Best-of list · City Guide
The best bars in Islington and Angel London — from craft beer pubs on Upper Street to cocktail bars worth the Tube ride north. Our editors' picks.
The short answer
10 ranked rooms follow. How we picked is at the end of this guide.
Islington and Angel have long been among London's most interesting drinking neighbourhoods — Upper Street alone contains more bars per square mile than most other postcodes in the capital. The best bars in Islington and Angel range from neighbourhood pubs with serious beer programmes to cocktail rooms that would hold their own in Soho. We have done the rounds, removed the obvious choices, and kept only the ones worth specifically seeking out.
Islington has been one of the centres of London's craft beer scene since the early days. The pubs here tend to care about what is on the taps in a way that distinguishes them from the rest of the city.
How we picked
The best bars in Islington and Angel reward the visitor who leaves Upper Street and explores the surrounding streets. The area's strength is its range — serious cocktail rooms sit two streets from Victorian ale houses that have not changed in forty years. Our strong recommendation is 69 Colebrooke Row for a proper occasion and The Wenlock Arms when you just want a real pint in a real pub with no distractions.
Sofia has been writing about European bars and drinking culture for over a decade. She splits her time between London and Lisbon, and can navigate Upper Street in her sleep.
Last reviewed 2026-05-06 · The editors recheck hours and closures against current local coverage.