Just last year, the popular Instagram account Footy Scran revealed their top 5 football grounds in England for food. And, perhaps unsurprisingly since you know we’re scratching around for an introduction before we get to the meat and bones of the piece, Tottenham were included in that top five.
Alongside such culinary trailblazers as the North West Counties Premier Division’s Avro FC and their esteemed breakfast wrap, the page celebrated a certain fried chicken with a bag of chips served by none other than the Spurs.
Yours for £8.95 and arriving in a brown recyclable Kraft bowl more synonymous with London’s zeitgeist-baiting food festivals than the footy, it looks genuinely excellent, the golden wings slathered in a couple of buffalo-adjacent sauces and topped with rondelles of jalapeno. Glory glory Tottenham Hotspur, indeed.
All that said, if you’re looking for a truly fantastic feed in this part of town, then you’re probably not going to find it on the site formerly known as White Hart Lane. Fortunately, you don’t have to go much further afield to find great food in the North London neighbourhood. As long as you’ve got this guide in your hand, that is; our roundup of the best restaurants and food in Tottenham, London.
Chuku’s, High Road
Ideal for Nigerian tapas galore…
Chuku’s is, in the restaurant’s own words, ‘’the world’s first Nigerian tapas restaurant’’. In reality, it’s so much more than that, a restaurant ran by two siblings with all the frisson, friction, harmony and laughter that entails. The fact that the food here is incredible is – almost – something of an afterthought, the warm, rambunctious welcome the real draw here.
We say almost because Chuku’s is a genuinely brilliant place to dine, and probably our favourite restaurant in Tottenham. From the adalu honey beans to the caramel kuli kuli wings, every dish is a chart-topper, with the beef meatballs seasoned with a rich, complex suya spice rub an obvious headliner and highlight.
The egusi bowl is a picture perfect piece of work, too, and one that’s mighty fun to eat with it. Scooping up the cassava dumplings and dunking them in the three colourful stews, one made from red peppers and tomatoes, another spinach, coriander and fennel, and the third egusi (blitzed up bitter melon seeds), is a joyful indulgence indeed.
Due to its compact nature and gushing national reviews, booking ahead is essential. Chuku’s is closed on Mondays.
Website: chukuslondon.co.uk
Address: 274 High Rd, London N15 4AJ
Chick King, High Road
Ideal for getting to know the reigning monarch of fried chicken…
Chick King has been ruling the roost in this part of London for over 40 years, and just one bite of their expertly fried, confidently spiced chicken will tell you exactly why. You’ll have understood the esteem this place is held in long before that bite, actually, by just looking at the line snaking around the block, especially on matchday.
Expect a queue, a friendly grin from the owner, and fried chicken that’s the stuff of legend. Minimal grease, maximum flavour, and cheap-as-chips prices that bely its regal status, Chick King is Tottenham’s crispy crown jewel, make no mistake.
Facebook: Chick-King
Address: 755 High Rd, London N17 8AH
Read: Where to eat the best fried chicken
Brothers Cafe & Restaurant, High Road
Ideal for a taste of Somalia in North London…
This most unassuming of Somali restaurants serves up fragrant, spiced bariis iskukaris dishes of grilled meats over perfumed rice that are generous enough to satisfy even the heartiest of appetites.
Post-football (Brothers is a ten minute walk down the road from the Spurs stadium) and post-pints, there are fewer more welcome platefuls, with the lamb shank version particularly good. Don’t forget to add some basbaas (Somali chilli sauce) for an extra kick!
Facebook: Brothers
Address: 552 High Rd, London N17 9SY
True Craft, West Green Road
Ideal for sourdough pizzas that hit the spot…
This gem on West Green Road dishes out sourdough pizzas that, whilst not at the level of London’s very best pizzas, are certainly satisfying, and represent a fine, affordable feed in Tottenham. Their sweet balsamic pepper and mascarpone pizza is the highlight, and when paired with one of True Craft’s speciality beers – the aptly named Tottenham lager is a crisp and clean brew – you really can’t go wrong.
Website: truecraftlondon.co.uk
Address: 68 W Green Rd, South Tottenham, London N15 5NR
Pembe Sultan Kebab, Fore Street
Ideal for Turkish kebab connoisseurs and late-night munchies…
When the craving for a kebab strikes, there’s no better place in Tottenham (towards Edmonton, admittedly) than Pembe Sultan Kebab. This local favourite is renowned for its succulent, charcoal grilled skewers, lavishly laden doner plates, and a brief selection of Turkish vegetable specialities that are bursting with freshness and vitality.
From the latter section of the menu, the ezme salad is an exemplary version, all precision cut onions, tomatoes and peppers that have been generously dressed in pomegranate molasses and good quality olive oil.
For the larger groups, the Pasha Special is the move. Stacked high on a massive serving plate, you’ll find both lamb and chicken shish, an Adana lamb skewer, wings, ribs, and lamb and chicken doner meat. Served alongside is rice, flatbreads, couscous and garlic and chilli sauces. Though the team here insists this one serves just two or three people, you could probably feed a couple more happily. Afiyet olsun!
Instagram: sultankebab
Address: 138 Fore St, London N18 2XA
Pasero, West Green Road
Ideal for small plates and night dates…
Proving that you can be all things to all people, Pasero is a versatile joint that caters to just about any Tottenham crowd you could think of – from morning coffee seekers to evening diners looking for a date night spot that has the feel of a Parisien natural wine bar, all the way to the burnt orange-tiled bar, which sets the perfect backdrop for a romantic date.
Open from 8am to 11pm (with the kitchen closing at 9:30pm) Wednesday to Saturday and 9am to 4pm Sundays to Tuesdays, Pasero takes each of its mealtimes seriously. By day, it’s bustling with people enjoying almond croissants and coffees. By night, it transforms into something nearing a bistro, perfect for small plate enthusiasts. The smoked cod’s roe choux bites and roasted squash with whipped gorgonzola have been standout dishes in the past, but the menu changes regularly, so don’t hold us to that.
Pasero also hosts regular pop-ups, with Keshia Sakarah from the outstanding Caribe’ taking to the stoves this week. We can’t wait!
Website: pasero.uk
Address: 120a W Green Rd, South Tottenham, London N15 5AA
Uncle John’s Bakery, West Green Road
Ideal for Ghanaian sweet treats…
This Ghanaian bakery, a husband and wife operation that’s been at the same Tottenham location since 1995, is famous for its sweet bread, Ghanaian doughnuts known as bofrot, their chin chin biscuits, and glossy meat pies, all of which are now sold in Morrisons, a testament to the quality – and ambition – of the baking here. Don’t forget to grab some for the road!
Website: theunclejohnsbakery.com
Address: 76 W Green Rd, South Tottenham, London N15 5NS
Deluxe Manna, High Cross Road
Ideal for unhurried Congolese cuisine with a side of beats…
When you walk through the doors of this Congolese spot in Tottenham Hale, an uplifting blast of afrobeats immediately sets the mood for a feast.
And feast you shall; it’s all about the platters here, with the Manna platter a delightful mix of grilled fish, smoked lamb (ntaba), jollof rice, and kwanga (a soft cassava dumpling). Serving four, it’s just £52. This is a place where you won’t be rushed, ensuring you savour every bite.
Address: 135, 137 High Cross Rd, London N17 9NU
Website: deluxemanna.com
Jerk Munchies, Commercial Road
Ideal for bagel bliss with a Caribbean twist…
Jerk Munchies is the kind of place where the food is so good, you’ll rip open the takeaway bag before you’ve even left the shop. The jerk bagel is a masterpiece of charred dough and succulent meat, slathered in a piquant, undulating sauce that’s the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. And if bagels aren’t your thing, the jerk chicken rice box is a worthy contender.
Perhaps even better is the large oxtail, rice and peas, the meat falling off the bone and the rice blessed with plenty of melted bone marrow. It’s laughably good value at £8.
Website: jerkmunchies.co.uk
Read: The best places to eat in Deptford
The Antwerp Arms, Church Road
Ideal for settling into a community pub gem…
The Antwerp Arms, affectionately known as ‘The Annie’, stands proudly as one of Tottenham’s oldest pubs. This community-run watering hole, North London’s first, is not just about pints; it’s about bringing people together. With a fine selection of real ales and craft beers, it’s the perfect place to unwind and connect with locals. The pub also hosts regular events, from quiz nights to live music, adding to its charm and appeal as a community hub.
Anyway, you’ve come here to find some of the best places to eat in Tottenham, and the menu at The Annie is pleasingly prosaic in its delivery. There’s no unfettered, unnecessary pub menu globetrotting here. Instead, a simple rundown of five Middle Eastern-leaning mains – grilled chicken, stuffed aubergine, lamb meatballs, fishcake or falafel – all served with fries and salad.
The starters boast similarly refreshing focus, with the spicy beef sucuk sausage full of flavour and funk. A short selection of shawarma wraps seals the deal.
Website: antwerparms.co.uk
Address: 168-170 Church Rd, London N17 8AS
San Marco, Bruce Grove
Ideal for an Italian trattoria experience in Tottenham…
Sitting just south of Tottenham in Bruce Grove is San Marco, a charming trattoria that offers a slice of Italy in North London, now in its 52nd year of trading.
All gingham tablecloths, candles melting wax into their wine bottle holders and pizza boxes stacked high on the counter, San Marco gives off a seriously timeless energy, a feeling of timelessness only furthered by the warmhearted greeting from owner Graziano.
On the menu, wood-fired pizzas, pleasingly blistered and leopard-spotted, and no-frills pasta dishes are the orders of the day. Incredibly, a margherita and a spaghetti carbonara clock in at £8.90 and £6.90 respectively. That is absurd value for pretty much anywhere in the UK, let alone London.
There are even rumours Guns N’ Roses are fans, ordering their pre-gig meal from San Marco before their recent show at the Spurs stadium. We’re glad Axl Rose’s appetite extended beyond simple destruction.
Please be aware that San Marco is temporarily closed.
Website: sanmarco.co.uk
Address: 1-3, Station Buildings, Bruce Grove, London N17 6QY
Now we’re heading to the red side of town, to eat at some of the best restaurants in Highbury & Islington. Care to join us?
