Banner's

There are restaurants that turn up in neighbourhoods and then there are neighbourhoods that feel like they’re defined by their restaurants. Crouch End and Banner's feel like the latter. The eclectic restaurant leans Caribbean but, in truth, does whatever it likes. Sit at the bar on a Tuesday night—with fairy lights hanging overhead, a popcorn machine in the corner, and all manner of trinkets from travels by the booze—and you’ll soon get an idea of why locals and staff are on first name terms. It’s a place for family and all manner of comfort food, from homemade burgers to huevos fritos for breakfast, but we stick to the Caribbean stuff. The goat curry comes wrapped in a blanket-sized roti and the foo foo on the side are perfectly fluffy. It’s massive, rich, meaty, and spiced. The banoffee pie with a whole Flake on top is similarly endearing.