Best restaurants in Camden: where to eat and drink

Plates trundle past laden with creative, sometimes eccentric, pairings: Cornish gouda paired with clotted cream fudge (it really works); Cropwell Bishop stilton with kimchi (creamy tang meets pickly tang); pecorino-style Spenwood with romesco, which tricks the senses into thinking it has tandoori vibes. And a favourite of the P&C team – whipped Rosary goat’s cheese doughnut, fresh and zesty, complemented by apricot and vanilla jam. It’s the kind of line-up that encourages you to be adventurous, grazing your way through Britain’s best cheesemakers while sipping natural wine or a crisp craft beer.

Beyond the belt the menu also offers more substantial comforts: gooey five-cheese toasties, truffle-laden mac ’n’ cheese and seasonal small plates. Service is breezy and informal, perfectly suited to the market’s energy, yet the quality of the cheese is treated with the reverence it deserves. thecheesebar.com

Epicurus – for a twist on an American diner

Tucked in Camden Market’s The North Yard, Epicurus reinvents the American diner with bold Levantine flavours. Chef duo Shiri Kraus and Amir Batito craft a menu that’s rich, playful and perfect for sharing.

Start with corn wedges in an oozing raclette, a refreshing slaw with yogurt dressing, orange and nigella seeds, or crispy onion rings with a spiced aioli. The Epicurus Single Decker is a standout burger – dry-aged smash patty, bone marrow aïoli, taleggio, rocket and sweet harissa bacon jam.

For something different, the Sloppy Yossef blends sloppy beef in burik pastry with Tel Aviv style sloppy joe and smoky cheese – messy, indulgent and best ripped apart by hand. Then there’s the Dakdakim pancakes, an unexpected mixture of chicken shawarma laced pancakes topped with spiced quince and harissa bacon jam: sweet, savoury and utterly moreish.

Drinks are just as fun – shakes for the diner experience or cocktails with a twist. The Fez Fizz, served in a teapot, infuses Moroccan gin with tea for a fragrant, refreshing hit.

Epicurus isn’t just a place for a meal, it’s a flavour-packed adventure that shakes up tradition in all the right ways. epicuruscamden.co.uk

Dhakaah – for Bangladeshi street food

The newest addition to Camden Market’s polished Hawley Wharf, Dhakaah offers Bangladeshi street food with a mission to bring more of the country’s culture to the UK. Set up on the second floor of the food court, it’s a casual space ideal for a speedy meal and drinks before heading out into the bustling high street. The menu is a mixture of snacks, small plates and a few larger dishes, alongside drinks that put a South Asian spin on cocktail favourites. Start with the crunchy potato-filled fuchka (similar to pani puri) and spiced peyaju (dhal fritters) while sipping on a Bangladeshi lemon G&T, or a dirty martini flavoured with the Indian olive-like fruit jolpai. For alcohol-free options, there’s classic creamy lassi and borhani, a yogurt-based drink spiked with a little green chilli, coriander and mint. Bigger plates include a spicy beef kathi curry in a flaky parota and free-range chicken with caramelised onion, nuts and masala flavours, plus there’s ice cream-adjacent kulfi if you fancy something sweet afterwards. dhakaah.com

Camden Market – for street food

Open since 1974, Camden Market combines creative sellers with street-food traders and independent shops, open every day from 10am-late. There are more than 75 food and drink options, so whether you want fluffy Dutch pancakes, fresh sea bass ceviche or bowls of pho, you’ll be catered for.

Only Jerkin’ dishes up chicken nuggets in ginger beer batter along with signature jerk gravy, or, if you’re after something fresher, head to Lords of Poké for bowls of fluffy rice topped with zingy pickled veg. It’s not just food on the go – you can stock up on sweet snacks to take away, from blocks of halva from SesamMe, to salted caramel truffles at Lili’s Chocolates. camdenmarket.com

Purezza – for vegan pizza

The UK’s first 100% vegan pizzeria, Purezza specialises in plant-based pizzas that respect the Neapolitan heritage. Where possible, this means using alternative versions of animal products, such as a plant-based mozzarella, which took more than two years to develop – this organic cheese (that’s dairy-free, low in fat and allergen-free) is made with brown rice milk and is unique to Purezza. In 2018, the restaurant secured investment to begin producing the cheese from a factory for retail. The original Brighton restaurant opened in 2015 and was followed three years later by a Camden branch and plans for more later this year. In 2018, Purezza won National Pizza of the Year for its Parmigiana Party pizza, despite being the only plant-based entrant. purezza.co.uk

Luminary Bakery – for cakes

Founded by Alice Williams, Luminary Bakery is a social enterprise bakery which provides opportunities for disadvantaged women to learn new skills to find employment in the food industry. Their second branch (the first in Stoke Newington) opened on Chalk Farm Road late 2019 serving fresh bread, beautiful cakes and light lunches. Pop in for fluffy scones, honeycomb blondies and vegan peanut butter cookies. The must-try? A squidgy bakewell bun. luminarybakery.com

Poppies Fish and Chips – for fish and chips

With a 1940s vibe and retro memorabilia in each shop, Poppies Fish and Chips is the place to go for old-school classics in a fun environment. Super-fresh fish is delivered each morning via Billingsgate Fish Market, with an in-house fishmonger, Salih, preparing the daily catch. Tuck into hand-peeled prawn cocktails and calamari rings, and, for mains, choose between lemon sole, plaice, mackerel or classic cod and haddock, all served with a side of chips. Still hungry? Stock up on extra sides, be it homemade mushy peas, bread and butter or pickled onions. poppiesfishandchips.co.uk

The Fields Beneath– for coffee and vegan breakfast

The Fields Beneath in Kentish Town has three aims – to make great coffee and great food, and to make veganism normal. The colourful spot mixes exposed brickwork with mosaic tiles and blackboards with the menu written in vibrant chalk. For breakfast tuck into glossy baps filled with tofu, mushroom bacon and smoky tomato sauce, or cinnamon waffles with nut butter if you fancy something sweet. All day the counter is covered in tempting baked goods (a few of which are gluten-free, too), from peanut butter bars and chewy cookies to slices of quinoa and berry cake. thefieldsbeneath.com

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