Saltine Review - Highbury - London - The Infatuation
"With its exposed brick walls, mid-century chairs, and alumni chef, Saltine in Highbury could be mistaken for just another small plates restaurant. In some ways, it is. You can drink whiffy pét nat and eat lush crab on toast, and the bathrooms have a whole hand-painted Matisse-ish thing going on. Only Saltine isn’t just trendy, it’s friendly too. You’ll see babies being bopped, as well as chips and gravy being mopped up. Sure, there are imperfections, but few cool London restaurants feel as warm as this one. Run by the team behind , this gallery-feeling space is an aesthete’s dream for dates and anyone open to a bit of afternoon daydreaming. There’s a cafe-cum-bar up front—as good for a pastry first thing as it is for bits on toast with a glass of something later on. And the light-filled dining room is a comfortable haven whether you’re planning to eat crispy potato cakes with a buggy, or splitting langoustines and béarnaise with your best pal. Come dinner, it’s a bit of a low-lit EVOO and clog convention, but a lovely one at that. You can have pickled mussels and an elegant pumpkin salad, fantastic chunky chips or a satisfying (but sadly not spectacular) osso bucco on risotto Milanese. Sometimes it’s great, sometimes it’s just fine. Sometimes what you’re missing is closer to home than you think. In Saltine’s case, it’s bolder seasoning. Back when it was Famous Chicken N Pizza, you might trudge in here post-match to bemoan Arsenal over a few hot wings. Now, wheelchairs can roll easily, big families take the open booths, and the sticky toffee apple cake is a unanimous plate-licker. Saltine isn’t unimprovable, but it’s got the makings to be a brilliant neighbourhood restaurant for Highbury. " - Jake Missing
