North Kensington, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

2021 Review: On Ladbroke Grove, this big landmark pub was taken over by Harcourt Inns, with chef Ruairidh Summers at the stoves, and re-launched in mid-2019, too late for survey feedback.

2022 Review: This expensively refurbished Ladbroke Grove pub quietly opened in late summer 2019 – when we added it to the website it already had over 20k followers on Instagram, which can be explained by its backing… some guy called Ed Sheeran. Early reports of the diverse menu suggest that Ed’s lyricism hasn’t infused the cooking with any magic – quite the contrary – but that his upbeat style is more evident in its party vibe.

“Jackson Boxer’s sublime Notting Hill outpost remains an out-and-out favourite, from the laid- back vibe to the small but perfectly formed menu” – that’s the unanimous view on his “beautifully lit and cosy” four-year-old: a “consistent and fantastic neighbourhood restaurant” serving superb, “inventive” small plates all at a “very reasonable price”. Top Menu Tip – “special kudos has to go to the caviar served simply with potato chips and sour cream just as it should be”.

“A hot new ticket north of the Portobello Road” – Insta fave-rave, Thomas Straker’s “super-busy” new 40-seater opened in November 2022 and has a “brilliant atmosphere” driven by “passionate chefs creating unusual food in a sharing plates concept”. At their best, results are electrifying, but the odd misfire is not unknown: “the famed butter-drenched flatbreads were over burnt, so the waiters trying to upsell us was annoying… the doughnuts and langoustines were heaven though!”

“In a scruffy but lovely part of London, in the shadow of the Trellick Tower”, this year-old, Portobello-fringe bar/restaurant is “top notch”. It serves “small plates of interesting combinations charred on an open grill” and “bar seats offer great views of the actual cooking”. Beyond the food, it’s an “excellent night out” all round thanks to its “warm ambience”, helped along by a brilliantly curated vinyl collection.