Zilouf’s

Ziloufs is an all day venue serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and a great selection of cocktails.
The morning after the night before, we wanted a hearty brunch to combat the effects of what started of as one drink at our local (yep, you know that drill).
Ziloufs is local and having passed it a few times, I was keen to see what the morning buzz was about.
It keeps it simple mostly with a selection of fresh fruit drinks, full English (meat and veg options); eggs, bacon and the like served in various mixes, and a curve ball with veggiemite on the menu!
The breakfast did not eclipse every breakfast I have ever had, but for the location and price, it was good. I am not a fan of pretentious breakfasts. No I do not want a rose metal with my eggs thanks, so this is a really good stop for no nonsense, gut filling, hangover bashers.
A friendly relaxed team work the room subtly, which is great when you have a pounding headache. No service fails here, on the the ball, but not in your face.
I have heard good things about the cocktails, so it warrants an evening visit for that one drink. Yeah right.

One of my favourite places for drinks! Great décor, great music (usually playing some old-​school hip hop or funk and sometimes have a dj), great atmosphere. Good 2 for 1 happy hour on cocktails (they’re pre-​mixed, but whatever). It is my go-​to spot in Islington.

We had the best meal. We chose a selection of 4 starters and 4 mains all to share. Individually they was very good but combined together was excellent. The drinks offer of 2 for £9 was great too. We ended up having a wonderful meal along with 2 desserts and it didn’t break the bank to do so. The owner was really nice too and had a great chat. I’m looking forward to checking out his other location.

When I walked in for a friend’s bday dinner /​drinks, first thing I realised was that I had been here before! And I remembered that it had great happy hour deals and drinks — which they still did. Happy hour cocktail selection is solid, and I really enjoyed my mojito. So there you go: even if you’re not looking to get a meal, it’s worth going for drinks.
Food was average to above average. A few items I really enjoyed were the croquettes (accompanied by an amazing sauce), fries and a number of starters. A few items I didn’t quite understand: pad thai was a bit characterless and duck leg in satay sauce was a bit of a miss given that the sauce overpowered the richness of the duck. All in all, good presentation and good effort.
Service was very prompt and good. Staff is friendly and flexible with your various needs.
Ambience was also hip and cool. Almost a mix of restaurant and bar in one — who can complain when you have disco lights spinning overhead whilst you eat and drink?
Good place and worth a try.

THIS PLACE HAS THE BEST VEGETARIAN ROAST DINNER OF ALL TIME.
Amazing food and the prices are great too. Don’t be put off by how busy it looks inside because there is actually quite alot of room.

Love this place — best Sunday roasts in the area by a mile!

Trendy and chic bar located on Upper Street not too far from Highbury & Islington Station.
This bar deserves all 5 stars that I am giving it due to my most previous experience. It’s no secret that Upper Street, Islington hosts some of the best bars in town and this bar does not fail to impress.
Upon entering into the bar, we could tell that this was a lively bar, unlike the others on Upper Street that night and with the weather being so miserably cold, the warmth and bubbly atmosphere was a treat. The lightning was subtle, the mood was buzzing and I absolutely knew that split second that I’d be a regular here even without witnessing what else the venue had to offer.
Customer Service:
Customer service was truly on point. After entering, we wanted a seat before ordering drinks and a bubbly and happy waiter scanned the room and quickly seated us down with 2 drinks menues and pointed out the two versions of their ‘Happy Hour’ and then she darted away. She returned with a smile which was consistent throughout the evening as well as her laughing along with us to bad jokes and her engaging in general conversation. She was excellent with taking our food orders, drinks and recommending items that she thought were quiet good. Absolutely brilliant customer service and nothing I could fault.
Cocktails:
Well, if you like your cocktails strong then theres no fault here either. We ordered off the ‘Happy Hour’ post 7pm menu.
We first started off with a ‘Bloody Revelation’ which contained: Campari, licor 43, lemon, grapefruit & mint and indeed it was off the scale and the only way that I could describe it is bittersweet with the grapegruit and lemons bitterness blended with the sweetness of the campari had the tastebuds going wild. We then tried tried the ‘Hendricks Punch’ which contained: Hendricks gin, elderflower, lemon, cassis with champagne. I must say that this was an alright cocktail, nothing too exuberant but the alcohol content was clear to feel after this cocktail, so can’t complain too much.
***Cool and lively atmosphere in a trendy bar located in Islington. Serves food (which I am yet, but really inclined to try) as well as cocktails and drinks. Dimmed lights set a calm environment and the customer service was next to amazing. Worth a visit if you’re ever in the Islington area***

This is a solid Upper Street establishment that is probably better known for its happy hours, but my friend and I decided to check it out for brunch on Sunday despite having to resist its tempting deals on alcohol. My friend got the BELT sandwich (BLT plus an egg) and I got the scallop BLAT, which was a BLT with avocado and of course scallop — quite a unique offering, no? I had never considered scallop in a sandwich before, but consider me a fan! The sandwiches were 6 pounds and 8 pounds respectively, and though while not expensive, I wish they would include a side of some sort to make it a more well-​rounded plate. I ended up asking the waitress for either a side salad or fries, and that wasn’t even available on the menu, but they whipped up a salad for me that ended up being very nice — gem lettuce, avocado, shredded apple with a soy miso type of dressing. I was quite impressed!
Edit: I came here again for brunch and by the most popular dish seems to the big breakfast, which is a twist on a classic English breakfast. My friend is vegetarian so she got the veggie version, but the onion hash is really unique and tastes like an Indian onion bhaji, and the beans come with a spicy kick. My other friend had the baked eggs with chorizo and it comes served in a little pan on a chopping board and the egg is still runny — so great. I think I will definitely order that next time.

I’ve come to Zilouf’s for drinks and now dinner —
As you can imagine, this is a bar on Upper Street so it gets super packed here on a Saturday evenings. Bartenders are really nice and talkative — service is great. Nice eclectic interior designs and border line hipster place — it’s not in Dalston/​Hackney so it can’t really be a hipster spot!
Came here on a Wed night for dinner. Made reservations for 3 and they were really accommodating. Restaurant was full but not completely packed. Service was excellent. Food portions are a good size (except the Pad Thai for some reason hence the 4 star review) and everything was really tasty. I was impressed with the flavours and spices used, totally legit.
For starters we got pork cheeks, salmon tartare, steak tartare, papaya salad. For mains we got the pad thai and pork. The pork portion size was especially impressive as it came with its own huge salad as well.
Top tip: They offer a £15 dinner for two menu which is 1 main per person and 3 sides to share. That’s plenty of food and you’ll be able to taste quite a few items… highly recommend.
I’ve heard the weekend brunches are amazing so look forward to trying this out in the future!

In a nutshell: Decent but unpretentious Asian/​Brit fusion food that won’t break the bank.
Stumbled on this place purely out of luck and was very happy with the food — really nice Asian/​Brit fusion. I’m not rolling in money, but I had to be rolled out the door after the amount I ate.
A kind of chilled-​out cool inside: Multiple old mirrors, high ceilings, eclectic mix or furniture and lamps. A welcoming, genuine, comfortable cool, rather than the ‘what are you even doing here’ kind of cool. The staff are a big part of this — friendly and efficient but not overbearing.
I had lip-​smacking san choy bau (sweet and spicy fried beef and lamb mince), refreshing som tum salad, delicious confit duck, cracking pork belly. I ate so much that I became incapable of intelligible speech by the end of the meal.

Easy to grab a table. Waiting staff attentive and efficient (rushing around like blue-​arsed flies on speed). Brunch experience with an interesting variation of dishes from the norm. Lively clientele and will definitely pop back again if in the area. Would like to try the evening menu in the future. Laid back atmosphere and in the bright winter sun you could easily mistake yourself for being in an New York brunch establishment rather than on Upper St, Islington.“Yay! I’m a fan.”

This place is a pub where I love going for tea, drinks, lunches, casual dinners. It’s ideal for doing some work, quick meeting a friend or even bigger group, getting stuffed in seasonal manner, coming just for something sweet etc. So yes, it is pretty versatile!
They offer great Sunday roast, a while ago I had the best cheesecake ever.
The staff has always been great! Really friendly, attentive, patient, energetic and enthusiastic. Interior is really clean, a little vintage, a little quirky, a little romantic and casual.

Zilouf’s has a perfect atmosphere — its awesome for a little get together with friends!
They have a solid drink menu — my favorite was the lemon/​ginger/​elderflower martini — soooooo light and refreshing!
We shared:
–Chicken wings (surprise! these come with prawns and lychees
–Corn fritters
–Crispy tofu
–Pad Thai
–Sea Bass
Everything was great — in the words of the Terminator, I’ll be back.

I rocked up at 11am on a Saturday morning and the place wasn’t very busy for brunch. And for an establishment on Upper Street, I automatically assumed this pointed only to bad things.
But my companions said their breakfasts were the best breakfasts they’d had EVER (I clarified this wasn’t just an exaggeration but that they genuinely felt they were the best breakfasts they’d ever had the pleasure of eating, which is pretty high praise since they are grown men and have probably had more than a few breakfasts out in their time), and my breakfast was pretty enjoyable as well.
So, this is all to say, my usually astute snap judgments had failed me on this occasion. I accept this and wholeheartedly give Zilouf’s my brunch seal of approval.
The service could have been a bit better, though.

Well well well. I really enjoyed the food here — you’d never guess from the name and the décor here that they serve Asian fusion food (with a British twist). The chick pea fritters are tasty (but small) and the duck confit curry was exceptional and spicy. Their wine list is varied and impressive, and they’ll recommend something for your food too.
We were here for a birthday, and so had called ahead to arrange a cake for the birthday girl. The cake was ridiculously good, adorned with fruit and candles — a lovely touch.
If you’re not here for the food, then you’ll be want to sample their cocktails. They certainly aren’t cheap (but they’re 2−4−1 before 7pm) but they’ve really rather good. The gin, elderflower and champagne mix was dangerously moreish! Positive noises all round for the other cocktails tried by the rest.
There are so many restaurants to choose from on Upper St, but this deserves a try if you’ve not been before. I need to find an excuse to go back now.

Oh gosh, where to start? I’ve been to Zilouf’s twice for cocktails and once for their Sunday brunch, and everything was fantastic. The atmosphere is very laid-​back and warm, the service is great, and the drinks… oh my. I am hard to please when it comes to cocktails, and they just get it so very right. The drinks are interesting, they’re pretty strong (the S. Tea D. is not for the faint of heart), and they’re delicious. I’ve yet to taste a bad one, and I’ve tasted a fair few. They range from about £8.00 to £10.50 per drink during normal hours (there are some 2 for 1 deals from 5−7pm) and are completely worth it. Much better than some of the other similarly priced drinks I’ve had around town. The bartenders really know what they’re doing back there, and the drinks shine as a result.
Brunch was also to die for. I had the Maple Glazed French Toast while my partner had the Vietnamese Pork Baguette and we were both extremely happy with our choices. The French toast was fluffy, filling, and served with real maple syrup (such a happy thing for a former Vermonter like me). The baguette was stuffed full of pickled veggies, pork crackling, and goodness like the ones we used to get at the Vietnamese market in Prague. I also had the strawberry basil drink which was really tasty. Sweet, tart, and with that lovely fresh basil flavour to top it off. Our server was prompt, friendly, and quick on the refills of our cucumber lemon water. All in all, we intend to revisit Zilouf’s on a regular basis and recommend it to anyone who asks for a good bar or brunch spot.

Zilouf’s is a place I come back to again and again when I’m in the mood for a cocktail. They’re interesting, delicious and, if you visit during happy hour, cheap.
The cocktail menu changes fairly often so if you order something a bit crazy and you want it again next time, make a note of it.

Towards the north end of Upper St, Zilouf’s is a relaxed cocktail bar and restaurant with casual sofas and low tables at the front and a dining section further back. A den –like interior that isn’t over designed.
The atmosphere is warm and laid back.
Definitely worth a visit for the food alone. The menu has been described as pan-​Asian but I would say it’s more British with a Continental and Asian twist — a good combination in my book. Examples include pork belly (a favourite but resisted this time), duck confit, risotto, steak for two with some Asian influences.
For starters I had crispy squid which came with pea shoots, sweet chilli sauce and thin crispy fried garlic slices. The squid was perfectly cooked and tender and the combination of flavours was excellent.
Confit of duck with crushed potatoes and bok choi was good, the confit was OK but not as good as the excellent starter.
My partner’s mushroom risotto was also good –but a touch on the bland side.
Desert of sticky toffee pudding was impressive since the pudding was perfectly balanced with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. Sticky toffee pudding is something I like but varies so much from place to place and can be heavy. The Zilouf’s version was light and not too sweet — just right.
Starter and pudding were the highlights of the meal on this most recent visit.
Service is always super polite and friendly which is another big plus.
Prices are middling, not cheap, not too high so medium value for money.

Came here on a top table deal (16.50£ for 2 courses, selection from a la carte), so this may be a biased review based on a slightly more limited selection that you would otherwise get here.
I remember coming here for drinks with my friend Sean a while ago, and remembering that if you’re not here during a happy hour or some special evening, the drinks can get pretty steep.
In any case, it was Hallow’s Eve (or Halloween), and we popped in, everyone was dressed in Western/​Cowboy/​Cowgirl gear… as this warranted a free drink… we went for Saw Bone, a combination of apple juice, lemon juice, and gentleman jack’s… so so combo, but I should have known better.
The pork ribs were excellent and succulent… and were a big success… the duck confit in a laksa noodle curry… less so; i like my confit to be crispy, and fall of the bone… effortless to eat… this wasn’t the case.
The chilli con carne was very good, just needs a little more kick and it will be spot on.
All in all, a good place, the service staff are super friendly and nice, and the food is a-​ok. Some things are hit or miss; but the ambience is hot, loud, and busy, which, if that’s what you’re looking for, will hit the spot.

How many times have you seen «apple pork money bags» on a menu? Yeah, first time for me, too. But then Zilouf is full of surprises.
It takes a little to convince me to go up to N1 for dinner on a weeknight, but the friend who made the reservations assured us it was worth the trek. A big part of the allure was the special deals: two courses for 13.50 and 2-​for-​1 cocktails until 9pm (and no, it wasn’t a TopTable deal). Typically I’m skeptical of this kind of special because it turns out to be only one or two choices, and not dishes I would normally pick. I was pleasantly surprised that Zilouf included pretty much everything on the menu except the lamb and the surf & turf.
The apple-​pork money bags ended up being a wonton, but a tasty one surrounded by pan seared scallops. We also tried the tiger prawn and soba noodle salad (delish), the Indian corn fritters and the duck spring rolls. The mains weren’t quite as good — the pork belly was tough and the lamb had a lot of fat, but the jungle duck curry was tasty.
The atmosphere was great — candelabras on all the tables, hardwood floors and bustling without feeling loud. There are a bunch of leather sofas and an antique organ around the bar that make it feel a little like a cross between a library and a boudoir. And room for groups.
While the food was maybe 3 stars, the value for money and the atmosphere more than make up for it. Plus you get to order something called «apple pork money bags» — come on!