London Kensal Rise Restaurant Guide

“I’m addicted to their hispi cabbage!” – Josh Katz’s marvellous Queen’s Park three-year-old sits in a mews at the “über-trendy end of Lonsdale Road”; and everything about it hits a surefooted note as a “high-quality” neighbourhood spot that actually draws fans from miles away. “Every dish is a winner” with “very interesting flavours” permeating the “excellent, small Middle Eastern plates”: “such as aubergine, merguez sausages and beans, grilled chicken and wondrous za’atar-strewn bread and dips; and there’s a wine list full of interesting bangers”. Even fans can find it a bit “crowded” (with some of the seating at a communal table), but on most accounts it’s a “great place for a leisurely meal of sharing plates”. No reports as yet on its new spin-off in Fitzrovia, which opened in the middle of our annual diners’ poll in April 2024.

This “tasty and lively” Malaysian ‘kopitiam’ makes a “fantastic local restaurant” and has been a “good addition to Queen’s Park” since opening two years ago. It’s a ‘second-gen’ operation from siblings Fatizah and Irqam Shawal, whose parents opened Satay House in Paddington more than 50 years ago.