Located just off Highbury & Islington Station in North London, newcomer Oui Madame (open since September) puts a modern spin on traditional European staples. There’s nothing fussy about it: the space is small, warm, and softly lit – stylish but relaxed, with a welcoming, unpretentious atmosphere.

Open in the evenings only, it transforms Sawyer & Grey’s daytime café into a cosy and intimate dining room. Oui Madame is the creation of restaurateur Martin Lange (best known for modern European restaurant Salut!, also located in Islington) and Greek-born chef Matthaios Kollias, who has years of experience across Europe’s top kitchens.

Curious about the menu? Expect a long line-up of thoughtfully crafted European dishes with Korean and Japanese influences – familiar in name but unique in taste.

Small plates with substance

A quick look at the menu makes it clear this isn’t your typical starter-to-dessert procession. Every dish is meant to be shared, with a mix of snacks, small plates, sides, and a few larger dishes you can combine to create a meal at your own pace. And experimentation is wholeheartedly encouraged.

This is also (and where Oui Madame truly scores top marks) a place where vegetarian dishes feel front and centre. Nearly half the menu is plant-forward, and these are some of the most intriguing items to order. If you’re indecisive, you can just close your eyes and point at random (you’ll quickly realise there’s no wrong choice).

We started with the Savoury Choux – light and airy cheese puffs filled with molten Comté cream and a hint of wakame. They were just the perfect shade of golden – soft and pillowy, the melt-in-your-mouth kind, but with a serious flavour punch from the Comté cream. These delicate puffs underpromise and overdeliver, and there’s never a time of day or week when we wouldn’t want them.

Our next pick was the asparagus with black garlic, but the waiter warned us it wasn’t in season. And because in the waiter we trust, we pivoted to the Galbi lettuce taco.

Is a lettuce taco anyone’s first choice? Probably not. Yet this dish surprises. Half a braised baby gem lettuce cradles ribbons of pickled carrot and frisée, lifted by a vibrant kimchi dressing – a bright, tangy clash of French and Korean sensibilities. It’s proof that even the humblest veg can be flavour-packed. Just note: it’s on the smaller side, so order accordingly.

Onto the mains

The Burnt Carrot follows to deliver a masterclass in vegetable cookery. A smooth carrot purée forms the base for roasted, smoky carrots that verge on caramelised. These are topped with crispy onions, savoury oats, and herbs -layered, aromatic, and full of depth. A must-order dish, and proof that vegetables can be indulgent without needing cheese or cream.

We then chose the Green Potato Gnocchi for “main” because as much as we enjoy picking and choosing different small plates, we also do like some structure. These soft, pillowy green spinach dumplings sit under a light corn espuma, scattered with toasted hazelnuts and fried sage. The flavours are buttery, nutty, and gently sweet – rich yet delicate, indulgent yet balanced. An inspired dish that easily earns repeat visits.

While our flavour trip for savoury dishes has ended (next up – desserts!), there are various other options for meat eaters or pescatarians, including:

• Beef tartare with gochujang, pear, egg yolk, sesame oil, pine nuts and sushi rice
• Cod croquettes with dill aioli, wakame, and pickled courgettes
• Seafood orzotto with octopus, mussels, clams, smoked yoghurt and herbs
• Ox cheek with burnt kale, pomme puré, breadcrumbs and jus

The menu follows the same rhythm: European foundations laced with classic Asian notes like gochujang, kimchi, and wakame that add depth and contrast.

Pastry precision

Desserts are all about finesse. The Mille-Feuille is textbook in technique but full of charm: flaky, wafer-thin pastry sheets layered with silky vanilla cream and fresh raspberries, finished with a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream. It’s crisp, creamy, and fragrant, with just the right balance of sweetness and tartness.

If you’re not a big sweet-tooth, go for the Chocolate Crémeux. It’s smooth, dark, and bitter – a glossy slab of chocolate mousse paired with a small strawberry-chilli tuile that adds some warmth. A spoonful of passion-fruit granita cuts through some of the richness of the heavy dark chocolate and lifts up the whole dessert.

We did feel it was missing a touch of freshness – perhaps another spoonful of passion-fruit granita. Still, there’s no arguing that this is an elegant, beautifully executed dessert.

The drinks menu

The wine list is impressively extensive – perhaps even overwhelming at first glance. We opted for red and, unsurprisingly, leaned towards France, though there are a few tempting Italian and Portuguese bottles in the mix. Cocktails are available (Aperol Spritz, Espresso Martini, and the likes), but this is very much a wine-led restaurant — don’t come expecting experimental mixes or rare spirits.

The verdict

Oui Madame is the rare kind of restaurant that feels familiar yet so distinctive at the same time. It’s intimate but unpretentious, and European-inspired but refreshingly varied, with some very interesting Asian touches.

The service was a standout – you can tell the staff genuinely enjoy what they do (and know what they’re doing). It’s house practice to offer guests a taster of the wine before committing, a small gesture that’s much appreciated when you’re about to spend £60 on a bottle. Throughout the evening, they offered suggestions for both food and drink, attentive without ever hovering.

As the evening goes on and the lights dim, the restaurant takes on a charming, almost cinematic glow. Block out the city noise (pro tip: choose one of the tables at the back), focus on the food and ambience inside, and you’ll leave more than satisfied.

Oui Madame, 290 St Paul’s Road, Islington N1 2LH
Dinner Tuesday–Saturday | Bookings via ouimadame-restaurant.co.uk