"There aren’t many more therapeutic places to have a bowl of udon while listening to a podcast than Kissa Wa, a slow-paced Japanese cafe down the road from Highbury Corner. You’ll see solo readers settling down with bowls of noodles and umami-rich broth, while Islington parents muffle little ones with fist-sized onigiri. There’s basque cheesecake and excellent coffee, too. It’s a charming spot, even just for a 15-minute sit-down." - jake missing, sinead cranna