London area of Islington guide

What to do and where to stay in London's Islington neighbourhood

Islington mixes elegant Georgian squares inhabited by London's liberal elite with some rough-and-ready bits. This vibrant borough has a thriving fringe theatre scene and a bustling nightlife, centred on the clubs, bars and restaurants of Upper Street, and, if you're planning on partying, the hotels here are a good option. The specialist shops and boutiques in the renowned Camden Passage Antiques Gallery and the surrounding area are an excellent place to buy antiques and bric-a-brac. The area is also home to Arsenal, one of London's biggest football clubs, and The King's Head Theatre, the first and best of London's theatre pubs. Nestled between Essex Road and Upper Street, Canonbury boasts the delightful New River walk, while just south of Angel you'll find a very pretty stretch of the canal.

See our recommended nearby Islington Hotels, Events, Entertainment, Sights and Attractions, Shopping, Restaurants, Pubs, Nightlife, Leisure, Education, and Meeting Venues.

Jurys Inn Islington Hotel
London > Hotels > Budget Chain Hotel
60 Pentonville Road, N1
The decor when you walk into reception is fresh and modern and this first impression extends throughout the hotel to the bedrooms, bar and restaurant. It’s ... More

 

 

Thistle City Barbican Hotel
London > Hotels > Budget Chain Hotel
Central Street, EC1V
Near to the City, and convenient for the The Barbican arts centre and Moorfields Eye Hospital, this hotel is modern, clean and functional. Equipped with its ... More

 

 

Holiday Inn London Kings Cross - Bloomsbury
London > Hotels > Mid-Range Chain Hotel
1 Kings Cross Road, WC1X
Halfway between the City and the west End, the Bloomsbury area is an oasis of calm in the very heart of the capital. It's a lovely ... More

 

 

Hotels in Islington

 

Saturday Puppet Club
London > Events > Kids Events
The Little Angel Theatre, 14 Dagmar Passage, Islington, London N1
New to the Little Angel's Saturday club, for members only, is a workshop where participants (aged 5 to 8 and 9 to 11) can create a ... More

 

 

New Designers
London > Events > Exhibitions
Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington, London N1
Young designers gather in their thousands to showcase their fresh and innovative creations at the Business Design Centre this summer. Acting as a springboard for young ... More

 

 

Events in Islington

 

The Screen on the Green
London > Entertainment > Cinemas
83 Upper Street, London, Islington, London N1
One of the most striking cinema facades in the city (especially at night when it's all illuminated in startling red and white), the dinky Screen on ... More

 

 

The King's Head
London > Entertainment > Theatres
115 Upper Street, London, Islington, London N1
London's original pub theatre is located in the back room at the The King's Head. It was founded in 1970 by the pub's owner, Dan Crawford, ... More

 

 

The Little Angel Theatre
London > Entertainment > Theatres
14 Dagmar Passage, London, Islington, London N1
The Little Angel Theatre was founded by John Wright in 1961 in a derelict temperance hall in Islington. Every type of puppet is used, and themes, ... More

 

 

Entertainment in Islington

 

The Little Angel Theatre
London > Attractions > Activities for Kids
14 Dagmar Passage, Cross Street, Islington, London, Islington, London N1
This innovative children's theatre provides a showcase for the art of puppetry. Founded by master puppeteer John Wilkes in the early 1960s, this small, unusual theatre ... More

 

 

Sights and Attractions in Islington

 

Cass Art
London > Shopping > Art and Design
66-67 Colebrooke Row, Islington, London, Islington, London N1
The flagship store of this art mini-chain stocks something for everyone from the eager beginnner to the consumate expert - water colours, oils, drawing and much ... More

 

 

Camden Passage
London > Shopping > Markets
Camden Passage, London, Islington, London N1
Hidden down a cobble-stoned Angel backstreet a whimsical collection of odds and ends have been gathered together on a selection of market stalls (not to be ... More

 

 

Jewel
London > Shopping > Jewellery
16 Camden Passage, London, Islington, London N1
A showcase for two jewellery designers Lesley Vik Waddell and Kirt Holmes, this is a very pretty little shop and is filled with deliciously frivolous trinkets ... More

 

 

Shopping in Islington

 

Afghan Kitchen
London > Restaurants > Middle Eastern restaurants
35 Islington Green, London, Islington, London N1
Angel is full of exotic eateries, many of them ridiculously overpriced, and so Afghan Kitchen comes as a spice-infused gust of fresh air. 'Kitchen' is indeed ... More

 

 

Kipferl
London > Restaurants > 20 Camden Passage, Islington, London N1
One of the few restaurants in the city offering authentic Austrian cuisine, Kipferl in Islington's cute Camden Passage may look like a cake shop - Kipferl ... More

 

 

Frederick's
London > Restaurants > International restaurants
106 Camden Passage, London, Islington, London N1
An Islington institution, Frederick's is a family-run restaurant with a metropolitan feel serving up modern European cuisine to the area's well-heeled diners. Located besides the antique ... More

 

 

Restaurants in Islington

 

The Old Queen's Head
London > Nightlife > Pubs
44 Essex Road, London, Islington, London N1
A gorgeous antique interior, a delicious menu and some top DJs at weekends. The Old Queen's Head opened with a fantastic recipe for success in 2006 ... More

 

 

Duke of Cambridge
London > Restaurants > Gastropub
30 St Peter's Street, London, Islington, London N1
This pioneering organic pub has done a good job of going gastro without losing the atmosphere of a proper boozer. In part, this is due to ... More

 

 

The North One Bar
London > Nightlife > Pubs
1 Tolpuddle Street, London, Islington, London N1
This refurbished pub / bar has been highly recommended by a number of readers, and we found it very pleasant. The interior is absolutely standard, and ... More

 

 

Pubs in Islington

 

Colebrookes
London > Nightlife > Wine Bars
69 Colebrooke Row, Islington, London, Islington, London N1
If the Government want to encourage more of a European café culture, they should send someone down to Colebrookes to take a look. Colebrookes takes the ... More

 

 

Embassy Bar
London > Nightlife > Bars
119 Essex Road, London, Islington, London N1
North London favourite The Embassy obviously has a good way with their staff. It really makes a difference when the bar people seem to be enjoying ... More

 

 

Anam
London > Nightlife > Bars
3 Chapel Market, London, Islington, London N1
Retro-trendy, infectiously popular, and staunchly pioneering London's first Irish cocktail bar is a welcome addition to Islington's portfolio of drinking venues. A heady mix of curved ... More

 

 

Nightlife in Islington

 

Thames River Adventures
London > Leisure > River Thames & Regents Canal, London, Islington, London N1
Danny Gillard and his team at Thames River Adventures offer kayak tours of the river Thames and London's canals. Early risers can see the city before ... More

 

 

Leisure in Islington

 

The Make Lounge
London > Education > Evening Classes
49-51 Barnsbury Street, London, Islington, London N1
The Make Lounge runs craft workshops where you can learn how to sew, decorate, stick and cook in a relaxed and friendly setting. With 'make do ... More

 

 

Education in Islington

 

Business Design Centre
London > Business > Venue Hire
52 Upper Street, London, Islington, London N1
Exhibitors love this venue and it's easy to see why. The Business Design Centre in Islington is in a great location just one mile from The ... More

 

 

Little Angel Theatre
London > Business > Venue Hire
14 Dagmar Passage off Cross Street, Islington, London, Islington, London N1
A teeny, tiny and wonderful puppet theatre located in a hidden side road backing onto a green church yard ideal for spontaneous picnics with goodies from ... More

 

 

Meeting Venues in Islington