Hi, Socks. What comes to mind when you think about north London right now?
Three words spring to mind when thinking about how to start this piece: MC and Florrie – the recent viral collaboration between two content creators showing two very different sides of north London.
This summer, I’m not quite sure whether north London girlies are going to Jolene bakery, Princess May Carboot or Green Lanes for tantuni. The reality of it is they’re probably going to Mother Restaurant for koobideh in Finchley Central, and to Ally Pally to watch some artist too Gen Z-67-Faah-Tiktok-y for me to know any of their songs.
Anyway, we’re not here to talk about the reality of north London; we’re here to talk about the other people and the other places they go.
Can you define these people?
We’re talking about the esoteric north London “elite” that cycle to Top Cuvee in meshed net ballet flats and the Chinese Adidas crop track jacket dothed the Item of the Season by Vogue or another publication.
They’re the people that may or may not actually be from north London (St Albans). Those that drink orange wine the colour of dehydrated wee in pubs that once used to have paisley print carpet and fruit machines and sold johnnies in the hall leading to the bathroom. Now the same pubs have tins of Perello olives with flowers in them.
And do they differ depending on which part of north London they live in?
North London is quite vast and depending on if you’re talking about NW, N or NE, you get very different opinions from people.
Gail’s had its window bashed in within nine hours of opening in Archway; yet merely metres down the road Norman’s (RIP) served Negronis and Stella alongside beans and “working class cosplay” set breakfasts. Some people online didn’t take well to their offering … yet they still had queues out the door every day.
Then if you look at NW, you’re looking at some of the most expensive real estate in Europe. Hampstead Village isn’t exactly a normal place to say you live, unless you holiday in Zermatt or Saint-Tropez.
To come back to the point, north London is an interconnected and underrated part of the city. Maybe your local is The Landseer Arms and The Plimsoll and you carry a tote bag full of rhubarb, root crops and a Third Space towel. Or you’re renting a flat in Finsbury Park with five other people, you go to Rowans on Friday night, go to PFC, Baban’s Naan and you work a normal person’s job like the rest of us. There’s something for everyone.
That’s the wonderful thing about it.
What will north Londoners be drinking this summer?
McCafferty’s does a nice pint of Guinness … and you can walk down the road from Shaun of the Dead after it. Or if we’re talking about the Birkenstocky Lotties then I imagine pet nat at Top Cuvee or Giacco’s.
And what will they be wearing?
Teal gardening shoes, a blue chore jacket, striped Breton, an Arcteryx beanie in 28c and their Banham keys on their belt loop carabiner.
What are some of the paradoxes of north Londoners?
There’s a lot of normal people living normal lives, and there’s a lot of people with shopping lists written on Moleskine A5 paper with things like: • Bone broth
• Sage
• Cooks matches
• Hessian cheese cloth
• Lambrusco
• Aged gouda
• Thimbles
• Pet nat/Chin Chin wine
What’s the best thing about nor th London and north Londoners?
There in my opinion is some of the most beautiful scenery and architecture in the whole of the city especially around Hampstead, Frognal and Alexandra & Ainsworth Estate. Walsingham 1–32 is one of those old housing blocks that a film star in the ’70s would’ve bought and it would’ve been the most opulent stylish thing to own at the time. It still has a concierge service with a small sectioned off driveway into a glass opened entrance; feels very Sophia Loren or Oliver Reed.
Finally, what are your hot tips for where to go this summer?
• Mother Restaurant, Finchley Central
• Liten Coffee, South Hampstead
• Oriental Star, Finchley Road
• McCafferty’s Bar, Crouch End
• Mannions Prince Arthur, Tottenham
• The Londis on Weston Park Road
• The WB Yeats, Finsbury Park
• The Shakespeare, Stoke Newington
• Xi’an Impression opposite Emirates stadium
