Lafarola Cafe & Bistro

This Upper street cafe has been around for more than a decade. It’s clearly not placing many steps wrong. La Farola is authentic Spanish food and organic ingredients in rustic, charming surroundings. Think of Spain in the first half of the twentieth century and you’ll have a decent idea of the environment this Islington eatery sits within. It is also what could be described as ‘cosy’ and ‘buzzy’.

It comes complete with modernist, industrial light fixtures, as well as the odd outlier (porcelain cup lights, anyone?) The menu ranges from the more antiquated to more modern dishes, but all focus on their Iberian staples:‘Jamon Iberico’, most of its more popular, from free-roam Iberian black pigs and reared on acorns. This is cured for at least one year and then sliced wafer-thin so that you can savour the delicate flavour. We wouldn’t be complete without ‘Manchego,’ the famous sheep’s cheese that most dishes will have as a default. We would also recommend Picos Bleu, a delicious blue, too.