimming with loaves of sourdough, hearty sausage rolls and fresh-from-the-oven madeleines. jolenen16.com

Credit: Patricia Niven

Johnny Boy's – for SoCal comfort food

Open from breakfast to dinner, Johnny Boy's dishes up SoCal comfort food inspired by East LA’s family-run DIY joints. This cool, casual spot is a love letter to the food LA native Julian Denis (from Hackney’s Facing Heaven) grew up on, drawing on Mexican, Jewish, Greek and Japanese influences.

The slim space leans into Californian sunshine charm: tangerine counters, cosy rust-brown booths and scalloped stained-glass shades creates an old-school neighbourhood feel, with salsa hits pulsing from the speakers.

Dinner answers late-night cravings, from tacos to cheeseburgers and pastrami sandwiches. Start with the crab tostada: a tangle of fresh and imitation crab, radish and jalapeños is sharpened in lime juice and piled onto a crispy fried corn tortilla. The signature patty melt – a cross between a cheese toastie and cheeseburger – is deliriously hearty, still pink and oozing with Russian dressing, caramelised onions and Swiss and American cheeses. The chicken dinner sees hunks of fried, juicy chicken leg and thigh served with herb-flecked potato salad and an extra-soft Hawaiian roll. Finish with the root beer float: thick, foamy and perfect for sharing.

The concise drinks spans American favourites including Pabst Blue Ribbon and Modelo, plus punchy cocktails: sharp margs and ruby red micheladas are finished with a spicy Chamoy rim. eatatjohnnyboys.com

Image credit: Caitlin Isola

Esters – for creative brunch plates

White walls, angular tables and pops of orange give this neighbourhood café a sleek scandi vibe, while families spend the morning sipping on flat whites and friends get a post-run refuel. Browse the cake counter, all of which are made in-house, and be sure to order the addictively chewy, salty white chocolate miso cookies.

There’s a focus on sourcing of produce with loaves of bread from Brunswick East Bakery, coffee from Ozone Coffee Roasters, and chocolate from Firetree Chocolate.

Don’t expect to find avocado on toast here, rather berbere-spiced lamb with kuri squash, burnt butter and flatbread to mop up flageolet bean hummus. For those with a sweet tooth, order the French toast. Toppings change with the seasons, with recent flavours including poached quince, pumpkin seed cream, polenta biscuit and whey caramel. estersn16.com

Image credit: Issy Croker

Perilla – for modern European dishes

Housed on a trendy corner in Newington Green, walls have been stripped bare, the original terrazzo floor has been exposed, while the windows that wrap around its triangular frame look out onto the green and pour light onto marble-topped tables. A peak-through-pass shines a spotlight on chef as he calmly plates up.

Fried duck egg, with its sunshine yolk, was topped with a rubble of chopped mussels and herbs and a final slosh of parsley sauce. It’s unlike anything we’ve eaten in London, which is one of the things that makes Perilla great. This is a menu that surprises, often in its simplicity. Grilled romaine lettuce sat in a puddle of a pecorino liquor, sour with lemon, and punctuated with dots of parsley oil. With stalks of sorrel, it was sharp and intensely savoury – a wonderful balance of flavours.

The wine list is succinct, focussing on quirky bottles from Europe – a fruity German silvaner was seriously easy drinking. With a daily changing menu to explore, it’s the kind of restaurant every neighbourhood should have. perilladining.co.uk

Fink's at Clissold House

For its largest project to date, popular North London bakehouse Fink's has taken over a Grade II-listed building in Stoke Newington's Clissold Park. Enter through The Pink Room – a playful, Pinterest-ready space of candy-striped curtains and terracotta walls – where fridges and glass counters groan with seasonal galettes, sandwiches and house-made bakes.

For those staying longer, The Dining Room offers a more leisurely setting: a high-ceilinged space lifted by verdant greens and scarlet accents. The seasonal à la carte menu spans all-day Californian breakfast burritos and house-made crumpets, with frittatas, salads and pita served from 11am.

Ordering from the counter, we chose the artichoke sandwich: a generous layering of rocket pesto and stracciatella on Fink's white sourdough. The cakes, bakes and pastries remain the most compelling draw, led by head of pastry Adriann Ramirez, whose weekly specials show real imagination. On our visit, the standout was the Tutti Frutti, a multicoloured cube covered in strawberry buttercream, with mango and cherry and raspberry curd set between three layers of moist vanilla sponge.

We also rated Fink's signature Spumoni ice cream sandwich, layering Valrhona dark chocolate and pistachio with fresh Kent cherries. Drinks are equally considered, with coffee roasted by Scenery Coffee and wines supplied by St John. finks.co.uk

Image credit: Safia Shakarchi

Parasol – for underground cocktails

Parasol is a latest addition to the slew of cool cocktail bars in Dalston. With a subtle exterior, stepping down concrete stairs reveals a plush curtain, behind which lies a dark and cosy speakeasy-style bar. It’s a large space with a disco ball at-the-ready for DJ sessions until the early hours. Those more sweet-inclined shouldn’t miss the fragrant Baklava with bourbon, amontillado, pistachio, honey, cardamom and orange blossom. It was the Korean Jesus that stood out from the crowd – a gochujang twist on a spicy margarita balanced with plum soju, honey and with added aromatics from ginger and coriander. Fans of citrus flavours shouldn’t miss the silky Yuk Fu with Chilean pisco, green chartreuse, matcha, pandan and coconut, and a piece of lemongrass balanced on top.

Alongside the house, ‘disco’ and sharing cocktails sit beers, ciders – including Parasol’s own Umbrella London brand – and a sizeable wine list. Bar snacks are kept simple but effective: paprika-topped creamy hummus and crisp Gordal olives make for great counterparts to the liquid refreshment. parasol-london.co.uk

Image credit: Steven Joyce

Vicoli di Napoli Pizzeria – for Neapolitan pizza

For the ultimate Neapolitan pizza in London, head to Stoke Newington (and be prepared to queue) for a seat in Vicoli di Napoli, as recommended in the book ‘Eat, Pray, Love’.

This Neapolitan family first began making pizza back in 1870, and the business is still going strong five generations later with sites in Naples, Tokyo and, London.

Go for the classic marinara or the margarita (with the option for double mozzarella). Each of the ingredients used is of the highest quality, from the thin, pillowy soft base to the sweet tomatoes and fresh peppery basil. facebook.com/vicolidinapolipizzeria

Fink's Sweet & Salt – for coffee and sandwiches

Fink’s Salt & Sweet is where the cool kids of Finsbury Park hang out at the weekend. Stripped-back interiors are the norm in hip parts of London but light spills in through the floor-to-ceiling windows of this desirable corner spot on to wooden floors, off-white tile and dark grey chipboard walls, and galvanized zinc counter and tables.

The counter and shelves heave with local produce – Balthazar bread, Dodd’s gin and jars of English Preserves that you can yourself spread onto sourdough toast for brunch. Go one step further with sobrasada (spreadable paprika sausage) brought over direct from Mallorca by a lady who lives down the road, drizzled with sweet honey. We’re going back in the summer for a locally cured House of Sverre salmon board with goat curd, seaweed and crackers, and a quince and aniseed spritz on the pavement outside. finks.co.uk

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Check out more London restaurant guides here:

Best restaurant in Peckham
Best restaurants in the City of London
Best restaurants in London Bridge
Best restaurants in Hackney
Best restaurants in Shoreditch
Best restaurants in Kings Cross
Best restaurants in Soho
Best restaurants in Fitzrovia
Best restaurants in Camden
Best restaurants in Brixton
Best restaurants in Notting Hill
Best restaurants in Covent Garden
Best restaurants in Paddington

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