The Notting Hill Guide: Pastel Houses, Serious Wine Lists
Portobello mornings, low-lit trattorias, natural-wine caves down the mews. West London done grown-up.
The brief
Pastel houses, serious wine lists. Notting Hill gets written off as postcard London, which suits the people who actually eat here — because the cooking in W11 is quietly among the best in the city.
Where to eat
The Ledbury for the meal you plan a season around, two Michelin stars and worth the ceremony. Dorian for a butcher's-window bistro doing the best beef in the neighbourhood. Straker's for wood-fired plates and a wine list with actual opinions. Osteria Basilico for the Italian you go back to for twenty years. E&O for the room. Farmacy when the table needs feeding without any of it being beige.
Where to drink
The Cock & Bottle and The Hillgate for proper pubs on quiet corners. The Elgin for the big one on Ladbroke Grove with the terrace that fills the second the sun appears. The Eagle for a pint after Portobello.
The morning
Portobello Road early, before the crowds, then coffee and a green thing from Roots & Bulbs to balance the ledger.
One rule
Avoid Saturday on Portobello unless you enjoy queueing. Friday morning is the market at its best.