North London Food & Culture

Six of the best: Camden Town restaurants

Some top Camden Town dining options , from Japanese to Michelin-rated modern British

Simple, classic, stylish: Market on Parkway. Photo: PR
Simple, classic, stylish: Market on Parkway. Photo: PR

La Patagonia

Rustic Argentinian with buzzy atmosphere and characterful interior. Recommended are the rib-eyes, sweetbreads, and slow-cooked pork neck fillet with port plum sauce. But best of all is free range boneless chicken served marinated in whisky, garlic, lemon and rosemary and seared over the parrilla (charcoal grill). Moreish parsley and garlic fries too. Mains £15+ 31 High Street

Market

Juicy: fillet at La Patagonia
Juicy: fillet at La Patagonia
This small, simple dining room with exposed brick and salvaged-style chairs opened up back in 2007, quietly built up a loyal following – and a swanky Michelin Bib Gourmand for “good cooking at moderate prices”. It’s seasonal and no-frills: think salt beef with mash, sea bream and anchovy, rabbit gnocchi, but we can’t resist the rosy onglet, alioli and fries, £15.50. Two-course set lunch at just £10. 43 Parkway

Asakusa

With a well-worn interior, this is one of the capital’s best-value Japanese restaurants. Perfect, room-temperature sushi (a plate of nigiri might include salmon, tamago, scallop or sea bream) as well as skewers, stews, tempura, simmered bamboo shoots and kaki fry (deep fried oysters in breadcrumbs). Head also to Parkway for a wealth of other great Japanese restaurants including Shimogamo, Sushi Waka and – cheapest option – Bento Cafe. 265 Eversholt Street


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Made

It’s just shorted its name from Made in Camden (to emphasize a new, more relaxed approach) but this Michelin-rated (with a Bib Gourmand) is a true local classic. Imaginative small plates, mains and specials for those attending a show upstairs at the live venue: think monkfish carpaccio, duck croquettes, seafood casserole. Lunch sees a good value 3 courser for £11.95 Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road

Colonel Fawcett

Colonel Fawcett
Colonel Fawcett
Not strictly a restaurant, of course, but this is Camden Town’s foodiest pub, majoring on inventive British fare.

Try braised ox with onion purée, or “heritage” beetroot carpaccio. Sea bass is matched with very tomatoey consommé and five foraged herbs; sole with prawns and burnt butter. Mains from £10 1 Randolph Street

Poppies

Superb fish 'n' chips: Poppies
Superb fish ‘n’ chips: Poppies
Last month the Spitalfields original branch was named Best Independent Fish and Chips Restaurant in the UK. And its newish Camden sister is well and truly vying for the same accolade, twinned with the promise of 1940s theming and weekend live music. The classic cod (£11.90 or £13.90 for large) is light, fluffy and very plump beneath its thin and crispy batter. Mushy peas (£2.45) are a corker, with a rich pulse flavour. 20 Hawley Crescent

3 thoughts on “Six of the best: Camden Town restaurants”

  1. Still not enough love for ‘Shimo Gamo’ on Parkway- probably the best Japanese restaurant in NW1, if anything exemplified by the fact it is always full of Japanese people.

  2. List compiled by newbies no doubt – you can keep your rabbit gnocchi – why no El Parador or Camden Brasserie (even under new management)?

    Back in the day there was the excellent Cheng Du, on the site of today’s Bento, which provided Camden Town with a decent Chinese, which you can’t really find today (unless you go to Red n’ Hot on Chalton Street).

Leave a Comment

3 thoughts on “Six of the best: Camden Town restaurants”

  1. Still not enough love for ‘Shimo Gamo’ on Parkway- probably the best Japanese restaurant in NW1, if anything exemplified by the fact it is always full of Japanese people.

  2. List compiled by newbies no doubt – you can keep your rabbit gnocchi – why no El Parador or Camden Brasserie (even under new management)?

    Back in the day there was the excellent Cheng Du, on the site of today’s Bento, which provided Camden Town with a decent Chinese, which you can’t really find today (unless you go to Red n’ Hot on Chalton Street).

Leave a Comment

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