Oldroyd

It is the most unlikely of restaurant. A small space tastefully done up to feel like a wood cabin. A even smaller kitchen producing spectacular food. The ingredients scream quality. The food is nuanced and cooked with car. The lunch menu is excellent value for money. And a big thank you for the waitress and chef, who really made sure that the food was gluten allergy. A brilliant place if you have food preferences, restrictions or allergies.

The menu is creative and shows a lot of effort put in. The menu changes quite often so you're unlikely to try anything you see in the pictures. We loved the grilled baby gem and smoked eel. The skate wing in brown butter was tasty, but perhaps a tad too oily. It needed something sour to cut through the oil. The steak was good as well, but could be more tender.

Fantastic little place, all of the food was cooked incredibly well. We visited on meat free Monday and found all of the dishes (bread, potatoes in aioli, artichoke and leek, mushroom tagliatelle and spiced cauliflower) all fantastic. Finished off with honeycomb mousse. Two full up and satisfied customers. Highly recommend and very good value for money!

I highly recommend this gem of a place. It's in a great location on Upper Street, just a couple of mins from Angel Station. It's a very unassuming looking place, I've lived in the area for a couple of years and never noticed it. It's a clean and minimal setting but the food is truly excellent. The menu isn't big and is designed to share so you can taste lots of things. I believe the menu changes frequently but if the croquettas are an option when you go, get them!

Very very underwhelming experience, especially for the price we paid. The food was presented in such an underwhelming manner, I didn’t even feel like touching some of it. Taste wise I can see the chef trying to be experimental and innovative with styles but they too felt flat. The only redeeming dish was the stuffed pasta. I’d skip this place honestly.

Really small place with unexpectedly good food. We ve been there for a quick monday lunch and found their meat free 10 pounds lunch offer. We ordered: Starter(5£extra) - peas and mint croquettes with (probably homemade)mayo :3/5 ( good tasting and smooth texture, show of technique but very small portion ) Mains -peach,raw and roasted zucchini, peashoots , grated almonds, light basil pesto and sour cheese sauce : 5/5 ( portion was small too but very nice balance, this dish tells a story, if i wanted to be really critical i would say it just needed the zucchini to be roasted on a harder flame to retain same texture but deeper roasting and some maldon salt on top) -tagliatelle with parmesan/garlic sauce, roasted leeks, parsley 4/5 (Again nice taste, not as eclectic as the peach dish but equally satisfying ,very rich sauce, to raise criticism level i would cook the tagliatelle one minute less) The lunch was too brief to evaluate floor service we will definitely be coming again :)

Great little place in Angel, small but tasty menu mainly composed of modern British and European dishes. Cozy though you end up sitting very close to your neighbours. Nice to be able to see the chef's cooking. Lentils and croquettes are great for starters. The malfatti for main have a bit too much spinach and could be smoother. The Babette steak is good. Overall good quality for adequate price.

Delicious food, looks fresh, well dressed, fair portions. The place is small or cosy, you decide. Good service. I loved it.

Great use of fresh fruits and vegetables. Cozy vibe. Falfetti - 5/5. Must get. Unlike anything I've had before. Spinach, mozzarella, parmesan balls in a reach broth with greens on top to provide texture. Brilliant in concept and execution. Prunes with cheese - 4.5/5. Perfectly ripe, flavorful prunes complimented with a heavy douse of olive oil and cheese to add richness. Nice crunch from the pumpkin seeds. There's at least 3x too much cheese and the pumpkin seeds are rather bitter but great dish. Mushroom Tagliatelle - 3/5. Very nice pasta and nice wild mushrooms. But more of a single note compared to the wonderful balance of the other dishes.

What a great find. This tiny, quaint place in Angel might be one of the best hidden gems in London. The menu is seasonal, the recipes are based on English ingredients and the ambiance is something special. Don't be dissuaded by the unassuming exterior of the building. Once entering you'll be taken up a narrow spiral ladder to the top floor. There's enough room for 10 tables in this space, but that's part of what gives Oldroyd it's character. The food is pricey, but the taste lives up to the price. I ordered the bavarian steak with courgette. I even requested that the courgette (zucchini) be fried rather than grilled and was very appreciative when the chef could make the adjustment. The steak as perfectly rare and the courgette-based sauce with capers made me savor every bite. This might be my go-to spot to take friends who are visiting and believe that London is only good for cuisines from other countries.

The new restaurant from the former Polpo/Polpetto head honcho!!! It reminds me of Polpetto but with a little bit of French touch. All our dishes tasted great: we had the smoked haddock croquettas with gribiche sauce. The Stone Bass crudo was my favourite The brown shrimp, finnish caviar and clams tagliani was really tasty The old spot pork chop with lentis was delish! The Bergamot lemon posset was really good a bit heavy but we shared it so that was fine I will definitely come back worth every penny

I've walked past this restaurant a thousand time and never realized it was there. It is small. Very small. Overly cute small. Tiny. Like really really tiny (12 seats). The description here says american restaurant, but it's really a classic british restaurant. Set menu for lunch is £15 for two courses and £18 for three. You then choose from the very small menu (yes it's tiny as well, 3 starters, 3 mains, 3 deserts), but it was great. I would say it's the perfect place for a quick but nice lunch break for 1. I had the ricotta and spinach dish with mushroom sauce and grilled sage then butter chocolate ice cream (I was just out from spin class and was not going to ruin my efforts). Waiter was really nice and the whole place was so quiet.

Oldroyd is a narrow but two storied restaurant that has a super casual, slightly ramshackle feel to it. Don't expect slick decor. It's all about a laid back vibe and friendly service. The staff are very welcoming and all smiles. The dishes are designed to be shared and between the two of us, we shared a starter (which our waiter said was more like nibbles) and three mains. Given all the rave reviews, the food was surprisingly underwhelming. The Cornish crab croquetas with rouille were perfectly fried and crunchy but tasted bland. If you'd asked me to guess what the filling was, I wouldn't have said crab. The rouille, which should have been garlicky and vibrant, didn't add much either. The first main that arrived was the iron bark pumpkin, kohlrabi, wet walnut & cow curd salad. It was fresh and colourful to look at but was underseasoned and lacking in flavour. I was expecting sweet chunks of pumpkin which should have stood out against the rest of the dish but these were fairly bland, resulting in a fairly lacklustre salad. The oxtail and black olive fettuccine was good but the ragu lacked the richness I was expecting from the oxtail. As the sauce was so light, it didn't compete well with the wide strands of fettuccine. The braised cuttlefish, fennel, coco beans & cima di rape was probably the best dish we had. The cuttlefish was perfectly cooked and not rubbery at all. But the dish resembled a big crostini with the cuttlefish etc heaped on a slice of rustic bread. I think this would have worked better as a starter. We had a good time at Oldroyd and the service was spot on. However, the food was a letdown.

Sweetbreads were close to classic - seared to have a slight crisp, still tender on the inside, with a little citrus or vinegar in the sauce to lighten the offal. The texture was great, my husband thinks the best he's ever had, without as much unctuousness as sweetbreads we've had elsewhere - I didn't feel my heart clogging after eating one. The Whipped Cod's Roe was a fat dollop of fluffy dip with 5 breakfast radishes, root to leaf. I still can't make out what the base for the dip was (it might just be butter), but it was freshly fishy and went well with the mild radishes. To Oldroyd staff - there was a tiny bit of grit in the leaves. The whole roast sea bream felt like a steal at £16. The fish was barely seasoned, and slightly overcooked, but served with a tomato, agretti and fennel salad that brightened everything. Side of broccolini with chilis and melted garlic was no more nor less than described. My husband does not eat dessert, but he enjoyed more than a healthy amount of the jersey cream on the lemon tart. The tart wasn't special - a lemon pie where the edges had toughened a little. However, that cloud of cream was special - not whipped, but not soupy, and slightly orange. This may be normal for Jersey cream, but I'm new here. This was our first meal after moving to London from San Francisco, so my pricing scale is off. However, I gawked at how inexpensive items were, down to the Rose special for £5. We'll see if the GBP gets it's groove back and my spending habits can't keep up with international markets.

More of a 3.5... but the large plates brought it up to a 4. We're always trying to find new places to try. So, a seasonal menu with small plates (we love ordering a slew of small bites!), a laidback and casual vibe AND super close to where we live? We were sold :) When we called a couple days before to try and make a reservation, they sadly told us that they were booked; however, they always saved some tables for walk-ins. We decided to risk it and rushed from work. We were lucky as we were able to get a prime spot overlooking the hustle and bustle of Angel. Soon after, the other tables downstairs filled up and people began to get turned away! There were a few tables even set up outside for those brave enough to weather the cold. It's best to book as the space is really small. Probably enough for 10 downstairs with seating for maybe an additional 20 upstairs. I was able to check out the upstairs as that is where the bathroom was and it felt really cramped. I actually much preferred the downstairs which due to the large glass entryway brought in a good amount of light, making the room feel a bit more airy. We decided to start with some cocktails. I had the spotless martini which was described as a gin martini served dry with a twist, olive or pickled onion (£9) and Adam was in the mood for the Oldroyd mary - Oldroyd spiced vodka, chipotle & fresh tomato, pickled pepper (£8). We both love a good Bloody Mary but it's definitely been difficult in London. The one at Oldroyd was good, not the best but definitely one of the better ones we've had. As per usual, even though Adam asked for it spicy, there was no spice to be found. A couple shakes of Tabasco and it was pretty good. My martini was really nice and well-made though very tiny. It was almost laughable the size of the glass when it came to the table. BUT, it was a really strong drink, so I don't think I needed a hi-ball glass of it :D As we looked over the small menu (4 small plates/appetizers, 6 large plates/mains and 2 sides) everything sounded really fantastic. We opted to start with two of the small plates: the smoked pork belly & pea croquettas, truffle mayonnaise (£4) and the Mazzancolle prawn alla griglia, gremolata (£3.50 each). We love a good croquetta and this one was freshly fried. While the truffle mayonnaise was superb, the croquetta was underwhelming as it was pretty bland. We couldn't taste any smokiness and if we didn't know what was supposed to be in the croquetta, there was no way we could have guessed. The prawn was fresh but, unfortunately, slightly overcooked and the shell was burned in places. This lead to a bitterness that made this dish unappetizing. We were feeling a bit underwhelmed at this point and were nervous as we had ordered 4 of the large plates. However, Oldroyd completely redeemed themselves with the large plates. The Cornish crab tagliarini provencal, brown crab rouille (£9) was incredible. The pasta was so thin and delicate and the sauce with the fresh and sweet crab were perfect. We thought about ordering another. Definitely get this if you go. The lamb & almond meatballs, salsa romesco & pickled garlic (£7.50) was another highlight. The meatballs were flavorful, tender and moist (hate a dry meatball!) and the pickled garlic was such a nice surprise adding some acidity to cut through the fattiness of the dish. The addition of almond in the meatballs was also fantastic and we loved the crunch it added. We also ordered the mackerel, beetroot & horseradish (£9). The fish was cooked really well but, it was a bit of an unmemorable dish. Lastly, we opted for the grilled pork ribeye, lentils & salsa verde (£14). This was so delicious. The pork was cooked perfectly - tender and juicy and went really well with the homemade salsa verde. The lentils were still firm but retained great flavor. This was a definite standout as well. We also thought we should get something to balance all of this meat and opted for the heritage tomato & green bean salad, béarnaise reduction (£4.50). The mix of tomatoes were sweet and fresh and went well with the crunchy and sweet green beans. We loved the béarnaise reduction with the tart flavors in balancing the sweetness of the other components. After all of that, there was no way we would be able to order dessert, though they had a selection of four desserts with one being a cheese plate. While there were a couple of issues with our starters, the large plates were fantastic overall. It's definitely a nice addition to the area, so stop by and order a bunch of plates (especially the tagliarini and pork!).

Seriously, fantastic food and excellent portion sizes for your money. I called a few hours beforehand for dinner and grabbed a solo seat at the bar. Note, the place is tiny overall. Still, I liked the relaxed vibe and the food coming fairly quickly. I ordered the yellow peach, broad bean and goat's curd panzanella and the spinach and ricotta malfatti, girolles and crispy sage. Easily, each of those dishes could be a dinner alone, as the first is hefty and the second is so deliciously rich, you don't need anything else. Yes, it's salty but SO FREAKING GOOD. The rich goat's curd the panzanella is draped in could make we weep for happiness. The peach offsets the dairy marvelously. The malfatti is FREAKING DELICIOUS OMGGGG. Five plump balls are in this incredible sauce. Their texture is dense, as they are stuffed well with spinach and ricotta. I didn't order drinks but the wines and cocktails sound interesting. The background music - an interesting mix of pop, indie and oldie music- isn't played too loud, which is a rare find in London restaurants.

Quaint little hole-in-the-wall restaurant in the Angel area. The dishes are for family style serving, but some are so good that requires a 2nd order. The steak and zuchinni is that one dish that we couldn't get enough of..... MUST ORDER!!!!!!!

The perfect local restaurants (luckily, I live nearby). The menu's short but perfectly crafted. Highlights of the meal was the crab pasta and the radishes with roe, which were both perfectly balanced, simple yet exciting dishes! Prices are similar to other laces doing small places of a similar quality. It might seem a bit steep for Angel, but take my word on it, it is worth every penny!

Everything a restaurant should be. I cannot believe it took me this long to find this gem; I cannot find a complaint. The food is fantastic and priced at a fair price point, the service is attentive without being annoying, lovely wines, cannot wait to go back.

Oldroyd is one of the hottest new restaurants in Islington, having come from Polpo alum Tom Oldroyd. It's near the Angel end of Upper Street, right near Camden Passage and Islington Green. The upstairs part of the restaurant takes reservations, but when I called just the day before we wanted to come for dinner, I was told that there were no available reservations until 10 PM and that it was best to try the downstairs no reservations area before 7 PM. My flatmates and I came after work at 6:45 PM, only to be advised that the wait would be 45 minutes. It's not a large restaurant so we waited outside by the neighboring kebab shop. The estimate was not too far off, and it's definitely hard for them because they have only 8 seats at tables inside, 3 seats at a bar by the kitchen, and 3 seats against the window. They also managed to have 4 seats outside because it was a summer evening, but I imagine that won't be available as it gets closer to winter. As for the food, for a group of 3 we were advised that if we got one of the larger mains (the crab tagliarini or the pork ribeye), then we only needed 3 of the mains and a side or two. They were out of the monkfish special (which sounded really lovely), so we went for the crab tagliarini, the lamb & almond meatballs, and a confit swordfish served with beans. We also got a starter of smoked pork belly & pea croquettes with truffle mayonnaise and the zucchini fries. Of all that, the croquettes were absolutely divine. It wasn't like Social Wine & Tapas' croquettes where all you could taste was the meat, but this one was all about the truffle (and they were very generous with the truffle mayonnaise!). In my opinion, the crab tagliarini was far too sour (I think it was lemon juice or something), and the confit swordfish tasted like a cross between tuna and chicken (the dry flaky feeling). The lamb & almond meatballs were ok, but was heavy on the tomato sauce and didn't stand out from a regular serving of meatballs. We were very happy with the zucchini fries (isn't it funny that they called it zucchini and not courgette?) though they could have used some sea salt or be served with ketchup. I imagine that this is the type of place that will keep changing its menu, and given that it is still in its early days, there is a lot to look forward to. I want to love this restaurant, I really do, but I think I will have to give the menu another go to be truly impressed.

Just open a week, and we went to check it out. Nice independent feel, friendly and welcoming staff, and excellent food. Menu is not large, but innovative and delicious. Our group of 4 had no problems finding plenty to satisfy everyone. FANTASTIC addition to Angel/Islington - and a welcome relief from the march of soul-less chain restaurants overtaking London. HIGHLY recommended

Tiny and plain, with very friendly service. The food was good but not exceptional. The zucchini fries were greasy (think about it: zucchini are very absorbent). The wine was good. Would I go back? Maybe, if I were in the neighborhood.

Could only get a 10.30pm booking but worth the wait. Food and service were excellent! Particularly like the croquettes with truffles sauce