I held my best Birthday Party ever at Ocean! When I arrived the lovely Ocean family had set up…read moredecorations and balloons, they were playing authentic Chinese music. The hot pot tables were prepared beautifully, with a fortune cookie for everyone! We sat down and were served the most heart warming food, it was so fresh and there was such a variety. It was prepared lovingly! It is also a very fun and interactive way of eating dinner with friends. We then sang songs on the karaoke speaker and microphone all night long - I was gifted thoughtful presents, a card, and cake from the Ocean family. They went above and beyond. I felt so lucky. Everyone was even given a pair of earrings - that we will have forever. I can not recommend enough!

What a lifesaver, this Ocean Market…read more Its dedicated instant noodle section is sure to be a hit with the (predominantly Chinese, it appears) UCL crowd whose dorm is just up the block. Aisles are lined with all the frozen bits one needs to host a rippin' hot pot session. It's like a slice of Chinatown in the middle of Islington. There's even a wall of assorted imported beverages from parts of Asia, ranging from Pocari Sweat concentrates down to bottled aloe drinks. Don't even get me started on their wall of chilli and ready-to-eat steamed buns - amazing.

Steve Hatt is excellent. Extremely friendly staff, good selection of quality fish, fairly priced…read more We almost never looked elsewhere for fish.

Waitrose in Islington is right next to Sainsbury's and also fairly close to Marks and Spencer, so…read moreit does have a lot of competition nearby selling similar products, even for London standards that's a lot of competition nearby and I've never seen two major supermarkets and a Marks and Spencer (which is known for its Food selection) basically in a row. This Waitrose store is pretty poor, even though it has faced the brand all John Lewis Partnership owned stores have adding "& Partners" They didn't stock the Pots and Co, which is a dessert range I like which was quite surprising as I've seen at least a small selection of these in every Waitrose store, even in stores formerly known as "Little Waitrose" They did have some nice selection of dairy products and meats - but pretty much, in general, they seemed to stock a reduced selection to what you'd find at any other Waitrose store, but it is slightly smaller. Interestingly, this store appears to be smaller than your regular Waitrose store but larger (yet sadly less modern) than typical Little Waitrose stores. It isn't completely rubbish and is a useful brand to have within the centre of Islington (Liverpool Road shops) and I do prefer it to Marks and Spencer nearby but that's pretty much where the positives end. 2*

Q: How do you know you're standing in the centre of the beating heart of yummy-mummyville?…read more A: You find yourself pulsating in a queue 40 people deep (20 standing, 20 resting easy in prams) at 10:15am. On a Tuesday. Yet where else could I go for that low-fat Feta cheese, those perfectly ripe avocados, raw almonds, the only decent veggie burgers around and the rare-as-a-magic-sparkle-unicorn whole wheat tortillas? Turns out there's, well, nowhere. but. Waitrose. (And heaven, of course.) Mum's do always know best...

It's peanut buddah jelly time, Peanut buddah jelly time!…read more Where he at, Where he at, Where he at, Where he at? There he go, There he go, There he go, There he go! No seriously, it was peanut butter jelly time in my tummy and I didn't have any of the fixins' at my flat. Now stateside, I could just venture to any store to fulfill my cravings. But here on this side of the pond, one must be wise in selecting the store that will carry the spread of Kings and not try to force feed you nasty hazelnut flavourless chocolate vileness. (Was Mr. Peanut a king? Or was that a top hat not a crown? Hmmm, I'm confused. I think there was a king involved in some peanuty marketing... nevermind.) Tesco had an entire bread section. They had an entire jam section. Now for the crucial PB. Success! Granted, it was in the "ethnic foods" aisle which cracked me up. But hey, I could get my crunchy (yes, crunchy) PB on plus grab some black beans, salsa and poppadoms all at once! Nice one, Tesco - you really came through for me and my tums tonight.

This particular Tesco is a Tesco Express so it's smaller than others with just groceries available…read more As an American, I was shocked to see Krispy Kremes! Loved wandering around the store and looking at all the brands and foods that we don't have in the US! There's an area of packaged foods for take away, but I didn't see an in store bakery, deli, or seafood counter. Open until 23:00 and close early on holidays so check with store for hours. Handicapped accessible.

I genuinely shivered a little when one of the fishmongers in Steve Hatt's winked at me on Saturday…read more Don't get me wrong, he was a good looking guy and I'm not prudish to a bit of flirtation. The part that made it creepy was that as he winked at me he wheeled past a cart of fish heads, scales, guts and eyes. It was an overflowing barrel of fishy carcasses. This kind of service is very fitting to the Steve Hatt experience. Stand around for too long and expect to get splashed by one of the ice cold buckets of water they frequently throw across the floor. Service is loud and jovial. At any one point there seems to be six or seven men shouting out orders and chopping up fish whilst laughing at their own 'in-jokes' and heckling customers. I liked this attitude a lot but was a bit disappointed when I was told that they were too busy to clean up my squid for me. I've gutted squid before but I'd completely forgotten how much of a hassle it can be. For a job that would have taken them five minutes it took me thirty and of course there was the added stress of having my kitchen, clothes and window (?!) covered in squid. Fish stank all over your kitchen does not say, 'Welcome to my home'. I lost a bit of my sole to those beasts. This aside, Steve Hatt's is a wonderful fish monger. Their selection is second to none and the prices are great. Next time I visit I'll try to go a bit earlier on in the day when they're not so busy. Hopefully then they will deal with my squid guts for me and I can feed my friends without the stench of 'Eau du poisson'...

Steve Hatt is probably the best fishmonger in London (I'm getting worried - there are three fish…read moreshops in my reviews now!) If it had a downside, it would be the queues that you have to endure sometimes, and the prices reflect the quality. I beleive Steve Hatt supplied a large number of the best London restaurants and the quality of the fish is reflected in that fact. You are best advised to go early, because they do sell out. The assistants are all knowledgeable and - unlike in supermarkets - know how to clean and prepare the fish for you.

Interesting - and a touch weird the A1 Fish Supermarket Ltd. Really worth coming here. For Fish…read more There's a lot of different fish on sale, all pretty cheap. You go in, and there's a man in a tiny booth by the door selling mobile phone paraphenalia - always good. And it's a large open plan shop just full of big white freezers. The place bathed in a strange red glow. White and red. So they'll sell you all the standard English fish and the like - cod, mackerel, salmon: that lot. And then, the black tiger prawns, the tilapia, lobster, oyster, octopus, crab claws. And vast array of frozen fish. And then in the corner, there's some shelves which are stacked sparsely with caribbean foodstuffs. And a thoroughly friendly chap serving behind the counter. If I lived near here, I would buy my fish here every single time... There's a fact.

BRILLIANT- prices-variety and quality, try the blue crab or red bream!!!…read more Top marks 5 STARS well done A1

If you're after fish and chips done right, this place delivers. The fish arrives piping hot with a…read morelight, shattering batter and moist. You can taste that it's been cooked to order.

Listen, Any fish and chip restaurant that has white linen…read moretable cloths on which is sat a small vase with a little fresh flower in it has got to be decent. Fish Central doesn't disappoint. Old school to the bone. Local villains in one corner, a table of two with Macs out working in another. Me being intrepid in Islington. King's Square might sound grand. But it's shabby. Not shabby chic. Just shabby. All the more thrilling then to find Fish Central nestled in there, across the way from the pub you'd get glassed in if you wandered in for a lager top. The restaurant is bright and airy. White and chrome. Bit of a 70's vibe. The waiters are old men. They are welcoming. I can sit anywhere. I don't need to pick from the menu, maybe I just want a small plate of fish and chips. How the hell did he know that? I nod approvingly and ask if they have tea. Course they've got tea. Stupid question. And it comes in a white mug and saucer. Food comes. Nice piece of cod, crispy batter, decent chips. Chip shop chips. No hint of parsley or lemon. Back to absolute basics. Who needs garnish? Not this lot. Tartare sauce is homemade I think. Absolute bonus. Tomato sauce is Heinz. We can live with that. I plough through it with aplomb. Friday has arrived. Local villains show each other massive respect. Handshakes, hugs and kisses on both cheek. Work meeting looks productive. Everyone's happy because they are all eating good fish and chips and it's Friday so why wouldn't you be? The old men are attentive and brisk. They've done this before. They keep it simple. One wants to know if my Mac is any good. We chat about Macs for a bit. Because he's relaxed. He's done this before. He doesn't need any of the frou frou stuff. He scribbles the bill. It's £8.50. Cheap as chips. Is this where the phrase was invented? I'll be back to try roasted skate wing. And to see if the breadcrumbed cod is as good as the battered one. There is a take away section if you just want to gobble fish and chips on the go. But my advice is, if you have the time, go in, sit down revel in old school simplicity, confident staff and customers who are pleased as punch to be there. No airs and graces. They aren't trying to be something they are not. They are just good. Really good. And that's good enough for me.

Food has so much flavor using common foods and ingredients. As an American I struggled to find a…read moreplace that I actually enjoyed but this place is one of my favorites. The place is a bit small and hard to navigate if it is really busy, but the inside is cozy and well decorated with nostalgic memorabilia. Servers are also very kind. My boyfriend and I shared the warms goats cheese, mezze platter and king prawn platter starters and the M&L main and it was more than enough food.

Great vibe to dine with a couple of friends or even in a bigger group. It's cosy and homey and most…read moreof the staffs are friendly. They have a long list of hot and cold med starters.. Mostly basic things like hummus or babagonish or falafel or tzatziki... things like that. Tried their aubergine nest, which was sort of weird and didn't taste like anything at all. The mussels starter was quite alright, as well as the grilled calamari. Fell in love with their seafood casserole, where you get chunks of salmon and bits of shrimps and mussels here and there. Food isn't over priced and you get what you paid, have been here a few times and things are pretty easy and standard. Lovely!

I am still thinking about this sandwich a week later!…read more This place was tucked away down a back street. I ordered a sandwich for takeaway, and it took less than 10 minutes to toast to perfection. I checked out the upstairs seating while I waited. It was cozy and there was ample seating (see picture). My sweet onion and melted cheese toastie was so good!! I ate it hot, while walking around town. It was a bit of a mess but totally worth it.

From the owner: Pistachio & Pickle Dairy is a independent Artisan Cheese shop in Islington. We specialise in…read moreBritish cheese, celebration cheese wedding cake, cheese platters & fine wines. Our Parlour is open at weekends where you can sit with a cheeseboard and glass of wine.