West is best – especially when it comes to dining. Over the last few years, Notting Hill has transformed from a cosy, colourful enclave with a few neighbourhood restaurants to a full-on dining destination. Because alongside classics like The Ledbury and Core by Clare Smyth (two of only six London restaurants to be awarded three Michelin stars), you’ve now got live fire restaurants, wild fusions, and a crop of new young chefs doing genuinely interesting things with food. Here’s where to try.
46 Golborne Rd, W10 5PR
Caia
Fire, wine, vinyl. There’s no better way to sum up Caia (which is probably why these three words are painted on its front door). The dinky, dimly lit restaurant is perfumed with plumes of smoke curling off the flame-licked grill and soundtracked by owner, Tim’s, personal vinyl collection. The menu changes often enough for this to become one of your regular haunts (get the jerk Ibérico ribs if they’re on the menu) or just head downstairs for a post-10pm drink and dance.
Casa Cruz
A-listers like Taylor Swift and Victoria Beckham aren’t sashaying into Mayfair. They’re strolling down quiet Clarendon Road and into the copper-toned enclave that is Casa Cruz. It’s easy to see why: there’s a pre-10pm roof terrace for sipping Champagne; a clubby, velvet-clad main restaurant serving Argentinian-ish dishes like josper-grilled prawns and rib-eye steak; and a glitzy copper bar slinging serves like Aidan (mezcal, Campari, and Prosecco) alongside a decent list of mocktails. Sexy Fish who?
123A Clarendon Rd, W11 4JG
2–4 Farmer St, W8 7SN
Los Mochis
You can’t miss Los Mochis. Its lurid mural beckons you to the corner of Farmer Street, promising Day of the Dead-style interiors, Japanese-Mexican dishes, and what’s probably London’s best spicy mezcalita. If you don’t go for the full 10-course tasting menu, order crab-stuffed tostaditos (the shells are fried then baked overnight to create the perfect crunch), fistfuls of nose-tickling chicken tacos, and plate after plate of spicy salmon on crispy rice.
Dove
Jackson Boxer. He’s the chef who consistently knocks it out of the park with his restaurant concepts – Henri, Brunswick House, Below Stone Nest, etc. And now he’s spreading his wings and landing… exactly where he was before: on the site of Orasay in Notting Hill. He’s swapped his beloved fine diner for a more accessible, laid-back menu – a concept he describes as food he ‘wants to cook and eat right now’. Think truffle lasagne, lemon and ricotta dumplings with lobster cream, and roast chicken with fennel and blood orange.
31 Kensington Park Rd, W11 2EU
135 Portland Rd, W11 4LW
Julie’s
First opened in 1969 by interior designer Julie Hodgess, Julie’s was revived last year by a relatively young restauranteur, Tara MacBain, who loved it as a child and has imbued it with the same joie de vivre that once saw Tina Turner dancing on one of the tables. You want to sit in the main dining room to see/be seen, and order anything from the varied, yet well-done menu – we’re partial to the mussels and the sole meunière.
Straker's
It’s not uncommon for a restaurant to go viral on social media, but it is rare for a social media superstar to set up their own restaurant. But that’s exactly what TikTok phenom Thomas Straker has achieved with his eponymous Goldborne Road haunt. It’s fast and fun, with the chefs laughing and jostling around the open kitchen as they send out a stream of Modern European dishes – the mussel flatbread is a particular highlight. Sit at the counter to absorb the full energy of the place (and to maximise your chance of meeting Straker himself).
91 Golborne Rd, W10 5NL
105, 107 Talbot Rd, W11 2AT
Dorian
You’ll find this self-declared ‘rowdy local bistro’ along Talbot Road – and will know it from its riotous live band nights that practically spill over into the street. On quieter evenings, though, this is the type of restaurant you want to linger in; soft leather banquettes, candlelit tables, carafes of wine curated by Noble Rot… The menu changes every day but expect to eat (and share) things like oysters, lobster tail, and chops from practically all meats.
Akub
An akub is a hardy, edible thistle that blossoms across the Middle East. You won’t find it on the menu at chef Fadi Kattan’s Akub, but you will find many age-old Palestinian recipes and spices (the latter of which have been brought to Notting Hill by Fairtrade co-operative Zaytoun). The result: a totally unique, modern Palestinian restaurant offering a taste of the region via doughy zaatar bread, arak-cured sea bass, and a selection of wines, beers, and spirits – try arak, a spirit made from cocoa palm.
27 Uxbridge St, W8 7TQ
157 Westbourne Grove, W11 2RS
Sumi
This is an Endo Kazutoshi restaurant, so you already know you’ll be eating incredible sushi. But stand away from the chopsticks: this is also one of the best places to try temaki, chunky sushi rolls designed to be eaten with your fingers. As you might have gathered, the vibe here is more casual than other Endo restaurants, with friendly staff, a great playlist, and a small street-level terrace popular in the summer months. Don’t skip dessert; the weightless matcha mille feuille is the perfect closing bite.
Gold
It’s a cliché to say Gold has something for everyone, but the extensive, seasonal menu genuinely caters to all palettes and dietary requirements – somewhat of a rarity for the area. What’s also rare is that it’s open past 11pm, making this a great spot for a late dinner with a big group of friends. It spans all four floors of its coveted Portobello Road address (including a leafy terrace), and the menu is mostly cooked over an open fire – try the wood-roasted aubergine and the nduja-slathered chicken.
95–97 Portobello Rd, W11 2QB
92 Kensington Park Rd, W11 2PN
Core by Clare Smyth
One of only six restaurants in London to have three Michelin stars, Core is the kind of place you reserve for a special occasion. Its modern tasting menus show off the best of the British Isles – whether that’s Isle of Harris scallops, Somerset cider brandy, or Morecambe Bay shrimp. Combined with the attentive service and streamlined dining room, you’ll find yourself using adjectives like ‘sublime, ‘exquisite,’ and ‘delightful’ when describing your (‘unforgettable’) experience to your friends.
The Ledbury
The Ledbury has pedigree. Originally awarded two Michelin stars in 2010 (which it sadly lost due to a Covid-related closure), it achieved the all-important hat-trick in 2024 – making it the second restaurant in the area to do so. Interiors are heavy on marble and dainty dishes that seem to be crafted from porcelain – one truffle shaving too many and they will surely crumble. But The Ledbury has proved it has lasting power, and we’ve no doubt that diners will continue to flock here for chef Brett Graham’s British/Japanese/French food for decades to come.
127 Ledbury Rd, W11 2AQ
12–14 Hillgate St, W8 7SR
Mazi
There’s never a bad time to eat at Mazi, but summer is by far the best. Warmer temperatures mean you can sit in its leafy garden terrace – which feels practically European. Your tastebuds, too, will head to the Med via Greek dishes designed to be shared. Order a couple of the jars to start (the smoked aubergine is our fave), followed by the black truffle chicken, courgette cakes, and feta tempura, which is ingeniously served with lemon marmalade and caper meringue. Portions are small so get a lot: you won’t leave with leftovers.
