Cafe KOKO | Pizza & live music in North London
From the name of it, you’d think this would be a hot chocolate place.
But from the moment you walk in the door Cafe KOKO serves up a hot, steaming cup of culture. You see, it’s attached to the KOKO, you know, the same KOKO that’s over a 120 years old, and which has been host to the greatest names in entertainment throughout its entire tenure, from Charlie Chaplin, to Ed Sheeran, to everyone else in between. So it won’t surprise you that Cafe KOKO is one of London’s best restaurants with live music, with performers on most nights of the week.
Stage aside, the venue has become a rather stunning private members club with rather a lot to recommend it. But if you want to get a tiny soupçon of the experience, Cafe KOKO is open to all.
Now, one would assume that this place would have great music. And one would be completely correct. It does. Walk inside, and you’ll be immediately engulfed by the buzzing, heady atmosphere brought out by rousing tunes, a bustling bar, and a team of buoyant staff. The space itself is actually a converted piano factory, and now it feels like a small slice of New York, thanks to a colourful tile floor, whitewashed brick walls, and curved bench seating.
The menu at Cafe KOKO is allll about the pizza, with a purpose-built oven scorching the dough at insanely high temperatures, and puffing the crust up into glorious pillows. Musically inspired toppings include the ‘Downtown Jimmy Brown’ brings two types of pepperoni together with green chillis and ‘nduja, followed by the inventive ‘Lambrechts’ (which involves goat’s cheese, lamb shawarma, and garlic yoghurt), and the Stairway to Heaven, which banishes tomato entirely to make room for four different Italian cheeses and some fresh black truffle.
And it’s all but essential to get one of their crust dippers – it’ll come as a twin set with small vessels containing aoli and habanero chilli oil with you can mix together as you dip. You’ll wonder why everyone isn’t doing it.
And to finish? There’s a small parade of gelato & cheesecake.
Meaning everything ends on a high note.
NOTE: Cafe KOKO is open now. You can find out more, and make a booking at their website right here.
Cafe KOKO | 74 Crowndale Road, NW1 1TP
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