London Kensington Restaurant Guide

This offbeat, “really high-quality Japanese” outfit in a Kensington backstreet from Yasuhiro Minemo and Shinya Ikeda has carved out a niche for itself over the last 13 years with its “delicious sushi” and “extremely attentive staff”. It’s pricey, but “the lunch menu is great value”. Its offshoot Ocean House is in the former Brompton Library, while the latest addition from 2022, Sushi Kamon in Arcade Food Hall on Oxford Street, offers a cut-price 45-minute omakase experience.

2021 Review: “When all you want is an old-school burger”, these US-based arrivals of recent years really “hit the spot” – you can “build your own”, with “tons of accessories”; plus “seriously addictive fries”, “thick milkshakes”, and “more soda flavours than is reasonable”. “The eat-in experience is as depressing as McDonald’s”, though, in fact perhaps more so – “some branches have a strangely gloomy ambience” – but fans feel that “if you don’t mind 1980s-rock, a trip can still be surprisingly fun”.

With the “lovely decor” replicated from the Theatreland icon for which they are branded, Richard Caring’s “always buzzy” spin-offs have found a gigantic audience nationally. But “these places live off the name for sure” and “it’s the ambience that keeps them going” – while fans say the food is “reliable”, more sceptical types dismiss it as “conveyor-belt cooking”; and say service is merely so-so. Some branches are better than others: best in London is ‘Chelsea Garden’, which has the same “distinctly average” standards as the others, but reliably offers an “uplifting” atmosphere and “great people watching” (and “on a sunny afternoon there is literally NO WHERE ELSE TO BE but its large garden. HEAVEN!!”). Also worth mentioning is the outlet by The Thames in SE1: “excellent views of Tower Bridge”, “even better if outside in summer and convenient for The Bridge Theatre”.

“Exquisite” (or “expensive”?) is the apposite word to describe a meal at the first-floor restaurant of the Japan House cultural centre on Kensington High Street, where tableware and presentation are given equal billing with the food. “The bento boxes are beautiful”, too.

“Terrific posh Levantine food with a twist” is the story of this Kensington High Street three-year-old, whose kitchen is run by former Palomar head chef Tomar Amedi. The menu can seem “confusing” to first-timers (“what’s a starter? a main? a side? did we order enough?”) but the small plates are “interesting and all very tasty”.

“I’ve had dinner here at least 20 times over the last 10 years and have never had a bad meal. I’m a fan!” – this smart and “very comfortable” (“slightly dull?”) fixture sits in a side road off Kensington High Street and is very accomplished by the reckoning of neighbourhood venues (and is nowadays in the top-100 most mentioned London restaurants in our annual diners’ poll). Star chef Phil Howard is a partner in its management, and standards are “very good all round”, including the “really creative and delicious” modern European cuisine.

“Fragrant and tasty dishes” win approval at this cute Indian hidden away in a Kensington backstreet. Its siblings in Little Venice, Barnes and Kingston get very little notice from reporters.

“Fairy lights, greenery and charming decor create a warm and cosy atmosphere” at this still-expanding group, which is most popular as a “reliable and friendly brunch option”. Its Med-inspired tapas is typically rated somewhere between “tasty” and “nothing special” and scores overall are dragged well down by those experiencing “chaotic service” and “food that doesn’t live up to the pretty dining room”.

“You really can’t go wrong with Dishoom”. Shamil and Kavi Thakrar’s phenomenal chain remains the most commented-on in our annual diners’ poll and its “bustling and loud, throwback, Bombay-colonial-era atmosphere” and “distinctively superior” menu – such a “novel variation from what you get in a typical curry house” – have given UK diners a welcome jolt as to what can be expected from an Indian meal. This includes their “Asian-inspired alternative to the usual ‘Full English’ breakfast”, which has revolutionised the start of the day for many folks. “Super-friendly staff do all they can to create a great experience”, which – along with the “delectable cocktails” – helps to underpin the “good vibes” that makes their ambience so buoyant. Perhaps inevitably, ratings for its food have slipped a tad in recent times from being exceptional to merely good, but the overall verdict remains that the overall package is “relatively cheap and always really tasty”. The ability to book is restricted at certain times and at certain branches, but “the queue is worth it!” Top Menu Tips – “stupendous black dahl”; “you could have their okra fries by the bucket”; “ruby murray is a must try”; “that bacon naan… with unlimited chai latte = heaven!”.

“A very special gastropub tucked away in a quiet street off Kensington High Street”, which has been run for 25 years by the Staples family, who have remodelled what was built as a classic Victorian corner tavern into an “all-round reliable local restaurant” and bar fit for its chichi environs.

“Such traditional, family-run restaurants are quite a rarity in London these days”; and the Chiavarinis have maintained this “quintessential”, “old-fashioned” trattoria, opposite the Design Museum, for over 50 years. Fans say the food is “terrific, albeit a bit pricey probably because of its posh postcode”. But there is a less charitable school of thought, which says results are “uninspired, but it’s always busy, possibly because the locals don’t know how to cook…”

“A wonderful display of fresh fish on ice” (“including the biggest scallops with the coral attached”) greets diners arriving at this “unique Italian” in a quiet corner of Kensington, whose “cooking is precise with a light touch”.

“Stunning food, service and ambience” make a meal at this upscale Indian near Kensington Gardens “a special experience”. Set in a “beautiful ex-bank building with great art throughout”, fans feel it is “often overlooked given the location (i.e. not Mayfair) but up there with the best” (“I’ve tried several new Indian places, but keep returning to this one”).

On one level it’s like any other “friendly local”, but few pubs have such a picturesque location as this popular tavern, on the kind of Regency square in Kensington that makes tourists swoon (and with its own cute outside terrace). “Great pub-like food” (without any gastro pretensions) is served in its “lively” dining room. Piers Morgan throws an annual Christmas party here, hosting celeb pals from TV and politics, with Gary Lineker in regular attendance… well, nowhere’s perfect…

With its “delicious cheap ’n’ cheerful Chinese food in an area of overpriced restaurants”, this “brisk” family-run spot on Kensington High Street is “always popular and rightly so”, including with “many Asian clients, which tells you everything you need to know”. (“I’ve been coming for almost 30 years, and they recently updated the interior while remaining true to their unique concept of barstool dining tables”).

2021 Review: “Go for the wine: there’s a great selection” focused solely on Italy at this Kensington yearling, with bottles lining many of the walls. Even fans can note that the food (pasta, cheese and meat boards, salads) “is not as good”, but it avoids any harsh critiques. Brunch here is also a possibility.