London Holland Park Restaurant Guide

This gorgeous, seventeenth-century former aristocrats’ ballroom has a stunning location – actually within Holland Park – but has defied various previous attempts to create a successful restaurant. And, two years on, it remains unclear whether George Bukhov-Weinstein and Ilya Demichev – the duo behind Goodman, Burger & Lobster and Wild Tavern – have done better, despite their lavish revamp. Even one reporter “very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food” thought it “pricey”. More common are those who find it “mediocre in every respect, apart from the beautiful setting” or say it’s “just toooo expensive”.

2021 Review: “Go for the wine: there’s a great selection” focused solely on Italy at this Kensington yearling, with bottles lining many of the walls. Even fans can note that the food (pasta, cheese and meat boards, salads) “is not as good”, but it avoids any harsh critiques. Brunch here is also a possibility.

“If you like fresh fish, pasta with truffles and a good choice of other Sardinian specials, this is the place for you” – is the enthusiastic verdict on this Holland Park fixture that has just celebrated its 20th anniversary. “Family-run” and “very popular with locals”, it’s perfect before opera in the park.

“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 gem of a local” – this “quite small” modern bistro in Holland Park is nowadays owned by Jesse Dunford Wood. “The menu changes regularly and there is always an interesting selection of dishes; while staff are welcoming, knowledgeable and helpful”. One quibble – “it’s lovely and with super food, but is it becoming a tad pricey?”

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”.

“A wonderful quiet dining room”, where “the staff are top-notch, the atmosphere too” – Gino Taddei & Sally Eidlitz’s “lovely” restaurant between Kensington and Olympia “has been going for years” and “they have fed generations” with “top-quality Italian cuisine”. Many describe it as “a favourite local” – a view shared by the late Michael Winner.

2021 Review: “I started eating at Alounak when it was in a container in a car park round the corner” over twenty-five years ago, and this Iranian café over the tracks from Olympia remains a “favourite BYO” to this day, with its “consistently good Persian comfort food”: in particular “superb kebabs”. (A Bayswater ‘Alounak’ is still in operation, but seems now to operate independently of W14.)

One of London’s original beacons of “modern Japanese sushi dining” to those in-the-know, Yasuhiro Minemo & Shinya Ikeda’s surprisingly under-the-radar venture has lit up a Kensington backstreet for 14 years – it can be “hard to find as it doesn’t look like a restaurant and the only sign is a blackboard, but it’s well worth it”. “Focused on quality ingredients and an authentic approach” – it’s far from inexpensive but consistently inspires “outstanding” feedback from its fans. It has spawned two offshoots: Ocean House in the old Brompton Library near South Kensington tube; and Sushi Kamon in Arcade Food Hall on Oxford Street.

“Terrific posh Levantine food with a twist” is the story of this Kensington High Street three-year-old, whose kitchen is run by former Palomar head chef Tomar Amedi. The menu can seem “confusing” to first-timers (“what’s a starter? a main? a side? did we order enough?”) but the small plates are “interesting and all very tasty”.

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.

2021 Review: “When all you want is an old-school burger”, these US-based arrivals of recent years really “hit the spot” – you can “build your own”, with “tons of accessories”; plus “seriously addictive fries”, “thick milkshakes”, and “more soda flavours than is reasonable”. “The eat-in experience is as depressing as McDonald’s”, though, in fact perhaps more so – “some branches have a strangely gloomy ambience” – but fans feel that “if you don’t mind 1980s-rock, a trip can still be surprisingly fun”.

“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”.

“Fragrant and tasty dishes” win approval at this cute Indian hidden away in a Kensington backstreet. Its siblings in Little Venice, Barnes and Kingston get very little notice from reporters.

“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.

“Such a charming pub in Notting Hill, with a lovely garden at the front” – “perfect for a long, lazy, lingering Sunday afternoon” – “and excellent gastropub food”; it’s “always buzzing and friendly”.

“It feels like you’re in Greece” at this “buzzy modern Greek with delicious sharing plates” in Hillgate Village off Notting Hill Gate. A huge favourite for a strong local fanclub, who hail the food as “consistently excellent… even sophisticated”. It’s “small and cramped” and “can be quite noisy when very busy”, but “friendly and happy service completes the holiday vibe”.