Where exactly is it? The six-mile long Green Lanes, one of the longest roads in the capital, covers an impressive five North London postcodes. Harringay’s main shopping street is a lively mix of Kurdish and Turkish bakeries, grocers, cafes, bars and restaurants.
So how do you get there? Its shiny orange Overground station is just nine minutes from Gospel Oak – and equally accessible from northeast hotpots like Walthamstow or Leyton. Or you can walk from Kentish Town or Tufnell Park in around 45 minutes; a pleasant enough stroll.
So what goes on there? It’s home to one of London’s largest Turkish communities: if you’re a fan of this cuisine, as we most definitely are, you’re spoilt for choice.
Two restaurants I’ve enjoyed here are Gökyüzu (26-28 Grand Parade, Green Lanes N4), established for 23 years and so popular they expanded a few years back into a vast new adjoining space; and, a few minutes’ walk further north, Selale (1-2-3, Salisbury Promenade, Green Lanes N8, pictured above).
Expect complimentary freshly baked flatbread, dips and generous salad as standard; and textbook mains such as chicken shish skewered and grilled over charcoal, or lamb chops, the fat scorched, the flesh rosily juicy. To wash it down? A classic dry, fruity Yakut, the popular Turkish house wine.
Less impressive? Hala (29-31 Grand Parade): despite its smart interior, the grilled meats just didn’t have the same tenderness and flavour.
What about brunch? Try the new branch of famed East London bakery Dusty Knuckle: both our sandwiches were exemplary (pictured above), the grilled halloumi with corn romesco (as well as coriander, mint, baby gem, spring onion and chilli) having the edge over a slightly wetter courgette, kohlrabi slaw, green beans, crispy onions, tahini and mortadella. Punchy iced coffee too, and zingy, life-giving fresh juice for a hungover Sunday.
How about a pub crawl? Easy. Start at the area’s big-balled old boozer, the 1899-built Grade II-listed Salisbury (1 Grand Parade N4, main pic above), a magnificent fun-palace that, with its French Renaissance style – all gables and cupolas – evokes something of the St Pancras Hotel. Its succession of nooks, as well as engraved mirrors and art nouveau details, are all lit by roaring fires in winter: grab a corner perch and admire the merlot-coloured walls and painted cornices. Meanwhile, in this relentlessly baking hot summer, sit outside or in the airier front bar, pictured below. (Movie trivia fans will enjoy the fact that 1980s classic The Long Good Friday and 1992 movie Chaplin were also shot here).
And then? Walk a few minutes north to Jam in The Jar (599a Green Lanes N8), which whips up potent libations at reasonable prices, with bands playing some nights. Or try the secret garden at Brouhaha (501 Green Lanes N4), a candlelit craft beer bar that serves all the usual north London breweries – as well as a fine negroni. Another all-day coffee, tapas and cocktail spot that we recommend is Abraço, pictured above, whose airy interior opens onto the street; look out for a ‘secret’ rear garden opening soon.
One for the road? It has to be lively institution The Finsbury, just a few minutes’ walk south towards Manor House: its large roadside terrace is leafy and always busy, the live music is always worth catching – we loved Margate-based feminist punk band Pink Suits the other Saturday – and it’s open late at weekends.
Don’t miss: stocking up on fresh breads, baklava and other sweet treats at Yasar Halim, pictured above, the Turkish-Cypriot bakery that’s a local institution (493 Green Lanes), and has been trading in the same spot since 1987. Its eponymous founder passed away in 2020 at the age of 77.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this, perhaps you could help us out, too? Kentishtowner is now in its 12th year, but with the demise of our free independent monthly print titles due to advertising revenues, we need your support more than ever to continue delivering cultural stories that celebrate our neighbourhood. Every contribution is invaluable in helping the costs of running the website and the time invested in the research and writing of the articles published. Support Kentishtowner here for less than the price of a coffee – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
