Our neighbourhood, the leafy enclave of Stroud Green, has been called ‘obscure’ and ‘interesting’ by the likes of The Telegraph and The Independent. Well ta very much, but you might be better off using the words ‘quirky’, ‘creative’ and ‘full of amazing people’. Nestled between trendy Finsbury Park and stylish Crouch End, Stroud Green has nurtured a culture, community and ethos all of its own. Once seen as run down and overlooked, the area has made a remarkable transformation over the last fifteen years.

Young professionals and families have moved into the area, which consists of predominantly Victorian housing stock. New independent businesses have sprung up along Stroud Green Road and its neighbouring streets. Stroud Green is rife with artists, designers, writers, actors and musicians, who all contribute to the creative sensibilities of the area. It’s leafy, with beautiful architecture and an almost village-like atmosphere, but retains enough of an edge to lend it an arty feel.

This guide was written by North Four magazine #lovelocal

Ah Finsbury Park, a Zone 2 neighbourhood with great transport links, actual green spaces and lots of things to do. Add pretty houses, tree-lined streets and more places to eat and drink than you can shake a (baguette) stick at and you have a rather lovely place to live.

Yes, the transport links are brilliant (it’ll take you less than 10 minutes to get to Oxford Street, Kings Cross and Old Street from Finsbury Park Station) and the area is becoming increasingly well served by all manner of artsy spots. An array of good pubs and the pull of the burgeoning restaurant scene have seen young families, creative professionals and couples move to the area in their droves. A neighbour of the more upmarket Highbury and the decidedly grittier Manor House, Finsbury Park is like that cool cousin you really wanted to be friends with when you were a kid – friendly, unassuming and quietly trendy. The area has a longstanding musical and arts heritage running through its veins, which goes some way to explaining that undercurrent of ‘cool’ that you just can’t quite place your finger on.

This guide was written by North Four magazine #lovelocal

Harringay was built in the late 1800s with the aim of providing good quality housing for middle-class folk. Most are classic Victorian terraces, with high ceilings, gardens and a variety of decorative inflections. Until recent years the area was a relative unknown to many a Londoner, but now its reputation for lovely housing stock and its budding foodie scene, alongside its relative affordability, has resulted in a migration of families and twenty-somethings flocking to its pretty ladder of streets.

The brightly coloured wares of The Grand Parade, the area’s main thoroughfare which is part of the ridiculously long Green Lanes, and the bustling nature of the area are all part of the charm. Seriously impressive food shops and bargain restaurants punctuate the high street. The area has been nicknamed ‘Little Turkey’ due to its abundance of quality Turkish restaurants, many of which have won Timeout Awards and praise by food critics alike. Oh and there’s a 24 hour McDonald’s to boot… no judgement here.

This guide was written by North Four magazine #lovelocal

Manor House is probably Inner North London’s best-kept secret. A geographically small neighbourhood nestled in the most easterly corner of Finsbury Park, it holds a close-knit community of creative types who live and work in the little houses and warehouse conversions dotted along its streets. This is in contrast to the glisteningly tall towers of the Woodberry Down Apartments, a shiny new development that is home to those who prefer more modern surrounds and views of the city.

The area has a heritage of culture and creativity, with The Rolling Stones playing weekly gigs here in the early 1960’s as part of the Harringay Jazz Club. Whilst it’s true to say the area has experienced its fair share of negative associations, in recent years the community has grown to accommodate more artists, designers, photographers and musicians who are keen to take advantage of the excellent facilities, unusual housing stock, and more affordable prices. As a result, Manor House has come to be known locally as a hub for art and creativity, whilst the contemporary apartments popping up across the West Reservoir has beckoned more monied types to the area.

This guide was written by North Four magazine #lovelocal

Highbury is like Finsbury Park’s stylish older sister. Whilst it might not have the edgy grit and cool cultural undertones of its neighbour, it more than makes up for it with its stunning Victorian and Edwardian housing, plush green spaces, quaint coffee houses, cute cafes, grand pubs and its variety of good quality restaurants serving gastro, international and seasonal fare. The area is picture-book pretty, full of charming shops and beautiful architecture. It’s a family friendly neighbourhood, with a laidback atmosphere and an artistic culture that is evident across its arts spaces and homeware stores alike.

The area retains a village-like charm, with its array of interesting independent shops lending the area extra character. It’s a ‘well to do’ type of area, but without being alienating – the friendly nature and sunny outlook of its residents and shopkeepers brighten up even the weariest of visitor’s days. It’s definitely a wine and cheese type of neighbourhood, indeed Highbury Barn is home to one of the most well-known cheese shops in the city, La Fromagerie, and it also houses Highbury Vintners a respected local wine merchant. Furthermore, residents benefit from the expanse of the famous Highbury Fields to the south of the enclave.

This guide was written by North Four magazine #lovelocal

Holloway has a bit of a cult following. On the surface you might only see a busy high street, furiously trampled over by thousands of rushing feet every day. Perhaps you only recollect the fact that it home to the infamous woman’s prison (tucked away on Camden Road – nothing to see here). Or maybe it’s the nearby football ground, home to North London’s finest (unless you’re a Spurs fan) football team Arsenal, that gets you thinking of this neighbourhood. Scratch a little deeper however and you’ll discover the Holloway that we know and love – bustling, cultural and full of retro charm.

Visitors to the area might be surprised to find street after street of well kept, grand Victorian houses – similar to those found in Highbury and Stroud Green. Holloway has managed to retain its original charm, pulling in a famously vintage inspired crowd, who flock here for the local vintage shops, traditional cafes, rocker bars, old-fashioned markets and Grade II listed Odeon cinema. Holloway is a riot of wiggle dresses, pin curls, leathers and mod suits, jostling for pavement space and outdoor café seats with the families, market sellers and food shoppers who have lived in the area for decades.

This guide was written by North Four magazine #lovelocal

Crouch End is a hive of leisurely activity. Stylish mums and dads, wearing Breton stripes and dark denim, round up their children for a trip to Riley’s Ice Cream, watching their eyes light up in delight as the shopkeeper hands them a towering cone of gelato. Writers, designers and PR types throw their laptops open at Harris and Hoole Coffee House, accompanied by a flat white and a warm brownie whilst they answer a throng of emails. An array of ugly-cute (cugly?) dogs are walked proudly down Middle Lane on their way to Priory Park, where they will partake in a spot of squirrel chasing.

So far, so very chic. Add a dash of live comedy, a sprinkling of art galleries, chuck in several casual pubs and eateries, and you have a really special mix. The area is beautiful, with grand houses, tree-lined streets and the centrepiece of the neighbourhood, the famous clock tower, adding extra ‘pretty points’. The crowd here is friendly, chilled out and into literature, yoga, the arts and design. Expect to leave the area clambering for more – that’s what we like to call the ‘Crouch End effect’.

This guide was written by North Four magazine #lovelocal

Roll up, roll up good people of North London for Archway is being transformed before your very eyes! Once seen, perhaps unfairly, as a bit tatty, there are now plans afoot to improve the hideous seventies nightmare of a gyratory system opposite the station and turn it into a pretty pedestrianised piazza. Blocks of contemporary apartments are springing up next to the more traditional Victorian housing and an increasing amount of cycle lanes are being introduced for the more environmentally and financially conscious residents.

Apparently, it was at Archway that Dick Whittington heard the Bow Bells ringing and returned back to London, there’s a small statue of his famous cat situated outside the Whittington hospital to mark the neighbourhood’s famous past. Things have changed since Dick’s day, little independent shops, cafes, and eateries are popping up rapidly. The rather lovely Archway Market lures in those looking for a decent bit of smelly cheese, organic meat or a good bottle of locally sourced honey. The community spirit is also strong here, there’s a sense of camaraderie and fellowship among local residents, who open their arms to new neighbours and traders alike.

This guide was written by North Four magazine #lovelocal