Welcome

This week we've got a great roundup of Finchley coffee shops to enjoy in the sun, and local news about shops opening, closing and road resurfacing.

Don't say we don't live on the edge.

☕ 8 Coffee Spots for Sunny Sips

Sunny weather across Finchley is perfect for sipping a refreshing (ice) coffee and taking in the surrounding scene.

Here's your guide to 8 must-visit coffee sanctuaries in Finchley and the surrounding area.

Finchley Central

1: Tintico, 2–4 Station Road. Tintico is the brainchild of local architect Nader Sarabadani. Situated right next to Finchley Station, Tintico is a haven for coffee enthusiasts.

2: 93 degrees, 213 Regents Park Road, N3. 93°C is the optimal temperature for espresso perfection, which is what they aim for. This cozy Italian coffee shop, located in Finchley Central, welcomes you with a warm ambiance.

3: Boulangerie Bon Matin 29/31 Ballards Lane N3 is a micro-chain with four branches across North London, with freshly baked patisserie and artisan bread.

East Finchley

4: Coffee Bank, 85 High Road, N2. Step into Coffee Bank for homemade fresh cakes, delicious food, and, of course, great coffee.

5: Cup of Joy, 117 High Road, N2. Cup of Joy offers an exciting menu inspired by the Middle East and Mediterranean while maintaining a dynamic, modern spirit.

North Finchley

6: Genoise, 714 High Road, N12. Genoise is renowned for great coffee, and also its special tea, blending fresh mint, lemon, and honey.

7: Vero Caffe, 116 Sussex Ring, N12. Vero Caffee, founded by Harry and Tom, is a warm and friendly coffee shop in Woodside Park. It's a haven for adults, kids, and families looking for great coffee and meals.

8: The Coffee Place, 61-63 Woodhouse Road, N12. A family-run coffee shop on Woodhouse Road, Finchley, The Coffee Place serves freshly ground coffee, organic teas, and homemade juices.

So take a break, relax with a coffee. Maybe even celebrate (or commiserate on) A-level or GCSE exam results… ☕

Events

ARTS

Saturday 30th August

KIDS

Saturday 7th June

Beat The Goalie Summer 2025 | Sun, Aug. 24 | 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Claremont Park on the grass near the basketball court | Free | Run by Brent Cross Football Academy, these fun, free sessions are suitable for ages 5-14. There's no need to book, but spaces will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Thursday 28th August

BACE Family Fun Day | Thu, Aug. 28 | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | OneStonegrove Centre, 5 Hayling Way, HA8 8BN | Free | Join for a free, fun-filled day to celebrate the summer holidays. The event is packed with activities like: glitter bar & henna tattoos, inflatables, messy play, music & entertainment, Lego, and arts & crafts. There will also be local services and activity stalls from the Borough of Barnet, as well as delicious snacks, lunch, and refreshing drinks.

COMMUNITY

Wednesday 20th August

Online Book Club | Wed, Aug. 20 | 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | Online | Free |This month, we’re reading You Are Here by David Nicholls - written with Nicholls' trademark wit and empathy, this affecting love story from the author of One Day finds two lost souls thrown together on an epic coast to coast walk. So, why not join us and come share your thoughts with fellow book lovers?

Barnet Gays - Men's Monthly Drinks & Social | Wed, Aug. 20 | 6:30 pm | The Red Lion, 31 High Street, EN5 5UW | Free | A relaxed monthly meetup for gay men in and around Barnet to socialise over drinks, make new friends, and build local community. All ages 18+ welcome – come solo, your partner or with gay male mates.

MUSIC

Sunday 24th August

St Mary At Finchley Concert Series - The Romantic Violin | Sun, Aug. 24 | 6:00 pm | 26 Hendon Lane, N3 1TR | Free | The Romantic Violin - Naoko Inoue (violin) and Sheila Carter (piano) will delight the audience with a programme of Romantic music including works by Massenet, Elgar, and Brahms. Concert at 6:00 pm (preceded by a concert at 4:30 pm given by Naoko's violin students). All in church.

Sunday 7th September

SPORT

Friday 22nd August

Urban Gamez 25 | Fri, Aug. 22 | 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Heybourne Park, Collindale, NW9 | Free | If you live on the Grahame Park Estate, come down to Heybourne Park for a fun day of activities, fun and information for all the family. Including races, face painting, wall climbing, healthy lifestyle advice, and more.

SHOPPING

Sunday 24th August

Bootyfull Car Boot | Sun, Aug. 24 | 11:00 am to 2:00 pm | William Ellis School, Highgate Road, NW5 1EJ | Free | Bootyfull Car Boot is both a market place and social meeting place. The car boot has a complete array of goods and merchandise, which is constantly changing as many sellers are families decluttering. You will find collectables, vinyl records, jewellery, vintage fashion, all manner of home and cooking implements as well as a plethora of knick-knacks.

NATURE

Sunday 7th September

Islington Grow Show | Sun, Sep. 07 | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | Whittington Park Community Centre, Yerbury Road, N19 4RS. | Free | Are you growing flowers, fruit, vegetables or any other edible plants? Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or new grower, you are welcome to showcase your harvest and share it with the Islington gardening community. No experience, no problem – this event is all about celebrating the joy of gardening and learning from each other.

Events - Book Ahead

Friday 19th September

Colindale Barnet Folk Club Presents Caroline Regan | Fri, Sep. 19 | 7:45 pm to | The Bull Theatre, Barnet, EN5 5SJ | £7.48 | Caroline has a wealth of experience and has performed across the world at venues in the UK, Ireland, America, Qatar, Switzerland, Sweden and Germany. She holds a Master's Degree in Irish Traditional Music Performance from the University of Limerick and a Diploma in Contemporary Vocal Performance from the ICMP in London.

Friday 10th October

Saturday 8th November

Revenge: After the Levoyah | Sat, Nov. 8 | 7:30 pm to 8:35 pm | artsdepot | From £19 | Nick Cassenbaum’s two-hander comedy heist, directed by Emma Jude Harris, romps through 2019 Jewish Essex. Through madcap comedy and biting satire, this explosive tale blows the roof off what it means to be Jewish in the UK.

Local Lowdown

Compton students celebrating success | Image from The Compton School

Passing

Top marks all round. Finchley schools are smashing it this year, with record A Level results. The Compton scored a 99% pass rate with over half at A*-B, Wren Academy hit 26% A*-A, and Christ’s College matched a 99% pass rate, with 59% earning A*-B.

Merging

Big NHS shake-up. North Central London and North West London Integrated Care Boards are teaming up. They aim to form England’s largest health board, which will serve 4.5 million people. Covering 13 boroughs from Westminster to Enfield, the new body will steer health services, budgets, and strategy for a massive slice of London.

Road-working

Slow roads beware. Barnet Council is looking for feedback on a new Lane Rental Scheme. This scheme could penalise utility companies with fines of up to £2,500 a day for digging up busy roads during peak hours. The aim? Quicker repairs, fewer rush-hour jams, and more teamwork when cables and pipes need attention.

Community-building

Cash with clout. Nine community groups in Grahame Park Estate won a share of £25,000. Local residents chose how the money was divided. Grants of £2k to £3.5k are supporting grassroots projects. They help young people with sports, fight loneliness, and upskill job seekers. These initiatives really make a difference.

Saber-shocking

A slice of movie history has landed in London – Darth Vader’s original lightsaber is on display at the Dorchester before heading to auction in LA this September. Expected to fetch up to £2.2m, it’s part of a mega haul of film props worth a whopping £7.5m. Worth leaving Finchley for.

The Finchleyite: Retail Happenings

It’s all go in Finchley- and-the-surrounding-areas multiple food retailers.

Thursday sees the opening of the new Tesco Express on Regents Park Road (home of the former Zizzi pizzeria). Grand or not so grand opening on Thursday at 10:00 am. Opening hours 7:00 am to 10:00 pm all week, 206 Regents Park Road. N3 3HP.

Convenient news, of course, but don’t forget the independent Church End Supermarket just down the road (240 Regents Park Road N3 3HP), open from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm all week.

Down the road in Temple Fortune, M&S Simply Food is closed for two months while it’s renovated. We know. Nearest stores are in Brent Cross, Muswell Hill and Friern Barnet.

Remember that downtown Finchley is well served by lots of independent stores – could be a great time to check them out.

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Editors' Note - From Sasha

It's all go (or gone) on Regents Park Road

For those of you living in South Finchley (as it's not known), the area north of Henley's Corner along Regents Park Road is closed for two weekends (one just passed, one forthcoming) while the road is resurfaced and "bus priority works" undertaken. Here's the (not very engaged with) consultation/maps.

Also, let us know about local events or local news. We curate our content to keep it a 5-minute read, so can't include everything we're sent.

You can now get a guaranteed (paid) listing for local events or local lowdown/news items.

And email us with any projects or ideas you'd like us to write about.

Tessa Davis

Sasha Frieze

Finchley Now

🗞️ New Tesco opening in Finchley?