Conor Joyce and Karen Muldowney

CHILLI, tuna, breakfast, curry, a hot dog – whatever you order, it comes on a jacket potato at a new eatery in Archway whose owners are determined to show off Ireland’s famous hospitality as much as they are its staple vegetable.

Islington food news is usually kept to the Tribune’s review pages, but The Dynamic Spud and the story behind it justifies the exception.

When Conor Joyce and Karen Muldowney met in Dublin five years ago, they reminisced about their college days in Galway and “Couch Potatas”, a well-loved jacket potato joint in the middle of town.

“We’ve been talking about how amazing it was since we first met,” said Ms Muldowney.

“It became a dream of ours to open our own jacket potato shop.”

Neither of them were restaurateurs until now – Ms Muldowney worked in construction and Mr Joyce in water treatment before they moved to London a year ago and got working on their business plan for the eatery.

The Dynamic Spud has taken over the lease from Norman’s, the “traditional” breakfast café that had TikTok fans queuing down Junction Road until it closed earlier this summer.

Those may be big shoes to fill, but Mr Joyce and Ms Muldowney have no intention of playing copycat to social media masters and aesthetic Instagram meals.

“Our concept is different,” Ms Muldowney said.

“It’s our own blood, sweat and tears that are in this place and I want it to be organic.

“Not one of our reviewers has been somebody we know – apart from my brother, but I didn’t ask him to! Everyone has been genuine customers that came in.

“We want longevity in this area, and people are delighted to see us here.”

Mr Joyce added: “This is an old Irish area, and we’re obviously not a pub but in the one month we’ve been here we’ve gained about 10 regular customers.”

Everything on the menu is homemade by the couple, with breakfast ingredients and curry sauce imported from Ireland, as well as Hunky Dorys crisps – an alternative to the classic Irish Tayto’s, for those in the know.

But it’s not just the hearty homemade fare and tricolour-green plaid curtains that invite people in and keep them coming back – be it Irish ex-pats, students, or the odd punter looking for that Instagram café that used to be here.

“Please, thank you, how are you,” said Ms Muldowney.

“That’s my one rule. It’s the hospitality side of it, we feel is often really lacking. That’s so important to us.”