Come dine with Pipsdish

I fully recommend following any hand painted sign (unless it says “Free Candy. Kids only.”) Sophie and I followed one down an alley in Islington and came across the glorious Pipsdish at the Islington Barn, a pop-up restaurant in a converted garage. It’s there in partnership with a farm shop so not only can you eat great food there, you can buy something to take home.

Now I should have written this a week ago. My last post here says I’ll be writing once a day. Guess what? I haven’t. I like to think I can do everything, but packing house to move to another country and trying to see friends, work US hours-ish (and maybe even go on a date) takes its toll. Mostly my blog gets the brunt of this, along with my sleep, and any friends who I’ve meant to see this week but ran out of time. But let's get back to Pipsdish shall we?


Pipsdish is one of a number of pop-ups, author and cook, Philip Dundas , has set up over the past couple of years. When you first come into the back courtyard, you see the farm shop but not the restaurant. If Philip hadn’t beaconed us in at the front of the alley, I don’t think I would have ventured further inside.


If you do decide to round the corner, you’ll find a tall grey haired man (yep. Philip) in a kerchief, stirring or chopping or mixing. Real records are playing on a real record player and there’s a seating area with tables and covered hay bales. It’s quite homey.

The first thing we noticed – no prices. There’s a 3 course meal for £25 but we just wanted a snack. I’ll be honest – with no sign we almost walked away. Almost. I hate asking how much something is. I once accidentally bought a £16 bottle of beer when I thought it looked cool but didn’t think to ask how much it would set me back.

During lunch, you pay what you think it’s worth. Now this is trickier than you think. Pay what you can you’ll never feel guilty as pay what you think it’s worth. £5 for my masterful creation? Pah.

Of course no one said that and no one would. But it’s definitely in your head. Especially with these meals.

Sophie had homemade chicken soup. What was amazing is that Sophie hates soup with chunks in it. Yet, she polished this off and raved about it. It came with pate on toast. I, the vegetarian, had stir-fried mixed vegetables. All freshly cut in front of me, my favourite was the sliced Brussel sprouts. They were sliced! Who would believe it was possible. It is. And it is the future. Mine came with a squash pate on toast. It tasted like a dream. If squash is what you equate with dreams. I didn’t before but I may now.

I would say, book a £25 course meal if you can. There’s dancing and music and fun. But if you are wandering around Islington, I’d say go in, say hi and eat some great, freshly cooked food. We paid £15 for our meal, but honestly I’d have paid much, much more. It was if I walked into my mom’s kitchen, except it was the 1940s and my mom was a professional chef. It was that good. Go. Check in on Foursquare. Tell your friends. Say I sent you. Or better yet, take me with you.