Tinder Box Espresso Emporium, Islington, London

I like the interior, however as it is often busy It’s problematic to sit where you would really like.
The black coffee is quite good, so are the cakes and milkshakes. I wouldn’t recommend to come for lunch though, as the food is not so appetizing.

I drank a cappuccino in one of their “boxes”, about 2 weeks ago, which I found quite confortable to sit and read for a while. Unlike some other reviewers, the guy that served me wasn’t unfriendly or unkind, he was nice enough for me not to complain in that sense. The place wasn’t busy at that time either. The coffee wasn’t particularly good, and the fact that they charge for the WiFi doesn’t win me over.

I really like this place for a coffee as its buzzing, in a great location and I am so glad that there are a few places left in Islington that haven't become a Starbucks!

I went yesterday and the service was polite and friendly and they were accomodating with my unusual drink requests.

The coffee quality is quite good but I agree that there are better flat whites to be found around London.

The place is now much bigger since it moved from Upper Street Islington. It has different sections to suit your mood. A nice outside balcony over looking the shopping centre but overall I do prefer the old smaller shop! Soya latte was very good and nicely presented.

Staff service needs improvement as they seem more interested in chatting amongst themselves and texting rather than serving. Tinderbox would get a higher rating if you served customers faster!

the prices are fine if you think of the food level!
loved it may go back

Well the espressos a bit crap but now they've expanded upstairs and the british weathers improving it's good to have somewhere in this area to lounge with an ok iced coffee.

Everyone talks about how crap it is, alluding to the fact that its overcrowded as one of its negatives. So how come its packed then?
I love this place!
Come on people, this is Britain. Take it on the chin, man! That upper crust coolness is part of the attraction.
Oh...all good except for the issue of charging for wifi - dirty!!

Believe it or not, when my friend suggested we have coffee at Tinderbox, I took one look at its exerior on the ground floor and wondered how he could possibly think having coffee at what appeared to be a Chinese takeaway would be a good idea. Then I took a closer look, and realised that in spite of the slight strange name (I think the word 'box' and the squiggly lines in the logo threw me off, it was in fact a legitimate coffee shop, with seating available on the first floor.

When I got up to the seating area, I was amazed. It's huge and incredibly bright (at least on the day I went). The large side window means that there is a lot of natural light... so much to the point that I found it blinding, and really wished they'd bring the blinds down so that I wouldn't be staring straight into the sunlight. That aside, the seating area looks really nice, with comfy cubby hole-like seats, normal tables, outside seating, bench-like seats and Internet terminals spread out throughout the coffee shop. Definitely very trendy looking.

Alongside the coffees on offer, there was a variety of sweets including five different varieties of cheesecake. I ordered a skinny cappuccino, while my friend had a latte and a German cheesecake. The cappuccino was decent, though it left a not-too-pleasant aftertaste, and the latte art for the latte looked pretty good. The cheesecake was nothing special.

As for the customer service... while we didn't encounter any rudeness directed at us, my friend saw someone else being subjected to not-too-polite behaviour from the staff.

Disappointing attempt to resurrect ambience of the former Upper St location. The photo is of the old location, closed for over one year. The new shop on the first floor of N1 has some cozy booths and nice views overlooking Islington but it struggles with the ghost of its past glory as the coffee cafe in Islington. Staff have changed and no longer have any personality. Coffee is OK but not in the same league as Monmouth Coffee. Prices are high and the place has the feel of the cinemas next door.

There seems to be some criticism regarding the interior design, but I have to admit I really like this coffeeshop - from the stairwell with wooden panels on the wall, over the raw concrete floor to the lighting. I think it looks amazing and is a nice contrast to the uniform Starbucks and Costa look. The cakes are delicious and yummy. The coffee is also good, but, in all honesty, nothing to get too excited about.
The staff attitude has been mentioned before and I have to say that most tinderbox employees seem to be a bit careless when dealing with customers. However, there are some positive exceptions. All in all it's a nice and vibrant place to sip on a latte, see people and be seen.

I never thought I'd say this but next time I go to this part of Upper St, I'll go to Starbucks rather than Tinderbox. A shame, as I used to hang out in the Glasgow branch a lot.

I think there's quite a lot to gripe about since the move to the new premesis ( I'm back to talking about London not Glasgow). I'm no designer but surely the dark, uninviting stairwell entrance is the architectural equivalent of saying "p* off" to customers. Already you don't feel welcome.

This is nothing compared to the sour faced non-greeting from the staff once you reach the service area, as commented on by pretty much all previous posters. What training do they get? I don't expect them to put up flags and bunting when they see me, but I do expect them to acknowledge my presence and say hello back when I say hello, not just stare at me. They just look bored and disinterested I hope each time it wil be better the next time. It never is.

The coffee itself is not bad but not great, absolutely nothing compared to the likes of Dose, Lantana, Monmouth, Flat White etc.

Final moan: it gets v busy and one loo for everyone is not enough.

I always try and support independents, and I would love for this to be my regular hang out, but until they fix staff attitude, it won't be. I actually left a message once for someone in management to chat about this issue but no one ever got back to me even when I chased it. Customer service obviously isn't important. Well from mow I'm voting with my wallet. See you in Starbucks.

Great location, superb interior.

The latest manager is about as rude; diffident and un-welcoming as I have ever come across.

Treats customers as if they are an imposition. Like soviet style shop keeper with new found power!

Speaks to customers like dirt. Very un-friendly and dictatorial.

Superb gallery window onto Upper street, but blinding and boiling on a sunny/sunny and hot mornings.

Blinds now installed, but Manager dictates who it is utilized depending on personal mood. What a nightmare.

Coffee making is mixed at best, with the "extra hot" rendering confusion in the minds of some of the Baristas, who are rigidly taught not to burn the milk.

So expect luke-warm coffee otherwise.

Sandwiches like dried bark and one for the Lefties and not recommended. Cakes/pastries good.

Coffee recipe way more drinkable than the "used dishwater taste of Starbucks, but not as good as Pret-a-manger.

The tinderbox has recently moved, You can access it just off upper street there is a takeaway express bar downstairs and a full cafe up a wooden staircase.
The main seating area is made up of benches,wooden tables and even massage chairs and the occasion small private booth so designed more like a bar than a coffee shop.
The view is over upper street and you can also sit outside.
The coffee is good and not like your typical coffee cahin. The cakes and pastries are lovely. A great alternative to the run of the mill coffee rat race.

The new Tinderbox is bigger and better than the older version. This new location has more space, and there is gorgeous outside seating, or outside viewing with the large windows. You can huddle in your own little “cabin” or sit out with the others as if you are in Wagamamas! Lovely cakes and snacks too. Definitely worth a visit!

Such a shame. A lovely interior and good coffee are let down by miserable, sullen staff. Every occasion I have found myself here has been an exercise in aggravation as my attempts to, y’know, smile and be nice have been met with cool disinterest. I’m not some overdemanding arse, I just expect to get friendly(or at least polite), prompt service. Instead I get virtually ignored, with not so much as a sorry when my (invariably) slow coffee arrives at the counter. I’ve promised myself before, but this is really the last time they get my money.

No, they haven’t gone bust-just moved. That’s all. And just around the corner, too, into the N1 centre.

At first, i thought they had expanded and added a compact espresso bar to their coffee emporium collection. But it is a small entrance, where you can get a swift takeaway, to the sprawling coffee bar upstairs, complete with a rather fetching balcony.

For me, Tinderbox epitomises UK coffee culture: it is another example of style beating content hands down. The environment is relaxed, about as trendy as this end of Upper St. gets, and is a great meeting place or hangout.

Sadly, the coffee is about as average as average gets. It is the living in East Dulwich, Ford Mondeo and 2.2 kids of caffeinated beverages. The atmosphere is worth making a special journey for, though the coffee isn’t.

This place has recently been relocated - its a really nice “expresso bar”. Great coffee and snaky food (cakes, muffins, etc.) and located right in the midst of Angel. Has a greata outside terrace which gives a nice vue.

Strong alternative to Starbucks, if u fancy being a rebel :)

Well laid out, its the kind of place you can take ur laptop and do a little work. Wireless available also.

Tinderbox does rate in my top places to drink coffee in, in London, add to that it’s close to my home, I’ll sometimes bypass going to Central London for a prepared coffee and have one here.

It does have nice decor and layout, quite trendy, the airline seats are pretty interesting, and the music being played is usually pretty good. They are open quite late, 10pm I think, and I also understand they sometimes host instore acoustic gigs and poetry/prose readings.
The coffee roast is pretty good (not Monmouth), but for my tastes they make their lattes rather weak. So when I go there I tend to stick to a macchiato or espresso. If I’m feeling like I need pampering I’ll have a spicy mocha which is pretty tasty indeed.

Unfortunately, there are a few negatives to this coffeeshop, primarily, the staff though generally attractive, are a bit unfriendly (perhaps their work environment is not the nicest, or they are paid poorly), the food on offer is not that fantastic, and for what you are getting it’s overpriced. I will sometimes prefer to eat something from Starbucks than eat here.
Paying for wifi is quite ridiculous as well.

Pros
- decent coffee roast
- nice dessert type coffee drinks (mocha, iced coffees)
- coffee not that pricey
- nice buzzy environment
- nice location
- generally quick service

Cons
- weak lattes
- unfriendly staff
- food not that great and overpriced
- paying for wifi is ridiculous
- gets packed so difficult to get a seat

I first discovered Tinderbox in Glasgow, years ago, when I studied there. The endemic nonchalance is, I fear, due to staff neglect/low pay/low-level abuse by the boss - although I’d be overjoyed to hear otherwise and that, in fact, it’s all just down to spliff withdrawal.

The café benefits mainly from its great location and lack of similar competition. Take these factors away and it’d have to try a lot harder (see below). Take the trendy design features (a couple of airline seats, nice decor), and it’d be a real slog.

I’ve a love-hate thing going on with Tinderbox - as a lot of you do. Design, convenience and a pretty cool crowd are wins for the chain, but high prices, chargeable wi-fi (in 2008, you can’t have a truly cool café without free wi-fi), moody staff and - this really gets my goat - cakes displayed in the customer cough-zone - lose it two stars in my review. Points about the closeness of tables (especially the bar seating at the front) are well-made. It’s hard to have a private conversation in more than a few spots around the café.

Sit at the front to catch free wi-fi from StreetNet, tho this is a bit patchy.

A trendy coffee shop in trendy Islington.

I like their steamers which come in a variety of different flavours.

The vibe is a bit too cool for school, slightly feels a bit like an american diner where the cool kids would go for milkshakes.

Seating is a bit squashed together and it gets busy - so best if you want a buzzy place to meet friends, not so good if you want a quiet coffee and some space to contemplate the world.