North London Food & Culture

Community Pinboard: Bubbles, Benches, Bargains


1. Drink in a Highly Elegant Pub Interior. We were pleased to hear Duncan from The Stag had just taken over The Star, a hidden gem on the fringes of Dartmouth Park. The pic says it all: that combination of bare wood, white tiling, pendant lamps and flickering candles is neighbourhood bar gold. He has big plans – but for now swing by if you’re in or around the Heath this weekend. Food’s not bad too: locally-sourced and hovering around the £10-14 mark. 47 Chester Road.

2. Get Free Stuff at Soho Hip.
We ran into lovely Debra (here pictured at her launch party) at the Summer Solstice and persuaded her to give you lot some freebies.

Visit her Tufnell Park boutique this weekend, spend over £10 and she’ll give you the cutest heart tea light for free. And a complimentary greetings card with every kid’s present too. 148 Fortess Road.


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3. Free bubbles at Pane Vino.
We also popped by Pane Vino – now boasting a burgundy exterior – to see what Stefania made of the review last week.

She was genuinely shocked to read some of the comments and would like to offer amends to Kentishtowner readers – a free glass of prosecco for every diner in the coming week. What have you got to lose?

4. Benches at Bean About Town.
Maybe we’re a bit slow on this but we are enjoying the new seating area. Perfect to sit, macchiato in hand, and gaze up at those big skies over the railway towards the Heath. Now there’s no excuse to pop to Pret if you want a seat with your brew.

And look closely now, that’s Pepper’s little head poking out.

5. Six Quid In The Manor.
Each week we’ll highlight something edible and bargainous. Today, a marguerita at the recently reopened Rossella, 103 Highgate Road. Thin crust base, topped with juicy tomatoes, a touch of basil and mozzarella. Throw in a sparkling mineral water and it’s £6 on the dot. Surprisingly good people-watching too from the ‘terrace’. Got a tip? Get in touch.

6. A New Start for Heroes?
It’s a bar that trouble seems to sniff out at regular intervals, but now the owner is applying to reopen as a gastropub with midnight curfew and no live music. Should be interesting – it’s an ancient boozer on what was the old highway, and deserves to continue as a hostelry in some form (rather than become yet more luxury flats).

What do you think?

And finally, don’t forget the fabulous Streetfeast – with 12 food stalls tonight – is on at Wilkin Street Mews for one extra week, but will definitely finish next Friday, June 29 (when it moves to Dalston – boo!)


8 thoughts on “Community Pinboard: Bubbles, Benches, Bargains”

  1. sorry to be such a stickler as I absolutely love your site, but could you maybe reconsider using the word ancient about things that are a few hundred years old. it makes me laugh and shout and raises my blood pressure every time. thanks

  2. The Castle Inn, which stood on the site originally, dated back to the 18th Century (possibly earlier) – isn’t that ancient (in the colloquial sense)? It would certainly seem that way to us. But it worries me that we’re sending your blood pressure shooting sky high so we’ll reconsider in future. Promise. And breathe…

    1. technically ancient is before the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 BC. Colloquially, however it is probably around about the year of my birth. Am breathing easy now. Thanks. As you were…

  3. Thanks for the heads up about the Dartmouth Park pub, but you’ve left out the name. it looks like the Star – are they planning to change the name? It’s a lovely pub already, I hope they don’t change it much.

  4. High Street Ken

    Can I recommend cash mobbing to the KT – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash_mob
    I’m a huge fan of the KT and indeed of Kentish Town and think the benefits would be multifold; the community aspect, sociability and economic viability (especially to small and privately owned businesses in Kentish Town) to name a few! Just a thought.
    G

Leave a Comment

8 thoughts on “Community Pinboard: Bubbles, Benches, Bargains”

  1. sorry to be such a stickler as I absolutely love your site, but could you maybe reconsider using the word ancient about things that are a few hundred years old. it makes me laugh and shout and raises my blood pressure every time. thanks

  2. The Castle Inn, which stood on the site originally, dated back to the 18th Century (possibly earlier) – isn’t that ancient (in the colloquial sense)? It would certainly seem that way to us. But it worries me that we’re sending your blood pressure shooting sky high so we’ll reconsider in future. Promise. And breathe…

    1. technically ancient is before the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 BC. Colloquially, however it is probably around about the year of my birth. Am breathing easy now. Thanks. As you were…

  3. Thanks for the heads up about the Dartmouth Park pub, but you’ve left out the name. it looks like the Star – are they planning to change the name? It’s a lovely pub already, I hope they don’t change it much.

  4. High Street Ken

    Can I recommend cash mobbing to the KT – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash_mob
    I’m a huge fan of the KT and indeed of Kentish Town and think the benefits would be multifold; the community aspect, sociability and economic viability (especially to small and privately owned businesses in Kentish Town) to name a few! Just a thought.
    G

Leave a Comment

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The award-winning print and online title Kentishtowner was founded in 2010 and is part of London Belongs To Me, a citywide network of travel guides for locals. For more info on what we write about and why, see our About section.