December 30, 2013

Ez and Moss Café, Holloway Road

I'm fortunate enough that, more often than not, there's a really good café somewhere close by.

There's Café Vintage near where I live (a quaint place in N4 that combines cakes and second hand clothes), Vagabond N4 next to my brother's, and its bigger sister Vagabond N7 just about near enough to where I work. 

In winter months I have desisted in straying so far, thus opening a gap that needed soothing with coffee and a sense of sweet, sweet habit. 
Ez and Moss Cafe Holloway Road London
I almost missed Ez and Moss as I pounded down Holloway Road after an impromptu lunch with Jayne from Jayne's Kitschen on Upper Street. 

Turning sharply on my heel and peering through a foggy window I could confirm that yes, it was most certainly a new café and yes, I would most certainly be skating back at first given chance. 
Ez and Moss Cafe Holloway Road London
And so skate back I did and have done so many times since. And oh, what a lovely little gaff it is with warming colours, surprisingly delicious soy milk and vegan/vegetarian dishes (and I'm neither). 
Ez and Moss Cafe Holloway Road London
Ez and Moss makes the perfect bolt-hole for those who work in the area and a fine example of a community hub, proudly displaying Rowan Arts' fantastically interesting books 'Born and Bred' (documenting the lives of people born, bred and raised in the area) and 'Making Inroads' (documenting the lives of 40 people who have migrated to Holloway Road).

The connection between the two really highlights an area that is striving to regenerate and reposition itself as a pawn playing on the London board. 
Ez and Moss Cafe Holloway Road London
While Holloway Road is hardly a top the 'most desirable' location list, Ez and Moss is cleverly placed at the tip of Highbury and Islington's affluent yawn.

 North of the station, it would seem that the 'Islington charm' stops dead, but with caffeine-players like Vagabond N7 and Ez and Moss, we may very well see a transformation of the area- hopefully one that manages its gentrification appropriately and strikes evenly with the existing culture of Holloway Road, already so rich in character. 

 With coffee playing a starring role as the social lubricant that transforms an area's culture, the establishment of a micro community in a city where it often feels difficult to associate yourself wholly, is more of what Holloway Road needs to get people talking.
Holloway Road Cafes
Ez and Moss Cafe Holloway Road London
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5 comments

  1. Ooh, I spotted this place the other day (on my own pound down the Holloway Road) but haven't made it in to try it out yet. Shall definitely have to make sure I do - it sounds great. Say what you like about gentrification but any ace new coffee places on the Holloway Road is fine by me!

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  2. Let me know when you do! I work just around the corner and would love to meet you, x

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  3. This is lovely! Makes me wish I still lived in North London...I'll have to plan a trip up there to visit both this café and Vagabond!

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  4. Having lived in Islington my whole life (formerly Angel, now Holloway), I can say I think the charm actually starts at Holloway Road these days - due to gentrification such as this, the borough is losing any sense of its former self. As is Hackney. Holloway Road can do without it. I'd much rather go to the Hope Dining Rooms and really support the community.

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  5. Hi 'anonymous' - thanks for your interesting comments. I suppose I ought to have put Islington Charm into inverted commas, as I completely agree with you. Holloway Road is an amazing place that needs to establish its own identity rather than being swallowed up by the 'affluent yawn' that I refer to. However, I don't agree that Holloway Road needs less of this type of independent cafe. I think the quality of the food, service and atmosphere makes a lovely addition and a great place for people in Holloway Road to start conversations or hold meetings - without it, I wouldn't have met half of the wonderful people that I have in the area.

    I'll be sure to check out the Hope Dining Rooms- thanks for the recommendation.

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