Best restaurants in Notting Hill

If you love classic British pubs, get yourself a table in front of the fire at The Pelican and dive into some refined Brit-grub like ham hock with egg mayo, beer batter scallop, raw beef with Gentleman’s relish, and rib eye steak. The focus here is on the local residents, as The Pelican strives to be a community hub as well as somewhere to eat and drink.

Found on the iconic Portobello Road, Canteen brings Italian cooking to the heart of Notting Hill. From the team behind The Pelican and The Hero, Canteen quickly became a social media favourite, and we completely understand why. Daily-changing menus of Italian classics, and an open kitchen with prime counter seating are all part of the charm.

Slick, cosy styling isn't the only thing that marks SINO out as a great neighbourhood restaurant - head chef Eugene Korolev makes Ukrainian cooking thoroughly accessible, whilst still delivering a menu that feels unique and distinct. Gorgeous interiors have a commendable dedication to Ukrainian craftsmanship too. 

Los Mochis' dinky omakase outpost exists in a small, somewhat hidden room on the upper floors of the restaurant. Inside is one of London's most unique food experiences, as chef Leonard Tanyag serves up highly inventive tasting menus, blurring the lines between Japanese and Mexican food.

SUMI is one of London’s most stylish understated Japanese restaurants. With perfectly paired back Japandi décor, warm lighting and a buzzing atmosphere, it’s almost impossible not to be drawn in while walking down Westbourne Grove. Brainchild of sushi master Endo Kazutoshi, Sumi is sister restaurant to the Michelin-starred Endo at the Rotunda, and you can also expect to find elevated Japanese cuisine here - don't miss out on the Japanese A4 Wagyu striploin. 

Here to show that vegetable-focused cooking need never be boring, Holy Carrot is reimagining plant-based food for the better with its bold and sustainable dishes. Fire and ferments chef Daniel Watkins (Acme Fire Cult) heads up the kitchen, producing game-changing dishes like koji bread with chilli ragu and smoked mushrooms. 

This New York import is, naturally, a fantastic brunch spot where you can expect a hefty maple praline and brown butter pancake stack among other things. It's also a brilliant place to grab dinner, serving some genuinely interesting and tasty international plates. If you're stuck for choice, the crispy chicken sandwich with sweet and sour hot honey and pickles is absolutely delicious.

Mazi is the very definition of rustic-chic. Serving up intensely-flavoured and progressive Greek food in a whitewashed taverna-esque location, Mazi truly is the Hellenic hero of Notting Hill. Mazi means ‘together’ in Greek, and the restaurant places emphasis on the Greek sharing culinary tradition. Treat yourself with a choice of wine from the meticulously compiled 100% Greek wine list. 

Honest cooking is the forte of this laid-back eatery. The fact that it’s sensibly priced, it’s got a modern look and the service is cheerful are further pluses, of course. From the open kitchen, you can see chefs dishing up the likes of venison carpaccio, broadbean and pea tartlets or mackerel with roast tomato ratatouille. Seafood is a forte, and is often served with beautiful, salty sea veg.   

Blending grilled meats and live music, Caia is the sort of place you come for dinner and stay for the rest of the night. The team has invested serious money into an audio set up that does justice to live jazz and house DJs alike, and the food is brilliant too. Grab a seat at the counter for a glorious view of the grill in action. 

Dishoom's Permit Rooms have proven mighty popular already across the UK, and Notting Hill is the lucky location chosen to receive the first London Permit Room. All day menus cover everything from the delicious Dishoom breakfast to chilli cheesy garlic naan bites, chaats, salads and whole chicken tandoori. The cocktail list is stellar too. 

Despite its three Michelin stars, this old-school powerhouse actually feels more like a neighbourhood destination. Exquisite design matches exquisite food. The interiors are spearheaded by London-based design studio These White Wall, while chef patron Brett Graham's inventive, ever-changing eight-course tasting menu makes use of the finest British produce, with the Jersey beef and Iberian pork for the charcuterie coming from Brett’s own farm.

The team behind Dorian also runs Eel Sushi over the road, serving high quality sushi, made to order. The pace here is fast so don't expect to settle in for too long, but like Dorian, tables are hard to come by and the quality of the food is exceptional. 

Insta-star Thomas Straker raised a few eyebrows when he announced that he was going to be opening his own bricks-and-mortar restaurant in Notting Hill, but the results have been sensational. Straker's doesn't do anything revolutionary, but it does deliver classic British cooking with aplomb. Tables have been hard to come by since it opened, and not just because of Straker's star power - this restaurant has been a bona fide hit.

Mexico meets Japan at this slick, contemporary fusion experience. Fusion is so often used negatively but the combination really works here, both in the bold, sleek, colourful decor, and also in the menu which features top quality seafood and sashimi alongside vibrant tacos and ceviche.

A gorgeous refurb has turned this near 200 year old Notting Hill watering hole into a picture-perfect advert for gastropub design. Floral wallpaper and wine bottle-lined walls leave The Walmer Castle feeling very designed and sophisticated, and the food follows suit with extremely elegant riffs on pub classics. 

HAM Restaurants’ latest hotspot brings seasonal flair and laid-back charm to the Grand Union Canal. Whether it’s a smart cocktail list by A Bar with Shapes for a Name, double denim uniforms by Nicholas Daley, or the industrial-chic vibes, Canal is effortlessly cool. The table cheeseburger is a must, but everything here channels the easygoing magic of sibling restaurants like Crispin and Bistro Freddie.

Gold has made itself a popular spot in this West London neighbourhood. Here chefs pay homage to top quality ingredients through simple preparation and delicious wood-fired cooking. Expect sharing-style European plates, with plenty of fresh seasonal veg at the heart of the menu. The interiors are worth going for alone, try and bag a spot in the plant-filled courtyard that has a retractable roof for sunny days. 

Who would have thought that this large corner pub on Portobello Road would hold an astonishingly good Japanese restaurant at the back of it? The top-notch cooking paired with a buzzy atmosphere and live music at the weekends draw the crowds. Peruvian touches are added to Japanese food, so expect Japanese tapas dishes such as gyoza, shrimp tempura and salmon tartare with mango, as well as a range of sushi, steamed buns and to-die-for lamb chops.  

There are so many reasons to visit Core by Clare Smyth. One, it’s the first restaurant by the only female chef to have headed up a three Michelin-starred kitchen. Two, it’s a ‘cor-blimey’ brilliant culinary experience, rather than a haute-cuisine ordeal. And three, the interiors are casual-luxe, yet high-end enough to make your visit feel like a special occasion. But the food is the main act: simple, but simply divine contemporary British cuisine.

Emily Roux (yes, daughter of Michel Roux Jr) and husband Diego Ferrari are the couple behind this stunner of a restaurant. Dusty pink chairs, marble-topped tables and bare brick walls make an Insta-worthy dining room, but the food is what knocks the experience out of the park. Big flavours are delivered in dishes like roast dry aged duck with pickled beetroot and wild garlic, alongside more subtle garlic and chilli oil ravioli with blue lobster and English peas.

Gorgeous, puffy Detroit-style pizzas are done due justice at this cosy spot, which provides a great deal of interior design inspiration with its baby blue dining room and slouchable sofas. The natural wine list is also sueprb, with loads of drinkable bottles at reasonable prices. 

Rustic, Florentine cooking gets new life at Trogolo. Founded by Petersham Nurseries pair Lara Boglione and Giovanni Mazzei, Trogolo matches beautiful seasonal cooking and top-tier produce with stunning Tuscan wines. Expect an informal, immersive atmosphere and dishes like fresh tagliolini with sweet peas and creamy butter, alongside a bancone menu with cured meats and trogolino milk bread buns.

Fadi Kattan's gorgeous Palestinian restaurant fits Notting Hill's pastel shaded chic rather beautifully, with its cool green front and limewash walls. The food is exquisite too, reinterpreting traditional Palestinian dishes with elegance. Akub is worth a visit for brunch on the weekends too!

Granger & Co was the first of many London outposts for Australian restaurateur Bill Granger, bringing his signature relaxed style to Notting Hill. Fun is the vibe here and the menu offers up fresh salads, sandwiches, small plates and mains. Granger & Co elevates European dishes, using ingredients such as miso, quinoa, tahini and kimchi. Be sure not to miss out on its legendary Australian breakfasts.  

Frame in Notting Hill is a stylish modern tapas restaurant serving elevated Spanish small plates and wines from small-scale producers across the world. The menu focuses on fresh produce, bold flavours, and dishes designed for sharing. Soft lighting, minimalist exposed brick interiors, and friendly service create a relaxed personal atmosphere for casual dinners and date nights alike.

One of our favourite restaurant openings of the last few years, Dorian assembles an all-star front and back of house cast to great effect, delivering incredible cocktails and brilliant, precise cooking in a buzzy Notting Hill dining room. Like Straker's, bookings for Dorian are pretty thin on the ground at times, but this is a restaurant worth making time for. 

Bringing the vibrant atmosphere of a true boozer, The Blue Stoops blends elevated pub grub with traditional decor, bringing you the best of both worlds. Indulge in unapologetically rich cuisine, with bitters and ales pulled from classic ‘swan neck’ taps, for the complete experience.

What was Orasay is now Dove, and we dare say Jackson Boxer's Notting Hill restaurant is better than ever in its new guise. It remains a very pleasant place to spend a day or evening: staff are superbly knowledgeable, and Boxer's cooking is now unshackled, with outstanding results. He remains one of London's most distinct and exciting cooks, making Dove a must-visit.

Serving up a menu inspired by diverse Mediterranean cooking styles combined with seasonal British produce, The Princess Royal promises some new twists on classic cuisine. Choose between small plates, raw, oysters, salads, and large plates - the Old Spot pork chop with salt roasted beets is not to be missed. Fancy staying a while longer? Book in overnight at one of the cosy individually-designed bedrooms.

This friendly Lebanese restaurant has a neighbourhood vibe and delicious food. It’s been knocking about in Westbourne Grove since the early 90s, serving up hot and cold mezze to a returning crowd. Hummus kawarmah topped with diced lamb and pine nuts is a dish to look out for, and the kibbeh meshwieh is exceptional – ground lamb with crushed wheatstuffed with pine nuts and grilled on skewers. Top tip: grab one of the window seats for the best atmosphere.

Reincarnated once again, this iteration of Julie's brings back all the glamour of yesteryear for this celeb-magnet restaurant in Holland Park. The food is top class too thanks to chef patron Owen Kenworthy, who delivers a menu full of bold brush stroke cooking, including a lobster souffle and a duck liver schnitzel. Or, stop by for a glass of fizz and some snacks from the raw seafood counter.

The much-loved Mediterranean-North African restaurant steps away from its counter dining trademark to a more traditional set-up, complete with an additional dedicated dining area and cocktail bar. Flatbreads, dips, grills and cocktails are all superb, too.