LDNGuide

The 20 Best Restaurants In Notting Hill

Sensational sushi, a top Caribbean takeaway, classy wine bars, and more.
The 20 Best Restaurants In Notting Hill image

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

A day in Notting Hill can mean a wander around Portobello Road Market, a box of oxtail, rice, and peas in the park, or a pub crawl that later has you stumbling into one of its many swish and excellent restaurants. This part of west London can sometimes feel like an advert into how the other half lives, but it also has a brilliant array of restaurants, wine bars, pubs, takeaways, and more that show off the best of London.


THE SPOTS

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Austrian

Notting Hill

$$$$Perfect For:Big GroupsBirthdaysLive Music
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Open since 1967 and responsible for thousands, if not millions, of paracetamol the following day, this yodelling, beer boot-pouring, bratwurst-grilling Austrian cavern on Westbourne Grove knows how to have a good time. Sure, the goulash is mediocre but who cares when Josef, the elderly owner in lederhosen, is playing the cowbells like he’s on the Pyramid Stage. In fact, don’t be surprised if someone is crowd surfing by the time the karaoke mic comes out. Come with friends, make more, and pray that sausage selection lines your stomach by the time tomorrow comes.

Idyllic coffee shop by day, neighbourhood wine bar and pizza spot by night, Ria’s does it all. The intimate, sky blue dining room is filled with quiet chatter, as friends lean back on the cushioned oak benches—pét nat in hand, whipped ricotta and tomato slice on the mind. The roasted king prawn number is the real standout. Prawns, marinated in fiery salsa macha, are placed on top of an airy, light base, and topped with slow-cooked marinara and a creamy parmesan drizzle. The Detroit-style pizzas are excellent and it’s got that indescribable quality that makes it feel like it’s been around forever, perfect for a third date or a catch-up with friends.

If Notting Hill is a bubble, then Tsiakkos & Charcoal exists in its own ouzo-fuelled world. The neighbourhood Greek spot feels like the kind of restaurant where plates should smash, not least because its covered courtyard is a riot of birthday sing-songs and gooey slow burnt pork shoulder. Inside things are endearingly hectic, as smoke from the grill wafts over tables of cheersing families or boozy dates, while the stylish offspring of the Notting Hill set escape for a cigarette out front. At £35 a head for the entire menu, it’s also one of the best big group dinner spots around.

This Portuguese social club on Elkstone Road turns into an unmissable vinho verde and beer-fuelled sing-a-long on Friday and Saturday nights. Piri-piri chicken and freshly grilled fish line every one of the long banquet tables at Sporting Clube De Londres, as the disco lights swirl and someone belts out Frank Sinatra on stage. It's a fun, familial, and fantastic-value night out. That said, if a quiet bowl of cataplana (Portuguese fish stew) bobbing with squid, fish, prawns, and mussels is more your pace, then swing by for lunch or bingo on a Sunday.

A pub-cum-bar with a Lynchian scarlet dining room upstairs, The Cow has been a favourite among Notting Hill locals, celebs, and those seeking a pint of Guinness with half a dozen oysters for years. The seafood-focused menu suits the moody saloon bar to a tee—where you’ll find groups of mates or solo regulars tucking into a bowl of their fiery fish stew—while upstairs is tailor-made for long lunches and burgundy-fuelled dinners. It’s on the Westbourne Park side but, if you’re 20 minutes the other way, don’t let a walk put you off. The Cow is the kind of place you pitch up in.

This spot has bright OTT walls, black plastic booths that encourage efficiency, and a menu with 10 hefty sandwiches. Aesthetically pleasing, perfectly formed blocks, with the perfect ratio of filling—whether that’s tuna mayo and lettuce, or the T.L.T (turkey, lettuce, tomato)—that Paul Hollywood would dish out a handshake for. There are fun toppings like bacon crumb, or crispy shallots that you can add as well—our favourite combination is the tuna mayo with salt and vinegar McCoys crisps. It’s a small, hidden spot, and whether you eat in or get a sandwich to go, it’s one of the best lunch options in the area.

Coming for a romantic dinner is the move at Maramia Cafe. The candles, single roses hanging from the ceiling, and menu of Palestinian mezze and traditional dishes will all significantly improve your chances of charming someone special. That is, until it hits 9pm on a weekend, when the dining room becomes a dancing on tables, singing loudly, and accidentally knocking chilli sauce off the table kind of night. Whether you’re here to have a conversation or let your hair down, the chicken mousakhan—fresh za'atar-dusted taboon bread filled with pulled chicken breast, caramelised onions, and a generous amount of sumac—is a must-order.

This Persian restaurant on Hereford Road has a quirky interior, with hanging cutlery, bookshelf benches, and layered photo frames, and yet that’s still not the most interesting thing about Hafez. We’re always here for the dips. From refreshing mast o khair—cool yoghurt laced with cucumber and herbs—to creamy salad-e olivieh, generous with chicken and potatoes, to smoky aubergine kashk-e bademjan that you’ll eagerly and speedily scoop up with freshly baked taftoon bread. There are usually always a couple of tables available on a Saturday night, making it an excellent last-minute option in the area.

However high and thick you think these pancakes look in photos, they’re higher and thicker in real life. Seriously, the XXL triple-tier stack at Sunday In Brooklyn could pass as a respectable birthday cake. Now that we’ve given that disclaimer, you should order the single, or the double if you’re not getting much else. This all-day cafe and restaurant serves brunch until around 5pm. There’s also shakshuka and cheese and egg sandwiches on the menu, as well as ‘proper’ food like roast chicken and beef burgers. But really, you should be here for brunch and those pancakes.

Sumi is a high-end sushi spot, but instead of dressing stuff up with truffle shavings or melted mozzarella, it lets the top-quality fish speak for itself. The single-sheet menu is mostly nigiri, sashimi, and hand rolls, with an excellent seaweed salad here, and a £65 wagyu steak there. But you’re mostly here for the nigiri and temaki. Because no matter where you’d put yourself on the sushi-eating spectrum, this spot is up there with the best sushi experiences you can have in London. Friendly warning: you will be ordering a second round of the hotate nigiri, so come prepared to spend £60 plus per person.

photo credit: Giulia Verdinelli

$$$$Perfect For:Cheap EatsLunchTakeaway

In between Westbourne Park and Ladbroke Grove tube stations is Jay Dees—a Caribbean spot that you really want to know about. You don’t need to spend much to get a lot here. For around a tenner you can get a takeaway box packed to the brim with charred jerk chicken, rice and peas, cabbage, beans, and carrots, covered in a perfectly spicy and fruity sauce. It’s as delicious as it is generous, and there’s lots more on the menu as well, from curried goat to saltfish patties. If the weather’s right, walk up the road to Tavistock Gardens, find yourself a spot, and get stuck in.

There are some restaurants that you walk into and, whether it’s a Saturday night or a Tuesday lunchtime, you think ‘right, a bottle of wine is in order’. Mazi is one of those restaurants. This Greek spot just behind Notting Hill Gate station has plenty of rustic wooden tables, faux shutters on the walls, and a charming outdoor terrace. And it’s equally as perfect for dinner with the family, the most romantic alfresco date this side of Santorini, or a laid-back birthday involving a whole lot of tzatziki.

Suzi Tros, a Greek spot on Hillgate Street, is two doors down from its big sister, Notting Hill neighbourhood favourite Mazi. Think of this place as the younger, carefree sibling that really appreciates a good, strong cocktail and knows how to have a laugh. This spot takes booking but keeps space for walk-ins, which is very handy when it feels like the whole of London has decided to descend on Notting Hill for a Saturday night dinner. There’s holiday-feel floor tiling, a tiny bar downstairs, super friendly service, and really, if you come here without trying the meatballs and a couple of cocktails, then you’re doing it wrong.

No matter if it’s your first or 27th visit to Sinuhe, a little Persian spot just off Westbourne Grove, you’ll feel like you’ve been coming here forever. Cosy, with Great Little Place energy, this is a restaurant equally perfect for an intimate third date or a low-key celebratory meal. However you choose to use this restaurant, there are a couple of things you should know. There are some excellent dips, grilled classics, and homely stews. Our go-to order consists of both of the aubergine dips, the mast-o-khair, and a mixed grill to share. The servers are friendly and helpful, and when they gently nudge you to order two bread baskets instead of one, you should listen.

Core by Clare Smyth might be the kind of restaurant you’ll only go to once in your life. It’ll be worth it though. Core is fine dining for people who couldn’t care less about the see-and-be-seen scene. Everyone who comes here, comes because they like proper food served in a pleasant setting. Yes, it’s pricey but if big, bold, British-inspired flavours from one of London’s top chefs are what turns you on, this should be top of your list.

The phrase “this is nice isn’t it” is guaranteed to be said by at least one member of your group if you head to Beam on Westbourne Grove. Maybe they’re referring to the hanging lights or the exposed brick. Or maybe it’s the spaciousness of it all, or the brunch menu that includes shakshuka, a halal full english, and Nutella-filled doughnuts. We’ll tell you—it’s all of the above. This spot is walk-in only and open until 6pm every day, so plan accordingly.

A no-nonsense, perfectly tasty, in-and-out, probably visit once a month, pizza restaurant is what every area in London needs. And is also the thing that every person in London needs to know about wherever they are. Farina is Notting Hill’s answer to this. It’s a straightforward pizzeria serving doughy Neapolitan-style pizzas. A takeaway margherita is just over a tenner, although it’s worth sitting in as it’s very comfortable and also has Moretti on tap.

If you’re discrete, calm, and confident about everything you do, then you’ll be perfectly at home at Six Portland Road. It’s a casual spot on a quiet street at the edge of Notting Hill, serving elegant, unfussy food to well-to-do locals. A dinner here isn’t going to be a cheap one, but you won’t regret it for dishes like grilled courgette with preserved lemon and pecorino, or plaice with sea aster and cider butter. An excellent lunch set menu (£28 for three courses) makes it a perfect, intimate, and inexpensive spot for a daytime date when you want to feel far, far away from the busier side of this neighbourhood.

Saporitalia serves some of the best Italian food in west London, in an unpretentious, friendly, family-run space. Get the mixed antipasti or soup to start, then pasta or a grilled veal chop to follow. Or one of the pizzas, best of all. The crusts are thin and light, and toppings are mostly simple. In the evenings, take advantage of the well-priced wine list. Walk-ins are a breeze during the week, but you definitely need to book at the weekend. And when you get there remember, looks aren’t everything.

This huge three-storey pub and dining room in Notting Hill might not have a Gary Kemp lookalike serving its seasonal small plates, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t excellent. Although you’re looking at bigger prices than your average pub situation, dishes like wood-roasted whole sea bream and chargrilled squid are worth the extra spend. The upstairs dining room is all exposed brick and linen banquette seating, but the downstairs area with its palm trees and glass ceiling is where you really want to be.

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