Where to eat in Notting Hill

The Ledbury

We don't hear quite as much about The Ledbury as we used to, when it was regularly named the top restaurant in London, but Brett Graham's two Michelin star-winning restaurant still offers one of the capital's premier dining experiences and features regularly on the World’s 50 Best list. Diners can expect to pay £165pp for the legendary tasting menu (or £275 with wine pairings), which might include the likes of hand-dived scallops with oyster cream and brown bread or Fallow Prickett deer with shallot cream and morels. Everyone, however, agrees that the cost is well worth it. For those on tighter budgets, the set lunch, at four courses for £50, is a steal for cooking of this level.

The Shed

The brainchild of the three Gladwin brothers, and the best of their four London restaurants, the tiny but cosy space of The Shed showcases some of west London's most innovative cooking. The idea is that one Gladwin (Gregory) grows or rears the food on the family farm in Nutbourne, West Sussex; another Gladwin (Oliver) then cooks the food; and the third one (Richard) acts as the maître'd.

Small plates are the offering here. Don’t skip the ‘mouthfuls’ – they may be over in a single bite, but they might prove the most delicious nibble you taste all night – and at £1.50 a pop, how could you resist? The rest of the menu – designed for sharing – is split into Nutbourne cures, slow cooking, fast cooking, specials, cheeses and puds. And make sure that you try the brothers' excellent wine, Nutbourne Sussex Reserve.

Gold

Headed up by former River Café chef Theo Hill, Gold is a relatively new addition to Notting Hill’s restaurant scene, which became an instant hit when it opened last year. The menu changes seasonally, but everything – aside, of course, from items on the ‘raw’ section – is cooked in wood ovens or over flame, so expect a lot of chargrilling, roasting and braising. Be sure to book a table in the garden room at the back of the building – it's a lush oasis of palm fronds, glossy ferns and emerald foliage with a roof that retracts in summer. With stylish, monied and eccentric characters breezing in and out of its doors each mealtime, Gold is also perfect for a spot of subtle people watching.

Mazi

Greek food is enjoying a revival in London. Not the plate-smashing, ouzo-guzzling kind of fare you remember from holidaying there, but tantalising and über-modern fine dining. 2020 has already welcomed the opening of one such restaurant, Ampéli in Fitzrovia, which fits this description. But Mazi in Notting Hill has long been serving Londoners exquisite, fresh takes on new-school Greek cuisine.

Dishes might include sensational feta tempura with lemon jam, wild cod or proper Greek salad – a far cry from the limp assembly of cucumber and black olives one normally expects. Perennially popular with local trustafarians and foodies alike, it deserves to be on every gourmet's hit list. And if you visit on a balmy summer’s day, do opt for a table in the fairy-lit courtyard.

Suzi Tros

When news broke that Adrien Carre and Christina Mouratoglou – the husband and wife team behind Notting Hill’s delectable Greek restaurant Mazi – were opening a new eatery, heads were turned. The bistro in question is Suzi Tros, a sister joint to neighbouring Mazi. It’s not a case of doubling up, though: while Mazi is all about showcasing Greek cuisine at its most spectacular (with some dishes totting up 30-odd ingredients), Suzi Tros is a celebration of simplicity, specialising in pared-back small plates. The menu is divided into hors d’oeuvres, raw, garden, fish market and butcher. Whatever you do, don’t skip the bread (three thick slabs encrusted with rock salt and oregano, and brandished with blackened lines from a scorching on the grill) or the house tarama.

Hereford Road

The à la carte menu at Tom Pemberton's top-notch restaurant – located on the eponymous road – is very good value for the quality of the food from the former St John head chef. Reflecting his training, it's heavy on dishes such as devilled lamb's kidneys and mash, onglet steak and chips, and ramson and nettle soup. The set lunch menu also happens to be one of the best bargains in London, serving food of similarly top-notch quality at £13.50 for two courses and £15.50 for three. Given that this would barely buy you a salad in some places, it makes it all too tempting to settle in and enjoy yourself here, especially with a glass or two from the equally sensibly priced wine list.