The Compass

In its previous incarnation as The Salmon and Compass, the upstairs room hosted gigs and the venue as a whole had a party atmosphere. Now reinvented as simply ‘The Compass’, the owners have decided to take the gastropub route, and the result is not too shabby at all.

Whilst the pub used to be more trad boozer than fancy bar, the downstairs is now filled with candlelit tables and dining couples. The upstairs hosts comedy nights and film screenings rather than raucous gigs.

Not only does the restaurant serve Gull’s eggs from Hampshire and snails from Somerset, they also make their own bread using flour from London’s last existing windmill and pickle their own vegetables. Some of the most delectable dishes include smoked pork belly with pickled red cabbage and Chateaubriand.

Even their Sunday roast shows imagination; beef bourguignon, Cornish fish stew and roast squash with pea shoots, goat’s cheese and pine nuts are all on the menu.

The bar has three different ales, bottled Corona, Moretti and St. Helier pear cider, Heineken, Amstel and a German wheat beer on draught, as well as a thoughtful choice of wines where Portuguese varieties reign. The list also includes Rioja, Cotes du Rhône, Malbec, Pinot Grigio, Pouilly-Fuisse and various champagnes that can set you back up to £130.

Its foodie aspirations have resulted in quality food sourced with local ingredients and a relaxing environment. Highly recommended for hungry Islington peeps.