LDNGuide
The Best Restaurants in Notting Hill
Notting Hill has some excellent and affordable spots if you know where to look.
Few areas sum up London more than Notting Hill. It’s always been full of interesting and diverse people and places. And you know what comes out of areas like this? A whole lot of good food. From some of the best sushi in London to a tiny Persian spot serving excellent dips, here’s our guide to the best restaurants in Notting Hill.
THE SPOTS
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.
Straker’s is named after its TikTok-famous chef, but the thing this restaurant cares most about isn’t content, it’s flavour. From superb flatbreads topped with scallops or stracciatella to piles of handmade taglioni with girolles and whacks of lemon, everything at this cosy space on Golborne Road will leave you beaming. Given its elbow-knocking floor plan, you’re best off coming here as a duo, date, or otherwise, though there is a counter in front of the kitchen at the back that suits solo diners. Either way, it’s less about supreme comfort and more about concentrating on the food in front of you. Which is all very, very good.
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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 £55 wagyu steak there. But you’re mostly here for the temaki. Because no matter where you’d put yourself on the sushi-eating spectrum, the hand rolls are excellent and are up there with the best sushi experiences you can have in London. Friendly warning: you will be ordering a second round, so come prepared to spend £60 plus per person.
We’re not sure what exactly the secret is, but we don’t care when the food here tastes this good. This spot has colourful walls, black booths, and a menu with 10 hefty sandwiches. Aesthetically pleasing, perfectly formed blocks of sandwiches, 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 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. 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. It’s tangy and carby, and the dipping yoghurt on the side brings something fresh to the plate. Finish with knefeh Naboulsia, a syrupy, cheesy, Palestinian cheesecake. It’s the perfect segue into the “I want to stop dating other people” chat.
In between Westbourne Park and Ladbroke Grove tube stations is Jay Dees—a Caribbean cash-only spot that you really want to know about. You don’t need to spend much to get a lot here. For £7.50 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 a minute to Tavistock Gardens, find yourself a spot, and get stuck in.
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 this spot. 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.
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. This place is perfect for dinner with the family, the most romantic alfresco date this side of Santorini, or for 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, care-free sibling that really appreciates a good, strong cocktail and knows how to have a laugh. This spot takes bookings 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 this 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 for an intimate third date, while also making a mental note of how many people it seats so you can book out the whole space for 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—another sign of a GLP—and when they gently nudge you to order two bread baskets instead of one, you should listen.
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 could pass off 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—a popular New York import—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. Why? Because the pancakes that lured you here in the first place aren’t on the evening menu.
Notting Hill feels like it should have a good old-fashioned diner, and it does. The Electric isn’t cheap but it’s a great shout no matter what time you’re in the area. There’s an all-day breakfast menu which is generally very satisfying, and a solid selection of uncomplicated but delicious food for a hearty dinner. The flat iron chicken and a double cheeseburger should be on your table. This is a lively place with consistently superb service, and serves three simultaneously noble purposes: hangover cure, pre-movie ice-breaker (there’s a cinema in the same building), and a solid all-day American diner.
If the Electric Diner is a go-to in Notting Hill, then 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 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 everyday, so plan accordingly.
It’s your classic Notting Hill situation. Your mum said she wanted nothing for her birthday. But then last night you got a super subtle text saying “That antique ottoman at the market was nice, wasn’t it?”. Fantastic. So when you’ve spent the day walking the length of Portobello Road, heading for Singapore vermicelli noodles at Uli is always a good shout. The food here isn’t going to change your life, but it’s the kind of bright, modern spot close to a station that’s always worth having in your back pocket. Expect crispy aromatic duck, dim sum, lots of seafood, and a big outdoor terrace complete with blankets, cushions, and candles.
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. You’ll get change from a tenner for a takeaway margherita, 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 night out here is probably going to cost you upwards of £60 per person, 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 lunchtime set menu (£24 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.
If you don’t know what to expect when you walk through the door here, you might be confused. Hereford Road has an ultra-modern look, but the food couldn’t be more traditional, with heavy emphasis on old-fashioned British cooking, meat, and the whole ‘nose to tail’ shtick. What we like best about Hereford Road is that nose to tail doesn’t cost an arm and a leg: prices aren’t nearly as high as you’d expect. Order the set lunch for a great deal (£16.50 for two courses), or come by with a date or group for dinner.
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. At lunch there’s a good-value set menu. 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.
You cannot get more no-nonsense than this Japanese mini-chain’s spot on Notting Hill Gate. It’s a fun, busy restaurant where you can get some tasty sushi at a very good price, all in an hour (or under). The lengthy menu has everything from sashimi and udon, to katsu curry and bento boxes. You can see the chefs lined up in the kitchen, slicing fish and making rolls to order. We’d suggest heading here when you’re in the mood to split some dragon rolls, hot udon, and prawn tempura. And if you avoid the nigiri and sashimi, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the bill.
Come here for good fish and chips in a simply decorated restaurant, a short walk from Notting Hill tube and Portobello Road market. The location and the quality mean it’s usually pretty rammed, even though the tables are packed pretty close together.
