Recommendations for good food in Shoreditch and Islington

[Freebet]

We are heading to London in February and will be going to some gigs in Shoreditch and Islington.

We’ll be grabbing a meal before the pub - any ideas of where to go (2 adults, nothing too fancy) in these areas please?

If you like really good Italian food that's still pretty simple, Padella is excellent and you can book for the Shoreditch branch. I've loved every meal I have had there. It's pasta and some starteers but way better than your usual Italian restaurant pasta.

I'd swerve Gloria - took my teens there before Christmas and found it a bit style over substance and it ended up expensive for what we got.

Gallipoli on Upper St. It's an institution and rightly so. Never had a bad dinner there in twenty odd years. Turkish/Italian.

I really disliked Gloria.

I haven’t been yet, but Tofu Vegan is on my list in Islington and also the Tamil Prince.

The Tamil Prince is amazing. They have also opened a second venue but I think it's still local. Their Sunday lunch is top of my wish list.

I second Gallipoli in Islington (there is more than one branch). Or Mem and Laz.

Dishoom in Shoreditch ?