Christmas In Camden Passage

To my mind, for most of the year, the confusingly-named Camden Passage - in the heart of Islington - is the sort of place that gives Islington a bad name. And when I say a bad name, I mean the popular perception that Islington is entirely populated with middle-class champagne socialists, lazily repeated in the media as recently as The Independent's review of John Salt.  While there is no denying that Islington has its fair share of yuppies and Guardian-readers, reflected in several of the borough's more ghastly foodie landmarks such as Ottolenghi and La Fromagerie, anyone who lives in Islington for a reasonable stretch of time will find it to be a diverse and multicultural borough, with large areas highly resistant to gentrification. I spend most of the year avoiding both shops of any kind, apart from food shops of course, and the more smug enclaves of Islington such as Amwell Street, with it's matching ye-olde shop-fronts.

But at Christmas time, Camden Passage becomes more attractive. It really does come into its own. Mid-winter is a good time to treat yourself to a bit of luxury and pretend you're posh, at least for a week or so. Drink champagne, eat from white tablecloths, walk into shops selling pointless luxuries at absurd prices and act like you belong there. At this time of year I suddenly feel the need to look in wooden furniture shops and leaf through Japanese prints in a desperate search for gifts which will appear to be thoughtful and appropriate. Many of Camden Passage's restaurants and cafes seem more fitting at this time of year as well. The Austrian cafe Kipferl feels a very comforting place to stop for coffee and cake, and a respite from shopping. The wooden panelling decor makes it feel like a ski-lodge where you can, for a short time, metaphorically remove your uncomfortable boots. There are interesting lunch options too. The Elk In The Woods is a popular brunch spot, and the inclusion of frikadeller (Danish meatballs), served with a hearty shot of some kind of spirit, is perfect for a winter lunch. Having a strong Scandinavian connection in my family, frikadeller are inextricably associated with Christmas for me. Islington-stalwart Frederick's may not be highly rated for its food, but it does have that white tablecloth comfort thing going on in a good way.

This year Camden Passage has been improved a great deal, partly by the excellent Coffee Works Project (although I'm not wild about the whole coffee in a glass thing), but mainly by the new Passage Sundays market stalls. There are several markets in Islington that are doing their best to make life better for us, but this one really does bring some quality producers and makes for a very pleasant foodie stroll on a Sunday. Firstly, the brilliant Hansen & Lydersen smoked salmon stall. This stuff is not cheap, but it is Christmas. And it is the best smoked salmon you can buy, juicy, moist and smoky, available either in whole sides, 100g packs, or handy Scandinavian-style open sandwiches to munch right away. Hansen & Lydersen do their smoking in a little hut off Stoke Newington Church St but were previously around in market-stall form only down in Maltby Street. A great addition. Then there is the bakery stall run by Elliots Cafe (the most excellent place just by Borough Market). If there is any better bread available in Islington than the white sourdough from this stall I have yet to try it. Really good bread is one of those things that really does improve a person's quality of life. I feel sorry for people who don't eat bread. There is a very nice stall run by the Wild Game Co selling, err, game, and a high-quality pie stall that also does scotch eggs and the like. I've never understood the mania for cupcakes that some adults have, but if you are one of those people then there are cupcakes too. If you need a pint after all that shopping then the pubs at either end of Camden Passage are fine, but you might feel a bit cannier if you ducked down a side street to the Charles Lamb or the Earl of Essex. It is Christmas after all.  



Passage Sundays
Camden Passage
London N1







The Elk In The Woods
37-39 Camden Passage
London N1 8EA
http://www.the-elk-in-the-woods.co.uk






Kipferl
20 Camden Passage
London N1 8ED
http://www.kipferl.co.uk