#15 Angel N1

i lived in Angel, Islington for 2 years and loved it! there is so much going on...restaurants, bars, pubs, theater, dance. and just a 20 minute bus ride from the center of town! here are some of my favourite places in Angel and the surrounding area.

#1 Sadlers Wells Theater - Rosebery Ave. EC1

Sadlers Wells theater has been in the same spot since since 1683, but was rebuilt about 10 years ago. it is the home of the Rambert Dance Company (who you really should see once). it is currently showing Matthew Bourne's "Swan Lake" which is superb. a great place for ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip hop, african dance and everything in between.

http://www.sadlerswells.com

#2 Covet - 21 Arlington Way EC1

this cute little boutique is behind Sadlers Wells on a narrow back street. hand made good with a vintage feel...perfect for a unique London souvenir or original handbag or purse

http://www.covetshop.co.uk/index.htm

#3 Gallipoli - Upper Street


small turkish restaurant and one of our favourite restaurants in London. the food is great, the waiters sing and hit pans, the atmosphere is great.if you go to Angel you have to go here!

http://www.cafegallipoli.com/indexcafe.html

#4 S&M Cafe - 4-6 Essex Road N1


probably not the S&M you are thinking of! this is sausage and mash, traditional London food. delicious sausages made with British meats, nostalgic decor (the restaurants look like 1950s cafes) and HUGE portions. now i am hungry!! oh and 5 more branches across London

http://www.sandmcafe.co.uk/

#5 The Duke of Cambridge - 30 St Peters Street N1


a pub with a difference. this is an organic 'gastropub'.the food (and some of the beer) is all organic and completely delicious. this pub is a lttle off the beaten track but very popular with the locals. go there for breakfast or lunch on sunday or dinner during the week. a great place!

#6 Euphorium Bakery Upper Street and Chapel Market N1


another place we used to go to every weekend for our sunday morning breakfast treats! we used to live about 20 meters away! this bakery is great nad the prices are very reasonable. try the garlic bread or the muesli bread (unfortunately it looks like they have stopped doing our favourite (blue cheese and walnut bread)) but a great place for a light lunch

http://www.euphoriumbakery.com/

#7 Tiger Lils - Upper Street N1


i had to add this restaurant too for it's individual style. you have to take a plate and choose your raw ingredients (meat or fish, vegetables, sauces) then take it to a chef who will cook your chosen dish in a wok an a roaring fire in front of you. oh and the food is delicious!

#8 Union Chapel - Compton Terrace N1


an amazing place to see live music. this is an old church! (actually they still hold services on sundays) but the rest of the week they hold concerts. the atmosphere is fantastic. they specialise in acoustic gigs. i saw noel gallagher of Oasis do and acoustic gig here, it was fantastic!

http://www.unionchapel.org.uk/pages/venue.html

#9 The Garage - 20-22 Highbury Corner N5 (far end of Upper Street)


this is one of London's best rock venues with concerts most nights of the week, from famous bands doing secret shows to up and coming unsigned bands. just turn up on the night, buy a ticket and be suprised! just dont but any drinks! (they are VERY expensive, like most venues in London!)

http://venues.meanfiddler.com/relentless-garage/home

#14 Dover Street Market - 17-18 Dover Street W1

without a doubt THE coolest shop in London...and it is Japanese!! opened by Kawakubo Rei (Commes des Garcons) and housing over 20 shops inside a 5 floor ex-office building on Dover Street, this is the most innovative and quirky shop there is. located in an area with no other shops, only offices, it is a little hard to find but well worth the look. i have only been here twice but i loved it! the labels they stock are great, the Rose Bakery on the 4th floor is really good and the atmosphere in the shop is unique...the only draw back is the staff who are generally "too cool for school"!
check their website for some really nice images of the shop...

www.doverstreetmarket.com

#13 Soho Pizzeria - 16-18 Beak Street W1

great pizza restaurant in the center of London, just at the end of Carnaby Street (which has lost all it's character in the last 10 years!) i used to eat her about once a week with my wife and friends when i worked down the road at the London Palladium. their "Fiorentina" pizza (spinach and egg) is superb, and i have just seen that they have added "goat's cheese on ciabatta" to the menu too! the atmosphere at night is really nice and they have live jazz most nights of the week. grab a bottle of Italian red wine, sit back and enjoy!

http://www.sohopizzeria.co.uk/

UPDATE

sorry people...all 20 of you who have read this...ha ha ha...i have been a very busy bloke, but i will be back soon with some more London stuff...watch this space