The Gate (Islington)

370 St John Street, Islington, London, EC1V 4NN - View on a map
Telephone: 020 7278 5483

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The Gate (Islington) Restaurant In London

Overall 8.3
Food 9.0
Service 8.3
Atmosphere 8.3
Value 7.3
Based on 3 reviews

our review

The team behind The Gate in Hammersmith have opened their second vegetarian gastropub. The new restaurant is situated on St John Street, close to Sadlers Wells Theatre in Islington. The Gate serves brunch, mezze, and dishes like asparagus rotolo and sweet potato and pomegranate salad.

May 2012

what the critics say

Guy Dimond - 3/5

Monday, July 02, 2012 - The best of the mezze was the broad bean falafel, crisp-shelled croquettes drizzled with tahini and a dash of green schoog (Yemeni hot pepper sauce) on the side. Less impressive was the artichoke 'tempura', encased in thick, chip-shop batter that lacked any delicacy. The best surprise was a beetroot and chickpea salad, as colourful as a cranberry sauce and beautifully presented with a pea shoot garnish. Our 'corn cake' main course was an explosion of ingredients and colours, with polenta fried then served with a jumble of Mediterranean vegetables, and drizzles of red pepper salsa, chipotle chilli and even black beans; it certainly beats the 'vegetarian option' in many neighbouring restaurants.

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Marina O'Loughlin

Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - Much of the food has an Asian/Middle Eastern flavour, probably because the original owners, brothers Michael and Adrian Daniel, are Indo-Iraqi-Jewish, which means lots of spicing, pickled lemons and a wicked way with an aubergine. Simple stuff becomes sophisticated: their falafel takes a late-night guilty pleasure and zhuzhes it into poshness: broad bean puree, deep-fried into crisp quenelles, served with fluffy, light pita bread for ballast, a blob of baba ganoush (aubergine puree) for silky, smoky lubricant, a pool of pepper puree for heat and the crunch of raw pickled vegetables in the Middle Eastern style...The Gate isn't a good vegetarian restaurant, it's simply a good restaurant.

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This is my favorite restaurant and i am not a vegetarian. Everything tasted delicious. The staff were very friendly. I just wish it was nearer so I could go more often.
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Rachel
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, May 10, 2013

Amazing food, great service and generally an unbelievable restaurant.
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Ben Daniel - View all reviews by this user
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, January 04, 2013

We stopped into The Gate about 3 days after it opened in its new location. We wanted a quick bite before visiting the nearby Sadlers Wells dance theatre.

We ordered some of the the mezze platters (3 for £10).

The flavours of the mezze were good - intense, fresh, unusual. The problem was that the portions were absolutely tiny! The tandoori hallmoui kebabs were so small there was literally one small cube of halloumi divided between three short cocktail sticks. A total rip-off. We left hungry.

Service was average, and slow. Despite making clear that we needed to get to the theatre by 7.30, the food didn't arrive until 7.17pm - luckily there wasn't much to get down. They didn't seem very pleased to serve us, and I had to go to the bar to pay because the waitress was so slow to bring the bill. The included 15% service charge was a joke.
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5 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 2
Monday, June 11, 2012

The Gate (Islington)

Find special offers, earn points, see menus.

our review

what the critics say

Guy Dimond - 3/5

Marina O'Loughlin

your comments review this restaurant and win a bottle of champagne

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