Holland Park, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

Jesse Dunford Wood’s “tiny” Holland Park bistro is a “big local favourite, and deservedly so”. “While cramped, it’s full of atmosphere” and there’s “a regularly changing menu of interesting food” realised to a very “competent” standard and delivered by “friendly staff”.

“Yummy mummy hangouts” that have proliferated across the capital and its surrounding high streets over the past few years, with “relaxed and colourful décor” and “friendly waiting staff”. They are very accommodating to families, both “child-friendly” and “pooch central, with snacks and water” – although if you don’t bring your own, you might find there are “too many dogs”. The eastern Med-style cooking varies between “fresh and well prepared” at best to “adequate, sometimes slow” – while “bottomless Bloody Mary or Mimosa on a Sunday can be dangerous!”.

No-one would quibble that this “gem in a sidestreet off High Street Kensington” is a “great local high-end place” – in the vein of a “lovely neighbourhood-style venue” but with “always fabulous” cuisine from chef Mark Kemson (with input from afar from co-owner Phil Howard). Having possessed a Michelin star since 2011, it’s quite “serious” in style, with “an air of calm”, “knowledgeable” service and “well recommended wines to accompany the meal (never had a bad bottle!)”. Even so, ratings remain stuck in the middle-ground here, being capped by the ratings of some diners, who either feel the food is “solidly good rather than exceptional”; or who find the room too “unadorned and plain”. Top Tips – look out for game in season; early evening and lunch set menus are excellent value.

This early Victorian pub, just off Ladbroke Grove near Holland Park Avenue, has a long track record as one of London’s more civilised and agreeable watering holes, with “an always buzzy atmosphere” in its elegant interior and pleasant outside terrace too – even if “service suffers a bit when very busy”: an “excellent choice for steak and chips, among other interesting pub-grub standards”.

This smartly modernised pub (fka The Princess Victoria) near the Kensington entrance to Holland Park has an upstairs dining room serving “high-quality food that is good for the price” from chef Max de Nahlik.

“They have really hit the spot!” at this “shiny new” but “retro-vibe” pub, which opened in late 2024 in the former Kensington Wine Rooms premises (RIP) south of Notting Hill Gate. Former hedgie Jamie Allsop (who has resurrected his 300-year-old family brewing tradition and serves his own beers on tap) “has done a great job keeping it reasonably priced for the area” and chef Lorcan Spiteri provides “very comforting” grub “from very well sourced ingredients cooked to a very good standard”. Many of the press critics seem to be mates with Jamie and have raved too. Top Menu Tips – “excellent anchovy toast to start”; “go for any pie available”; “pork chop, pie and polenta are all polished versions of their usual pub personas”.