Location: North London, UK
Nearest tube station: Angel
Address: 197-199 Rosebery Ave, London EC1R 4TJ
Phone number: 020 7837 5048
Food: 100% gluten free “British comfort food with a modern twist”
Islington is really becoming a gem for us gluten free folks. Already spoiled with a completely gluten free bakery (Artisan Gluten Free Bakery – formerly known as Romeo’s) and a host of other gluten free friendly restaurants, Niche is the perfect addition.
Edit (06.01.2017): two new completely gluten free bakeries have joined the Islington scene since writing that post – Beyond Bread and Cookies and Scream (which is also vegan).
The food is good as is the service and overall atmosphere. The menu is varied with a lot to choose from and while everything is gluten free, I think they do a good job at also making it appealing to non gluten free diners. It’s gluten free, but without being too obvious about it which makes it feel like a ‘normal’ restaurant rather than a special gluten free place for special gluten free people, if you know what I mean. ?
It’s amazing to see more and more gluten free restaurants popping up here and there around London and this place is nothing short of a Coeliac heaven. There’s something about being able to order anything from a menu and not having to worry about cross contamination that makes me feel ‘normal’. I never thought this would happen again when I was first diagnosed years ago. Things are definitely getting better!
One thing I will say is this place does get quite busy due to being close to a theatre. I’ve never had a problem just turning up there during the day, but I would recommend booking in advance if going during the evening. Also, while my experiences there have been overall excellent, I do feel like the quality was not as good when I went at busy times… which I suppose is to be expected, but for that reason I’d recommend going at quieter times if possible.
Now onto the food. I’ve yet to try many dishes, but here is a glimpse of what I’ve tried so far:
NFC basket – since discovering Niche about a year ago, my boyfriend and I have eaten there a few times and the Niche fried chicken basket is a dish we keep returning to. Definitely one of our favourites! Served with two delicious dipping sauces.
The burgers are great (particularly the chicken ones in my opinion), as is the salad they are served with. Even my boyfriend (who is not coeliac) really enjoys them and always comments on how impressive the bread is considering it’s gluten free. I had a bit of a panic moment after the first bite, thinking it might be ‘normal’ bread. I had to re-read the menu where it states that their kitchen is 100% gluten free to feel reassured. haha Note that they have a tendency not to put enough burger sauce so don’t be afraid to ask for more! 😉
Oh and the handcut fries are delicious! Love love those.
Being a cheesecake addict, I must admit that I’m hard to impress, but I enjoyed Niche’s and thought it was beautifully presented. The only downside is that it’s a little pricy, especially for the size, but still worth it. I keep seeing other amazing looking desserts being served whenever I’m there and I keep telling myself that I have to try them, but I’m always too full by dessert time! I’ll have to go literally just for a drink and dessert one time. 😉
Yummy elderflower cordial.
P.S.: Pies are the only thing I would not recommend so far. My boyfriend ordered one last time and wasn’t too impressed. He found it a little dry and disappointing in compaison to other dishes we’ve tried.
For more info, check out their website –> here
