Tollington’s is the new Spanish-inspired fish bar making a splash in north London
Tollington’s in Finsbury Park is a new opening from the team behind The Plimpsoll, championing Spanish-style dining and interiors

Fish bar Tollington’s might be located in the heart of London’s Finsbury Park, but it wouldn’t feel out of place in sunny Barcelona. That’s thanks to its simple seafood menu and the charming Spanish-inspired interiors that make this bright new opening look like it’s been around for decades. And, in some ways, it has.
Tollington’s, London
Tollington’s has, after all, been a staple of N4 for many years, albeit in a different guise. Once a neighbourhood fish and chip shop, it’s now the latest venture from Ed McIlroy of Four Legs – the team behind beloved local pub The Plimpsoll. As with his pub, McIlroy sought to protect and polish many of Tollington’s original features. ‘It’s important to retain beautiful old parts of London,’ he says. ‘I wanted the renovation to be as light as possible.’ The original emerald green frontage, for instance, remains intact. It features a gold serif lettering spelling out the restaurant’s name – a tribute to its predecessor.
The bar area
Inside, the interiors have been sensitively refurbished to capture the spirit of Spanish eateries. Take the tiled floor: ‘It was covered in 20 years of chip grease. But, after scrubbing it with bicarb and vinegar, I found that the tiles are beautiful and remind me of those in taverns in Madrid.’ With parents based in Spain, a destination he’s been visiting since childhood, McIlroy has long had an affinity with the country. ‘I love the no-nonsense informality of dining there – the way people eat standing up, for example. That’s what I want to encourage here.’
Tollington’s during its renovation process
The bar counter
As a result, Tollington’s has been cleverly divided into two halves. At the front, there’s a long narrow bar – ‘which reminds me of El Xampanyet in Barcelona’, says McIlroy – where diners are invited to enjoy a quick bite and, say, a glass of house wine while using wooden ledges to lean against. Formerly used by the chip-shop for potato peeling, the back room has been transformed into a characterful dining room decorated with round marble tables – another staple of Spanish restaurants. The pièce de résistance, however, is a beautiful mosaic by artist Anja Maye, depicting the view from McIlroy’s family home in Spain.
Mosaic by Anja Maye
Once painted sky blue, the entire space is now a sandy yellow. Akin to the colour that defined McIlroy’s mother’s kitchen when he was growing up, the shade complements the dark wooden shelving. ‘The wood has been repurposed from 19th-century church pews. Because it’s old, it looks like it could have been here for 50-odd years.’
One of the most intriguing things about the space is the assortment of art that hangs on the walls, which McIlroy has been collecting for years. It includes a painting by an outsider artist who lives in a fishing village along the northwest coast of Spain and a bespoke piece by London-based painter Harry Jones.
The restaurant area
And then there’s the food: it’s unfussy but fresh and flavourful. Devilled crab, smoked eel omelette, salty potatoes and sauces (made using the original chip-shop fryers), and pollock pil pil are among the standout plates, while flan and strawberries are served for dessert. ‘We’re not interested in garnishing anything too much,’ says McIlroy. ‘Expect simplicity – a piece of fish just cooked really well.’
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Patatas bravas
Tomato salad
Tollington’s is located at 172 Tollington Park, London, @tollingtons.fishbar
Billie Brand is a London-based writer and editor. She has previously held positions at The Modern House, Matches, The Guardian and Observer, and contributed to titles including World of Interiors, i-D and The Face. Her work has a particular focus on beautifully designed and innovative spaces and places – and the forward-thinking people behind them.
-
Glastonbury’s Terminal 1 is back: ‘Be prepared to be deeply moved and then completely uplifted’
Terminal 1 is an immersive, experiential space designed to deliver a vital message on immigration rights at Glastonbury 2025
-
At Glastonbury’s reinvented Shangri-La, everything must grow
With a new theme for 2025, Glastonbury’s Shangri-La is embracing nature, community and possibility; Lisa Wright is our field agent
-
Paul Smith brings the Swinging Sixties to Sadler’s Wells in ‘Quadrophenia, A Mod Ballet’
In any imagining of Pete Townshend’s ‘rock opera’ – a chronicle steeped in the mythology of the 1960s – the suits need to be razor-sharp. ‘Quadrophenia, A Mod Ballet’ enlisted Paul Smith for the task
-
Anya Hindmarch’s Ice Cream Project is London’s tastiest (and weirdest) summer tradition
The cult pop-up has returned, transforming a Belgravia corner into a sleek, steel-clad shrine to British pantry nostalgia
-
The best bars in London for bartending greatness
From chic hotel cocktail classics to game-changing flavour combinations, our resident drinks correspondent, Neil Ridley, explores ten of the best bars in London
-
NoMad London’s new restaurant fast-tracks you to New York’s jazz age
Martin Brudnizki Design Studio conjures up old-world glamour at Twenty8 NoMad, where the menu features nearly as many martini variations as main courses
-
Italian-Japanese fusion’s a joy at east London’s Osteria Angelina
A Victorian warehouse in Spitalfields has been given a slick modern makeover to house a unique Italian-Japanese restaurant
-
This Hackney bar is reviving London’s legacy of lesbian spaces
Designed by Studio Popelo and Wet Studio, La Camionera emerges as a vital sanctuary for London’s FLINTA* community, honouring it right down to the details
-
Time-travel to the golden age of the cruise ship at Sea Containers London
The South Bank hotel celebrates its tenth anniversary with four new suites inspired by period cabin design, from Edwardian elegance to 1980s glamour
-
Twin Peaks’ Double R Diner is coming to London (for a day)
Mubi marks Twin Peaks’ 35th anniversary with pop-up diner and streaming release
-
Ukrainian restaurant Sino adds to London's diverse food culture with warming traditions that feel familiar yet new
Pronounced see-no, the new Ukrainian restaurant in Notting Hill, by Polina Sychova and chef Eugene Korolev, is built on the intimate relationship between people and nature – offering beauty in simplicity