London Earl's Court Restaurant Guide

“Not so much a gastropub as a restaurant attached to a stylish pub/wine bar” – this upscale local, tucked away off Kensington High Street, has been gradually transformed over 25 years by two generations of the Staples family. The food (which according to the website ‘maintains the sensibility of a British gastropub, combined with techniques and flavours from the 21st century’) is “consistently reliable”, backed up by “excellent service and a very warm welcome”.

This well-known pub makes the most of its stunning location in a Regency square in Kensington, with a “lovely terrace at the front for summer evenings” – and (if you can bag one) “the tables at the back are not too noisy even when the place is packed” (ie. always). Apparently it is Piers Morgan’s favourite pub, where he has invited everyone from Meghan Markle to the celeb cronies he entertains at his annual Christmas drinks.

“Feeling like a neighbourhood restaurant but with the Michelin-standard cooking you would expect from Phil Howard (a partner in the management)”: this “charming venue” – “tucked down a side street away from Kensington’s main drag” – remains something of a “hidden star”. But even those who feel it continues to “excel quietly” can feel that the “low-key” setting, though “comfy”, “needs an injection of energy”. Top Tip – “the £34 fixed-price lunch is a steal”.

“One never tires of Il Portico”, say fans of this “lovely local Italian” with “an authentic feel” opposite the Design Museum, which has been run by the Chiavarini family for more than 50 years. “Everything is served with enthusiasm” and “if prices are a bit on the high side, it’s because of the proximity of some very classy residential areas”.

A “buzzy” atmosphere and “welcoming service” are the strong suits of this “expanding group”, with 16 branches in London and another handful nearby. While nobody disputes that they’re “lovely to sit in” and offer “value for money”, the “Middle-Eastern-inspired cooking” divides opinion, with some reporters “pleasantly surprised by the tasty food” and others bemoaning “underwhelming” dishes that “sound better than they taste”.

“Where else can you get a range of Japanese, char kway teow, laksa and pad thai, all in one restaurant?” – Ding Chu’s pioneering Pan-Asian canteens (first branch WC1 in Bloomsbury in 1996) continue to put in a consistent if low-key performance. “Busy, crowded and cheap”, “you will find something to your taste”, “service is friendly and efficient” and – for the likes of “a quick meal after going to the cinema” (either in WC1 or W4) – it’s ideal.

One of London’s earlier-wave of gastropubs, this “great local” can still feel like a discovery down a side street near West Brompton tube, despite being increasingly surrounded by the shiny new blocks built in the area. The Med-inspired cuisine remains a cut above. In summer “the terrace is fantastic in the sunshine” and its cosy interior is just the job on a cold day.

Close to Earl’s Court station, this modern take on the classic Italian neighbourhood trat’ was launched in March 2024 by the family who founded the Spaghetti House group back in the day (in 1955). It opened too late to generate much in the way of survey feedback, but the press have mostly found in its favour: in April 2024, The Observer’s Jay Rayner didn’t like the steak or pricey wine list, but found the antipasti and pasta lived up to the family’s heritage, and both he and the Mail on Sunday’s Tom Parker Bowles (in May) applaud the pizza: “thin and crispy… [with] an uncommon subtlety to the toppings”.

“Wonderful Thai food that just happens to be vegan” (claiming to offer the only such menu in the UK!) has won a strong fanclub from surrounding postcodes for this “bustling and busy” venue, in the restaurant enclave near Earl’s Court tube. “Meat is not missed” even by carnivores thanks to the “interesting and really tasty selection of dishes”. Top Tip – “they have an attractive outside area making it a good choice in summer”.

“Delicious and authentic Sichuan cooking”, with a focus on biang biang noodles, mini hotpots and dim sum, wins applause for this brightly-lit three-year-old café in Earls Court (with a sibling on Fulham Broadway). “Knowledgeable and helpful service” helps offset the few-frills interior.

A short walk south from the Kensington entrance to Holland Park, this corner gastropub was converted a couple of years ago and makes an “atmospheric” choice. The menu is “short and not cheap for what you get”, with a focus on high-quality dishes like rib of beef to share or wild sea bass.

James Chiavarini, owner of long-established Italian Il Portico a few doors along, keeps relaunching this Kensington-fringe site: it was Pizzicotto, then Pino… now this Basque- inspired bistro, incorporating game and funghi cooked over a wood-fire grill. It’s up for debate as to whether this latest incarnation has cracked it: on the plus side, Charlotte Ivers in The Sunday Times found “a joyful mix” of food and wine; but on the minuses, initial feedback in our annual diners’ poll includes a couple of “poor all round” reports: “nothing to tempt us on the menu”.

Gordon Ramsay’s four-year-old fast-food chain – one of several diffusion brands from the TV chef – has half a dozen sites across the capital. Views on it have always been somewhat mixed and became even more polarised this year: between those who consider it “a great new discovery” and those who feel it’s “disappointing for an upmarket burger”.

“You can’t go wrong if you order tonkotsu” at this ramen group from Tak Tokumine of the Japan Centre – the noodles and 12-hour pork bone broth are “authentic” and some of the “best in town”. The venues can be “cramped”, and “the constant banging of a drum to indicate dishes being ready can grate”.