Notting Hill is home to a diverse and exciting culinary scene that caters to a wide range of tastes and preferences. From Michelin-starred establishments to charming local eateries, the area offers an impressive array of dining options that showcase both traditional and innovative cuisines. The restaurant landscape in Notting Hill is not only characterised by its blend of high-end fine dining experiences to trendy modern eateries. But also a place where visitors and locals alike can find everything from sophisticated British fare to rustic Italian dishes, creative fusion concepts, and exotic flavours from around the world.
From hidden gems to some of the best restaurants in the city – whether you’re in the mood for a special occasion meal, a casual dinner with friends, or a unique culinary adventure, Notting Hill’s diverse restaurant landscape has something to offer for every palate and occasion.
How we handpick the best restaurants in Notting Hill
Each restaurant on this list has been carefully chosen by a member of our team. Our editors and the Secret London team rely on personal experiences, recommendations, editorial reviews, customer feedback, and thorough research to bring you the finest dining spots in the city. We are constantly on the lookout for new places with delicious food and excellent service. This list is regularly updated as we discover new openings and revisit established favourites.
And so, these are the very best restaurants in Notting Hill:
1. Core by Clare Smyth
Core by Clare Smyth is a chic, Michelin-starred spot which was actually voted the second-best Michelin-starred restaurant in the whole of the UK for 2022. High praise indeed! A culinary gem in Notting Hill, offering seasonal British fine dining in a laid-back, light, and airy atmosphere. Helmed by ex-Gordon Ramsay chef Clare Smyth, this restaurant has earned a stellar reputation for its innovative and expertly crafted dishes that showcase the best of British produce.
The emphasis here is on natural, sustainable food – sourced from the UK’s most dedicated farmers and food producers. Dishes on the classic tasting menu include roasted cod with Morecambe Bay shrimps, Swiss chard and brown butter and Isle of Harris scallop tartare.
Sure, it ain’t cheap, but makes for one hell of an event meal.
🍽️ Best dish recommendation: While specific dishes may vary due to the seasonal menu, Core’s signature “Potato and Roe” dish is often highly praised.
📍You’ll find Core by Clare Smyth at 92 Kensington Park Road, London, W11 2PN.
🚇 Nearest station is Notting Hill Gate.
2. Akub
Chef Fadi Kattan’s Palestinian restaurant, Akub, is located in the heart of Notting Hill. The restaurant features an inverted butterfly roof and walls adorned with arabesque William Morris pomegranates and the menu showcases Palestinian cuisine with a modern twist, focusing on fresh, seasonal ingredients. Dishes such as the buket mousakhan – succulent chicken, onion and sumac served in a bread parcel and the slow cooked lamb neck with fenugreek, cumin, all spice and red shatta mayo are incredibly homely and warm just like the rest of the ethos of Akub.
🍽️ Best Dish Recommendation: Shish Barak – parcels of delicately spiced pumpkin.
📍You’ll find Akub at 27 Uxbridge St, London W8 7TQ.
🚇 Nearest Tube Station is Notting Hill Gate.
3. The Ledbury
We’re getting proper posh here, with two Michelin Stars on board, crisp, white tablecloths and a mainstay on several ‘World’s Best Restaurants’ lists. The service here is impeccable, and with just 45 covers, you’re guaranteed a personal experience. There’s everything on the menu from Cornish lobster to wild Chinese water deer (!), and tasting menus cost £195 per person, so this is one for really impressing your date. Wash it down with a crisp glass of Reisling and you wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in town. Perfect if you’re looking for a romantic dinner in London then.
🍽️ Best Dish Recommendation: Cornish turbot with sea vegetables, Aged pigeon with red vegetables and leaves
📍You’ll find The Ledbury at 127 Ledbury Road, London, W11 2AQ.
🚇 Nearest tube stations are Westbourne Park and Royal Oak.
4. Orasay
Orasay offers a sophisticated dining experience focused on seasonal British ingredients and seafood. Chef Jackson Boxer’s menu changes frequently, showcasing creative dishes that highlight the best produce available. The restaurant’s elegant yet relaxed atmosphere makes it perfect for both special occasions and casual dinners.
🍽️ Best Dish Recommendation: While the menu changes often, the seafood dishes are consistently excellent.
📍You’ll find Orasay at 31 Kensington Park Rd, London W11 2EU
🚇 Nearest tube station is Notting Hill Gate
5. Caractère
Caractère offers a unique blend of French and Italian cuisines in an elegant and intimate setting. This restaurant has quickly become a local favourite since its opening. The menu, crafted with precision and creativity, showcases the best of both culinary traditions, resulting in dishes that are both familiar and excitingly novel. The menu divides its dishes into six sections: curious, subtle, delicate, robust, strong and greedy – covering the likes of meaty dishes, fish, veggie small plates and pudding. The restaurant’s warm ambiance and attentive service complement the exceptional food, making Caractère an ideal choice for special occasions or a memorable night out.
🍽️ Best dish recommendation: While specific recommendations may vary, their pasta dishes are often highly praised.
📍You’ll find Caractère at 209 Westbourne Park Rd, London W11 1EA.
🚇 Nearest tube station is Westbourne Park.
6. Gold
Gold is a stylish, multi-level restaurant and bar that embodies Notting Hill’s bohemian spirit. The menu features modern European sharing plates cooked over an open fire, complemented by an impressive cocktail list. The restaurant’s beautiful garden room, filled with trees and greenery, provides a unique dining atmosphere and is definitely the best seat in the room.
🍽️ Best dish recommendation: Wood-roasted whole sea bream with wild oregano and capers
📍You’ll find Gold at 95-97 Portobello Rd, London W11 2QB.
🚇 Nearest tube station is Ladbroke Grove.
7. The Shed
The Shed offers a delightful farm-to-table dining experience in a charming rustic setting. Known for its seasonal, modern British plates, The Shed’s unique atmosphere complete with colourful fabrics and barrel tables, perfectly complements its innovative menu. The restaurant’s commitment to sustainability and local sourcing is evident in every dish, with ingredients often coming from the owners’ family farm in Sussex.
🍽️ Best dish recommendation: Anything lamb.
📍You’ll find the Shed at 122 Palace Gardens Terrace, London W8 4RT.
🚇 Nearest tube station is Notting Hill Gate.
8. Rika Moon
Rika Moon whips up tasty Japanese fusion food in luxe surroundings and channels warm, ambient and family-run vibes – reason enough to add it to this roundup of the best restaurants in London we say. The menu comprises dishes made from fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, and the creative cocktails perfectly complement the food and the decadent restaurant interiors.
🍽️ Best dish recommendation: Wagyu tataki with crispy shallots and brown butter yuzu truffle sauce, and the Chilean seabass with garlic, ginger dashi, and sea vegetables.
📍You’ll find Rika Moon at 120 Kensington Park Road, London, W11 2PW.
🚇 Nearest station is Notting Hill Gate.
9. Hafez Restaurant
A family-run restaurant serving authentic Persian food since 1983, Hafez Restaurant is located in the heart of Notting Hill. One of the finest and best Persian restaurants in London, it is considered to be one of the oldest Persian restaurants in the whole city.
The renowned Persian culinary expert head chef Farshid Ziafat and his team whip up some of the most amazing Persian cuisine in town. The restaurant cooks all its dishes on its premises with the best quality British meats along with fresh herbs and vegetables. In Hafez, you can host family gatherings, lunch with friends, or book a romantic dinner – perhaps for a date? It is one of the best Persian restaurants in London after all.
📍 You’ll find Hafez Restaurant at 5 Hereford Road, London, W2 4AB.
🚇 Nearest station is Bayswater.
10. Brasseria
Blending Italian Heritage with London Glamour, step into Brasseria to indulge in the freshest and most seasonal ingredients fused with Italian flavours, where humble recipes are refined and elevated.
Their signature dishes include their cotoletta alla Milanese, the hand-made fettuccine with porcini mushrooms and truffle creams, and the Dover sole alla Mugnaia – plated and deboned right at your table. Alongside this, guests can also enjoy the freshest additions to the à la carte menu such as the insalata di fregola and the must-order, risotto al caprese.
And why not let yourself be transported to the Tuscan countryside with their sun-drenched terraces, accompanied by a glass of fine Italian wine from their collection of Super Tuscan wines or classic cocktails. Sounds pretty good to us…
📍You’ll find Brasseria at 290 Westbourne Grove, London, W11 2PS.
🚇 Nearest station is Notting Hill Gate.
11. Caia
Music-led restaurant and cosy wine bar, Caia, is a shining gem on Notting Hill‘s Golborne Road. An open-fire grill crackles away as sounds of rare jazz, funk, tropical, and disco from Caia’s curated vinyl collection spin late into the night. The menu is small but mighty, standout dishes include the stracciatella with bitter leaves, the oh-so-creamy sweet potato agnolotti with chicken wing butter and pecan, and the easily devourable Iberico ribs that we still can’t stop gushing about. It’s hard to go wrong with the menu but please, oh please, do get the farinata with venison ragu, tahini and pickles to start – it takes whetting your palette to an entirely new level. Wine, of course, is a passion at Caia and you’ll be spoilt for choice with their thoughtfully chosen collection but we must say, the cocktails are pretty unmissable too and Caia’s Hay’s Punch is a tipple I am eagerly awaiting to sip once again, hopefully very soon.
🍽️ Best dish recommendation: Beef tartare with smoked egg yolk
📍You’ll find Caia at 46 Golborne Road, W10 5PR.
🚇 Nearest station is Westbourne Park.
12. Ria’s
Ria’s is a relatively new addition to Notting Hill’s culinary scene, opening in the summer of 2023. It’s a versatile spot that functions as a coffee shop by day and transforms into a Detroit-style pizza joint and natural wine bar at night
🍽️ Best dish recommendation: Their Detroit-style pizza slices with innovative toppings
📍You’ll find Ria’s at 25 All Saints Rd, London W11 1HE
🚇 Nearest tube station is Westbourne Park