vivo

vivo had a wonderful range of italian food organised and displayed in its covered glass 14 metre counter. the food display started off with calzone pizzas, then came the black soup cauldrons, followed by the anti pasti items, salads, cakes and then finally the wines. all of the food looked fresh and of a high quality.

part deli, part restaurant, this is an italian spot that is pretty funky with a serious attitude towards the food and its presentation. we had an array of desserts which were all ok, if a little on the sweet side. service was impeccable.

came for breakfast around ten on a saturday morning. plenty of option regarding seating: out front, inside or on the roof terrace. i had the full english and my friend the eggs benedict. food was tasty but my coffee could’ve been hotter as i asked for extra hot. would like to return for evening drinks.

great food, i love the creamy sauce given with the burger meal as it complements the chips very well. great to sit in the terrace when the weather is sunny. decent prices, but not super cheap either.

tasty and freshly made italian food on the main road of islington. open front lets the air through on a summer day. a great place to meet with friends for a light bite and drinks. rooftop is also available but can get a bit crowded. pastas are deliciously authentic!

love this place! great atmosphere, very chic interior. but best of all, the best pizza marinara i've ever had (including all those scoffed throughout my travels in italy). calamari was delicious, too. we stayed for the night drinking cocktails (get the william's wish - delicious!). i'll be back again and again!

similar concept to princi in soho but bit smaller in size, less busy and the layout of food is better. i had the melanzane parmigiana which was very tasty while my boyfriend had the lasagna. i also tried the cannoli but i was but disappointed as it taste of cream cheese instead of ricotta cheese. i would love to go to the rooftop garden in the summer!

went to vivo for lunch! the decor is contemporary modern and very relaxing. the service was great! i ordered a pesto pasta salad and a slice of margarita pizza. both were good.
only issue was the cost. the salad and pizza cost me £9! i have been to places with better more quantity for cheaper prices.

islington isn’t exactly known for being void of great restaurants and cafes, and angel in particular is the home of the yummy-mummy/ single young person scene. the area is a real mish-mash of middle class cultures, and thus from that lots of boutique eateries have popped up there over the last few years. when i moved to london four years ago we used angel simply for it’s massive sainsbury’s and waitrose and a few clothing shops, but now it is a real destination for foodies.

vivo is a refreshingly modern addition to the angel food scene thanks to it’s simple interior design, glass frontage and 14ft long counter of delights. all the food is out on display which avoids the awkward “ooh i’m not sure if i will like that” that can come from overly wordy menus. in fact vivo doesn’t have a menu at all, which saves on paper (yay for trees) but also visually entices diners to get stuck into as many dishes as possible. when we arrived brothers and co-owners ben and will talked us through this choice, explaining how they had seen this on their visits to italy. with chunky roman pieces at one end (seriously they were like foccacia with topping), stunning french patisserie style cakes in the middle, and a wealth of salads and hot dishes at the other we really were spoilt for choice.

you are also spoilt for choice when decided where to tuck into your food. do you chose the seats outside the restaurant (perfect for afternoon coffee), the large communal benches in the middle (great for lunch time chats), or the heated terrace upstairs. we chose the terrace and started with drinks. as i have given up alcohol, we ordered two non-alcoholic cocktails and asked the barman to surprise us. we ended up with a citrusy sweet combination of orange, passion fruit, mango, strawberry and caramel topped with passion fruit seeds and ice. who needs alcohol when you can get cocktails this good? 

the food, as a general, was good. fresh, flavoursome and packed with different textures, i felt transported to italy on that roof terrace. i find if the food manages to stop conversation for the right reasons, then it’s pretty good. our deep chat about all things post-graduation and the ‘being an adult’ stuff was regularly interrupted by both of us exclaiming our love for each mouthful, which may explain why were were sat there for so long! my beef lasagne was lovingly layered with soft, slippery pasta, red wine rich beef, delicious umami packed tomato sauce and a creamy, comforting white sauce. although the top was packed with cheese it was not at all greasy and brought a real crunch to each mouthful.

the salads were also fantastic and i would thoroughly recommend getting a mix of these for lunch if you’re in the area. my favourite was the endive, pomegranate and fresh mozzarella topped with a light olive oil. i saw fresh mozzarella on saturday kitchen several weeks ago and was really intrigued by its milky, soft texture. the salad at vivo really lived up to my expectations and the cheese contrasted really well with the crunch of the endive and pop of the pomegranate. i also loved the mint rich panzella salad and the cucumber slices were to die for. i didn’t think much of the caesar salad, but i am no fan of the dressing anyway so i guess that’s not much of a reflection!

a good little alternative to have in case ottolenghi's full, vivo is a great place to stop by for lunch in islington. with plenty of hot and cold options available (along with a drool-worthy selection of patisserie and cakes), it's a decent place to meet with friends, especially since the cafeteria-style shared seating (which i'm not a huge fan of, but understand the necessity for) equates to fast turnover - guaranteeing you a seat even during peak hours.

i visited on a saturday afternoon for lunch with a friend. the portions are generous in size: i ordered a caesar salad mixed with their giant cous cous salad and the "starter" size was plenty enough for me. and, since my total came to £6.80, i think that's pretty reasonable for lunch in islington - enough left over to grab a coffee elsewhere (as my dining companion advised me against it at vivo - haven't tried their coffee for myself, so i can't comment).

overall, the salads were pretty tasty, though my caesar salad leaves were a bit limp and soggy. still, this didn't deter me from enjoying the lunch overall and i'd definitely go back again if i was stuck for a place to meet.

i found the order and pay at the counter system a little confusing when i first walked in - but it actually makes the ordering process very easy as you can pay at several terminals sleekly disguised within the countertops. sometimes, it's nice to pay, eat, and go so you don't have to worry about settling the bill later on - especially during a lunch date when you're keen to move on to the next place.

bottom line? recommended.

vivo opened this year on islington green and i have been a fan ever since. it successfully manages to incorporate both bar and restaurant, creating a chilled eating and drinking environment.
the interior is extremely modern, with sleek white walls and strips of stone behind the bar and serving area. food, both hot and cold, is displayed along a glass counter next to the entrance. food mainly seems to be pasta dishes and salads. i particularly love their salmon and black rice salad. i have also eaten their vegetarian lasagne which, against expectations, was rich and moist despite being served from the counter.

it's bar, which stands as the focal point at the back of the restaurant, serves a range of tasty cocktails and a glass of prosecco is a bargain at only £4. if you are a smoker there is also a great heated roof terrace, that mirrors the modern interior with its all wood decking.

one of vivo’s main selling points is its heated terrace upstairs. it’s a great space which is open until about 11 which is great for relaxing drinks all year round; it even caters for when it’s raining with waterproof covers, and heaters for when it’s cold.

the pricing of the drinks here is particularly reasonable. a glass of prosecco is less than £4.00 and you can get a range of cocktails for around £6.00. the food is served canteen style, with hot dishes such as lasagne, and fresh cold salads served from behind a counter. i’ve tried both the vegetarian and meat lasagne both of which are delicious and come in huge portions. my only criticism is that given the relaxed dining style, the £8.50 price tag is seems slightly expensive.

the ambience is calm and relaxing, with a communal seating area down it’s centre which is casual but sophisticated. all in all vivo is a great little spot that is suitable for popping in for just a cake and coffee or for after work drinks.

if you haven't been to vivo yet, why haven't you?! great food, great service and a beautiful roof terrace which is a hidden gem in the centre of angel in the summer. i'd also heavily recommend their martini and prosecco cocktails - the entire list is my favourite.
there's such a fantastic range of food and for your money, you really do get a lot. one of my favourites in angel. a lovely addition to the area!

vivo is a great place to grab a drink and sit in the evening to catch up with friends. it has a lovely atmosphere and it is a quiet and classy place. they have a really nice selection of food to have a snack with your drink. these snacks range from sweet pastries and deserts to salty dishes and quality cold cuts. i tried their lasagna and thought it was quite good, not too heavy and with a great bolognese.

you have to get your own drink and food but the service is quite good, everyone is very friendly and helpful. the bar has a good selection of drinks and when i couldn't chose what drink i wanted, the barman was helpful and made some good suggestions.

nice rooftop terrace for a sunny day. the melon and parma ham was great and they also have a nice selection of cocktails. top service!