A Crouch End Gem: Little Mercies

How is it September already? Last month was a busy one, so please excuse the brief blogging hiatus… ‘cos I’m back. And first on the list? Little Mercies. If you’re familiar with my Insta, then you’ve probably already caught a glimpse of this little north London nugget – and I’m about to take you through a deep dive of the bartender-led gem.

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Located in Crouch End, Little Mercies is a proper neighbourhood boozer. If you live south of the river then it might not be on your radar, but as I’m housed up in Finsbury Park, I’ve spent many an evening making my way through the cocktail menu… and this time, we were here for the food.

From beef crumpets at brunch to ox cheek pastrami for dinner, this isn’t your usual cocktail bar. The drinks may have kept me running back for more in the past, but the small plates are a real fire-starter. Think crispy croquettes oozing with mushroom and paired with maple sriracha, artichoke smothered an earthy basil dollop and layered with fermented chilli + broad beans and the plumpest chalk stream trout swimming in smoked whey sauce and fermented plum. DAMN.

The show-stopper, though, has got to be the chicken katsu sando. Sure, there’s a certain sandwich inducing queues down in Old Street, but this one teams crunchy prawn cracker bits and pickled bean sprouts with a jammy sweet and sour sauce for maximum tang.

As for the drinks? Cocktails lean towards the grown-up “Pornstar” and a strawberry take on the classic Negroni. From the Porter’s Gin Pink Menu, the Tropical Spritz and Rhubarb Gimlet were standouts. Plus with all drinks priced at a modest £9, you really can’t go wrong here.

The verdict: 9/10

The damage: (£97 for two of us, but all fully comped through DMN – thank you Little Mercies)