South Kensington, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

2023 Review: This “lively and friendly local” in South Ken rates well for its “high-quality menu complemented by daily specials”. Opened three years ago by the Lunar Pub Company, it’s “not somewhere for a quiet and romantic dinner, but the young local crowd make it a vibrant venue”.

“Open 24 hours, with flexible options for breakfast” – these round-the-clock cafés are worth remembering if you’re out on the town and need to refuel. Only the SW10 original generates much in the way of feedback – “the cuisine is not fine food, but it’s a convenient option that’s good value” and “reliable”. (Aldgate also has a standalone bar with a 24-hour alcohol licence).

For its Sloane Ranger crowd, wine merchant John Brinkley’s long-established brasserie is a “still-buzzing Chelsea legend where you can drink well at almost-retail prices”. But, while most fans feel the food is “decent” too, others say “you pay too much for what you get and folks are starting to vote with their feet”. There are spin-offs in Wandsworth Bridge Road and beside Wandsworth Common (see Brinkley’s Kitchen).

“Tucked away from the hustle and bustle”, in the kind of ultra-picturesque Kensington backwater where one imagines Mary Poppins floating about on her umbrella – this “quirky” converted town-house provides a “special”, “understated but comfortable setting” and “always impeccable personal service with attention to detail”: it’s “ideal for a romantic evening”. “You might not expect much of the cooking as it’s part of the D&D London Group – but you’d be wrong!” – Ben Murphy has been at the stoves since 2017 and his “refined and interesting” cuisine goes from strength to strength: “food that just makes you smile about how it looks and how it tastes”. Top Tip – “good value at lunch”.