This won’t win any third-wave enthusiasts over: it’s fairly unadventurous, smooth, with a hint of bitterness (ie just how I like it). Sadly David passed away in 2008 at the age of 42, but the links to Matthew Algie continue, Tinderbox using its Gama espresso blend. There’s also another London branch in the Paperchase on Tottenham Court Road. Tinderbox started life in Glasgow (four branches), set up by David Williamson, Managing Director of Glasgow’s Matthew Algie. Going back to the tube at Angel, I passed Tinderbox and made a mental note to visit. Then, a couple of months ago, I was visiting Vagabond N7 and Brewsters N7. I remembered it when I started the Coffee Spot, but I allowed my head to be turned by the new and exciting places springing up all over London, most of them not even a twinkle in their owners’ eyes when Tinderbox first appeared.ĭear Tinderbox, I apologise. The trade show moved to Manchester a few years ago and, with no reason to visit, my neglect of Tinderbox began. Relief flooded over me and I positively skipped up the stairs to get my fix. Heart-broken, I wandered abjectly until, completely by accident, I stumbled across Tinderbox, now relocated to the upper level of the N1 Centre. I attended the show every year and looked forward to my annual Tinderbox visits. Back then it was on Upper Street itself, where its trademark quirky atmosphere and great coffee meant it stood out from the crowd. I first came across Tinderbox almost 10 years ago while attending a trade show at the Business Design Centre. You can read more of my thoughts after the gallery. January 2015: Sadly Tinderbox closed at the end of last year. Tinderbox also has savouries such as sandwiches and stuffed flat breads. The cakes are pretty impressive, with cheesecakes and traditional Italian offerings such as cannoli, plus Portuguese favourites pastel de nata and bolo de arroz. ![]() It’s also one of a growing number of places where you can get decent coffee after six o’clock in the evening. It has an uncomplicated attitude, with a straightforward coffee and cake offering, along with a quirky attitude and layout that always makes it fun to visit. I’ve been going there for almost 10 years and it’s still one of my favourite spots. Second only to the Boston Tea Party on Bristol’s Park Street, Tinderbox has a long-standing place in my affections. Walk past the counter, up three flights of stairs at the back and you’ll find yourself in one of London’s most eclectic coffee spaces. Stand outside, though, and look up you’ll see a balcony which promises more. From the street, it’s fairly unassuming: a couple of tables outside and what looks like a short corridor with a counter on the left and a bar at the back. The restaurant itself has become so successful, in fact, the owners were able to acquire the space next door a few years ago and re-imagined it into “The Annex,” a hip, indoor-outdoor cocktail bar with real-deal mixologists and then recently took over the space next to that, creating a casual atmosphere where pastry and bakery meet all-day noshing goodness called the Tourist Home All Day Cafe.Tucked away in the Upper Street entrance to the N1 Centre in Islington, you’ll find Tinderbox. Focused on providing progressive – but not pretentious – American comfort food, the menu is often eclectic and always changing (think crispy duck confit served in a skillet with toasted quinoa and braised greens then doused in a perfect juniper duck broth). Though only 10 years old, Tinderbox Kitchen is often named among the restaurants credited for helping to re-launch the foodie movement in Flagstaff, and assisted in re-inventing the “Southside” neighborhood of the city, which now also includes Root Public House and several other restaurants.
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