The Drapers Arms

Name: The Drapers Arms
Address: 44 Barnsbury Street, London, United Kingdom, N1 1ER
Telephone: 020 7619 0348
Price range: £25 and under
Rating: 4.5

4.5

1429 Reviews

£25 and under

Gastro Pub

Top Tags:

GARDEN BOOKING VIA PHONE OR EMAIL ONLY.

The Drapers Arms is a lovely 1830s pub in a residential area of Islington

Very much a pub we are as welcoming to one person sitting with a beer and a paper as to a group having a special meal. In an informal and relaxing atmosphere we nonetheless take our food, drink and service seriously.

Our food is all freshly prepared and our menu changes every day and across the seasons. With a focus on being enjoyable, honest and seasonal we are also affordable - our wine list available on our website is among the very best in London.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 28, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 34 times today

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Gastro Pub, British
Hours of operation
Lunch Mon–Fri 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Sat 12:00 pm–4:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–8:30 pm Dinner Mon–Fri 6:00 pm–10:30 pm Sat 7:00 pm–10:30 pm
Phone number
020 7619 0348
Website
http://www.thedrapersarms.com/
Payment options
Carte Blanche, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Aurelien Durand
Private party facilities
We have an upstairs dining room that can hold around 60 for a drinks party and 45 for a dinner. A variety of drink and dining alternatives are available. We also accept large parties downstairs and cater for many weddings, birthdays and other celebrations every year.

Location
44 Barnsbury Street, London, N1 1ER
Neighborhood
Angel
Parking details
Limited number of pay and display bays in the area. After 6.30pm residents bays and single yellow line can be used as well as at weekends.
Public transit
Approximately equidistant from Angel and Highbury & Islington tube stations.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Where Chefs Eat in London

Popular dishes

Lindisfarne Rock Oyster
- each£2.50
Celeraic Soup£5.50
Purple Srouting Broccoli£7.50
blood orange hollandaise & hazelnuts
Duck Gizzards£6.50
bacon, bone marrow croutons & frisee
Ham Hock Terrine£7.50
beer mustard & toast
Mussels, Nduja£7.00
broccoli & cream
Cobble Lane Charcuterie
toast & pickles
- For 2£16.00

Mains

Leek & Durrus Gratin£13.50
raw sprout salad
Suet Crust Pheasant Pie£13.50
£0.50 fis donated to Action Against Hunger
Rump Steak£18.50
blue cheese & port butter, chips
Lemon Sole£17.00
salsify, prawn & saffron cream
Jugged Hare£16.50
mashed potato
Ox Heart£15.00
sweet & sour cauliflower, mustard & almonds
Cod£17.00
fennel, cockles & crispy pig's skin
Tartiflette
Cobble Lane charcuterie & castelfranco
- For 2£35.00
Stuffed Monkfish Tail
roasted lemon, new potatoes & chicory
- For 2£26.00
Fore-Rib of Beef, Chips & Alioli
- For 2/3£60.00

Sides

Castelfranco, Frisee & Red Onion£3.75
Chips£3.75
New Potatoes£3.75
Savoy Cabbage£3.75

Dessert

Neal's Yard Cheese Selection
plum jelly & oatcakes
- each£3.00
Chocolate & Ale Cake£6.50
salted caramel sauce, hazelnuts & cream
Blood Orange Cake£6.50
orange blossom cream
Rhubarb Fool & Shortbread£6.50

What 1,429 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5

4.5 based on recent ratings

4.5Food
4.4Service
4.5Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Energetic

Loved For

North London
Good for groups
North London
Neighborhood gem
North London
Great for fine wines

1,429 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner
London
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Had a wonderful evening with friends. Smiley helpful staff, interesting items on the menu not seen elsewhere-it’s a first world problem! 😀😀 Difficult to choose amongst the many wines. But we managed. It was unanimous that we all had the suet topped beef bourgignon pie. With new potatoes and cabbage. Yum! Prawns on bottarga sourdough and rabbit rillette as starters. And shared a chocolate tiffin for dessert. Wonderful evening
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c
catherinea
London
7 reviews
3.0
7 reviews
Dined on September 17, 2023
overall3food4service3ambience3
Some of the side dishes were good. The service from the manager was excellent but the waiting staff are pretty unenthusiastic.
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S
Scott
London
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on September 11, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience4
Great food and service, great for a mid week dinner or special occasion.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Inverness
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 10, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
The day we went to the Drapers Arms, it was absolutely sweltering, incredibly busy and yet all the staff were friendly and accommodating. Lovely place.
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CM
CharlieM
London
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 5, 2023
overall4food3service4ambience5
Ive had beautiful food at the Drapers before, however this unfortunately was not one of those times.
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I
Islingtonite
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 31, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had a great time at the Drapers Arms, the food was incredible, the staff were warm and attentive, and the atmosphere is lovely- relaxed and mature (I.e. not just full of people on their phones). Highly recommend.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
London
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Awesome as always and had very patient staff for our late arrival on a Sunday evening.
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D
Drapers
London
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always great. -if you can get in. We didn't want to spend hugely last Sunday, and I suppose that's quite easy to do at The Draper's, but we shared a roast chicken with all the trimmings, and one pudding - totally delicious honey cake, - & a lovely Pinot Noir, for £102 for the four of us - (2 of whom were 6yr olds), but we were sated, and every bit of it was delicious.
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A
Anon
London
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 27, 2023
overall3food3service5ambience3
Managed to secure a table at short notice. The Sunday Roast is meant to be the stuff of legends. Unfortunately on our visit the beef was full of sinu and most of the meal arrived luke warm and became cold very quickly. It’s incredibly noisy/vibrant depending on your disposition. My guest and I couldn’t hear one another over the table. Service is exceptional and everyone was lovely.
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A
Ashley
London
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 25, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Lovely quiet lunch for one in the garden, first grouse of the season (and practically daylight robbery at £36!). Staff were lovely and cooking was done with generosity and deliciousness in mind. Top marks!
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f
freshfoodrocks
London
13 reviews
5.0
13 reviews
Dined on August 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food, service and wine as always! I can't recommend it enough.
Is this helpful?
JW
JonnyW
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always consistently good on all fronts. What a local should be.
Is this helpful?
J
Jack
London
6 reviews
2.0
6 reviews
Dined on August 20, 2023
overall2food3service1ambience3
Historically an old favorite, seems to have taken a backward step in recent years. Service is really really slow, staff natter behind the bar, prioritize setting tables rather than attending to existing tables, hard to make a drinks order, ages to clear plates. Roast was pretty average. A bit sad for an old institution.
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PK
PeterK
Dallas
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on August 20, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience4
3rd time visiting for a Sunday roast - this time took family from the USA - top quality, great food, lovely service and a real taste of what a 'real' Sunday should feel like.... to be recommended!
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I
Isldiner
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on August 7, 2023
overall3food2service4ambience3
Unfortunately the cooking doesn’t seem to be as great as it used to be. Some really strong/bitter flavours in last nights celeriac main. And do La Fromagerie approve of Jacobs cream and sweet crackers to go with their cheese? It seemed an odd choice.
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E
Euan
Edinburgh
3 reviews
2.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 6, 2023
overall2food3service1ambience1
The food was all quite tasty. Roast potatoes could be crispier though! The staff were very unwelcoming, unhelpful, almost a bit rude throughout.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
London
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent Sunday lunch, as always. Would recommend the sharing roasts!
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N
Neilbrighton
London
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 5, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
Great gastropub that has been popular for a long time for a reason. Huge wine list
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SL
SamLondonN7
London
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on August 4, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience4
Love this place. Good value and good service. Thanks keep it simple. great wine too Sx
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Berlin
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on August 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great vibe, perfect setting, attentive staff, not overbearing. Steak for two cooked perfectly. Excellent wine list. Jake is a kool kat.
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N
Noname
Hamburg
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 2, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We enjoyed a lovely evening with delicious food. The atmosphere lively but not noisy, the service attentive and charming. Sometimes we had to wait for the next course but even that was relaxing and quite a contrast to other places in London, where we felt rushed. A pleasure!
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HK
HermanKW
London
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 1, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Good food menu and an excellent wine list combined with knowledgeable staff. A winning combination
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T
Tina
London
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 27, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience4
I found that the menu didn’t offer a lot of variety and that the meals were very overpriced for what they were. But disappointed but would probably come back for a drink in the back outdoor area.
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BS
BusraS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 25, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Everything was still wonderful. Thank you very much. My friend Spike was also very happy and my friends at the table were also very happy. See you again soon
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RB
RichardB
London
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on July 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
One of my favourite places to eat in London and well worth the voyage from Chiswick even through tube disruptions - good, honest food and one of the best wine lists in town.
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SW
SWilliams
London
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 21, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
A lovely evening! There was a long delay with the kitchen, but the staff were very up front about it so we knew and were able to just relax having a few drinks. We, along with many other tables, apparently pushed all our bookings back by ~30 minutes which put extra pressure on the kitchen. Despite this, we had a lovely evening and the staff were outstanding.
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BB
BamBam
London
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 16, 2023
overall3food2service2ambience3
Smug, unfriendly welcome. Average to poor food. Poor value for money.
Is this helpful?
S
Spicelover
London
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on July 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Terrific food with great service as ever. Lovely Sunday roast with fab wines.
Is this helpful?
EM
EamonnM
London
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food, great service from Jake, happy, cheerful and helpful. never disappointed when we dine at the Drapers
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OT
OpenTable Diner
London
3 reviews
vip
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on July 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great dinner as always! Great wine list. A bit loud at times but good vibe
Is this helpful?
NW
NW252
New York Area
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We came specifically to get a quality Sunday Roast meal, and we definitely got that an more. The pints we ordered were delicious, and the bone marrow served with melted cheese and pickled veg to start blew me away. The yoghurt cake with gooseberries was refreshing after our relatively heavy lunch. Wonderful service and ambiance, a gem in the neighborhood. Will happily return when we next visit London.
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L
Llou
London
27 reviews
5.0
27 reviews
Dined on July 4, 2023
overall5food4service4ambience5
Such a gem of a place. It being almost fully booked on a rainy Tuesday evening is testament to the quality of the food served. There’s only one vegetarian option but it never disappoints and the fish is always good. Friendly patient waiting staff, a fantastic wine list and great beer seal the deal. Will keep coming back.
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H
Hilly
London
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 1, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience4
Fantastic main courses (spatchcock coquelet, roast courgettes) starters were ok (prawn cocktail and sardines) wine recommendation excellent. Cheese disappointing, can’t remember which one it was though. Service attentive and friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Will definitely return.
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D
David
London
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on June 29, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience4
Service Ok. Food good. Tabe next door too noisy and smoked and va[ed too much for us -- but we were outside,
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AN
ArchieNY
New York Area
6 reviews
3.0
6 reviews
Dined on June 24, 2023
overall3food4service4ambience2
This neighborhood restaurant in Islington, outside of central london, offers good food . The ambience is neighborhood vibe. The food is not cheap nor particularly plentiful. Where it excels is in the breadth and depth of its wine list. Not your normal neighborhood pub.
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L
Londoner
London
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great meal and lovely surroundings in the upstairs dining room. Staff super helpful in accommodating dietary requirements
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JM
JackieM
London
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on June 22, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience4
Lovely food and wine. Initially seated on v uncomfortable benches. Moved on request, but seemed a bit grumpy about it. Service after that fine.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
London
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on June 20, 2023
overall3food2service5ambience4
Cold steak, overcooked red prawns, cold, very much not fresh fries
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t
timstea
Key West
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on June 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
The food menu easily keeps pace with its local gastro-pub rivals. The wine list is exceptionally good.
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RB
RebeccaB
London
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on June 18, 2023
overall2food2service4ambience2
We had the Cod x 2 and the Pork Belly x 2. The Yorkshire pudding that came with the pork were stone cold & dry and just air. The roast potatoes were rock hard to get into & obviously overcooked as mushy inside & oversalted (for my taste). One of the cod dishes was undercooked & had to be sent back. The rose wine we ordered was lovely and the Etonian Mess pudding was OK but weirdly served on a plate.
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Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
- Contactless payment available
Physical distancing
- Limited number of seated diners
- Distancing maintained in common areas
- Extra space between tables

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

The Drapers Arms is rated 4.5 stars by 1429 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 28, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 34 times today

44 Barnsbury Street, London, N1 1ER

Additional information

Neighborhood
Angel
Hours of operation
Lunch Mon–Fri 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Sat 12:00 pm–4:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–8:30 pm Dinner Mon–Fri 6:00 pm–10:30 pm Sat 7:00 pm–10:30 pm
Cuisines
Gastro Pub, British
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Limited number of pay and display bays in the area. After 6.30pm residents bays and single yellow line can be used as well as at weekends.
Public transit
Approximately equidistant from Angel and Highbury & Islington tube stations.
Payment options
Carte Blanche, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Aurelien Durand
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.thedrapersarms.com/
Phone number
020 7619 0348
Private party facilities
We have an upstairs dining room that can hold around 60 for a drinks party and 45 for a dinner. A variety of drink and dining alternatives are available. We also accept large parties downstairs and cater for many weddings, birthdays and other celebrations every year.

Featured in

Where Chefs Eat in London

The Drapers Arms

Make a reservation

Additional information

Where Chefs Eat in London

Roast Forerib of Beef

Roast Lamb Rump

Fillet Steak

Starters

Lindisfarne Rock Oyster

Celeraic Soup£5.50

Purple Srouting Broccoli£7.50

Duck Gizzards£6.50

Ham Hock Terrine£7.50

Mussels, Nduja£7.00

Cobble Lane Charcuterie

Mains

Leek & Durrus Gratin£13.50

Suet Crust Pheasant Pie£13.50

Rump Steak£18.50

Lemon Sole£17.00

Jugged Hare£16.50

Ox Heart£15.00

Cod£17.00

Tartiflette

Stuffed Monkfish Tail

Fore-Rib of Beef, Chips & Alioli

Sides

Castelfranco, Frisee & Red Onion£3.75

Chips£3.75

New Potatoes£3.75

Savoy Cabbage£3.75

Dessert

Neal's Yard Cheese Selection

Chocolate & Ale Cake£6.50

Blood Orange Cake£6.50

Rhubarb Fool & Shortbread£6.50

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Cleaning & sanitizing

Physical distancing

Screening

FAQs

How is The Drapers Arms restaurant rated?

Is The Drapers Arms currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information

Featured in

Where Chefs Eat in London