West London’s most bohemian quarter sprawls across terraced streets painted in Farrow & Ball pastels, where market traders hawk antiques beneath the shadow of Trellick Tower and celebrity chefs serve tasting menus just doors down from proper boozy gastropubs. This is Notting Hill, where Hugh Grant once bumped into Julia Roberts, where The Clash wrote their manifestos, and where a new generation of food-obsessed locals now queue for Palestinian small plates with the same fervour their predecessors reserved for vintage vinyl.
Far from the tourist-packed pilgrimage sites that draw coach loads clutching Love Actually DVD covers, Notting Hill rewards those who venture beyond that famous blue door (the original of which, incidentally, was sold at auction for charity). The neighbourhood that gave birth to Carnival now hosts some of London’s most exciting restaurants, from three-Michelin-starred temples of gastronomy to BYO Turkish grills where the kebabs arrive still smoking from clay ovens.
Unlike central London’s more frantic foodie quarters, Notting Hill maintains an authentic village feel that’s increasingly rare in Zone 1. Recent gentrification hasn’t entirely erased its creative soul – you’ll still find market traders who’ve worked the same Portobello pitch for decades, alongside newcomers who’ve chosen this postcode precisely for this credibility.
With strategic timing and insider knowledge (found in this guide, naturally), 48 hours gives you enough time to taste your way through the neighbourhood – from proper rotisserie chicken eaten al fresco in garden squares to precision sushi that rivals Tokyo, with plenty of antique browsing and people-watching between courses.
Day 1: From Market Treasures To Michelin Stars
Breakfast: Portobello Road Awakening
Start your foodie odyssey where Notting Hill’s soul truly resides – Portobello Road Market. Arrive before 9am to beat the tourists and you’ll witness the market in its authentic glory, as stallholders set up their pitches while early-bird collectors hunt for genuine treasures among the bric-a-brac.
The antiques section stretches from Chepstow Villas to Elgin Crescent, but foodies should head straight to the northern end where fruit and vegetable vendors have traded since the 1960s. Grab a proper builder’s tea and a bacon butty from one of the traditional caff stalls – this isn’t artisanal sourdough territory, but rather honest grub that’s fuelled market traders for generations.
Fridays and Saturdays bring the full street food spectacle, with vendors serving everything from Spanish paella cooked in massive pans to delicate French crepes, crispy churros dusted with cinnamon, and German bratwurst sizzling on grills. The aromas alone create a sensory map of Europe’s finest comfort foods.
Follow the market’s extension onto Golborne Road, where North African and Caribbean street food vendors trade throughout the week, offering everything from Moroccan tagines to Jamaican patties that connect directly to the neighbourhood’s multicultural heritage. Summer sees the food landscape expand further, with fresh fruit stalls offering perfectly ripe mangoes and pineapples, frozen yogurt purveyors providing cooling relief from London’s occasional heat waves, and ice cream stalls serving scoops that rival any Italian gelateria.
Surrounding the main market thoroughfare, specialist food shops reward the curious foodie with browsing opportunities that go well beyond typical tourist fare. Here you’ll find independent operations, from artisanal cheesemongers to spice merchants who source directly from origin countries, offering ingredients and delicacies that reflect both the area’s international character.
Between browsing food stalls, vintage cameras and Victorian jewellery, make sure to duck into the Museum of Brands just off the main drag on Lancaster Road. This quirky attraction houses over 12,000 items of consumer packaging from Victorian times to the present day. The museum’s signature ‘Time Tunnel’ takes you on a chronological adventure through different periods over the past 200 years, showcasing the iconic brands and products that have defined British food culture throughout history – ideal for a curious foodie spending a weekend in Notting Hill, don’t you think?
Late Morning: Village Life & Literature
After immersing yourself in market mayhem, seek refuge in the quieter residential streets that earned Notting Hill its ‘village’ reputation. If you’re a Notting Hill film fan (and quite frankly, who isn’t?) stroll down the famous Blenheim Crescent to find that famous bookshop immortalised in Notting Hill – the Travel Bookshop, now relocated but still trading in wanderlust-inducing volumes.
You could also hunt for that famous blue door from the film located at 280 Westbourne Park Road, though be prepared for disappointment as you won’t actually find Hugh Grant there.
Lunch: Precision & Comfort
For your first proper meal, choose between precision and comfort. Those seeking culinary theatre should book the counter at SUMI on Westbourne Grove, where sushi master Endo Kazutoshi’s informal sister restaurant delivers precision Japanese cuisine without the stuffiness of traditional sushi bars. The temaki (hand rolls) here are a family technique passed down through generations, and the A4 Wagyu sirloin grilled over compact Konro grills provides comfort food elevated to luxurious heights.
Alternatively, embrace proper rotisserie simplicity at Cocotte, just doors down on Westbourne Grove. Their free-range birds from France’s Pays de la Loire region are marinated overnight before slow-grilling on the spit, creating crackling skin that shatters at first bite. The quarter bird (£10) makes a perfect light lunch, especially when paired with their umami-rich gravy and eaten at one of the pavement tables for prime people-watching.
Afternoon: Culture & Gin
Post-lunch, immerse yourself in Notting Hill’s cultural heritage. Catch a film at Electric Cinema on Portobello Road – one of Britain’s oldest working cinemas. The bar serves fabulous cocktails if you fancy a matinee tipple.
For those preferring live performance, check what’s on at the Coronet Theatre on Notting Hill Gate. This Victorian music hall, with its ornate interior and intimate atmosphere, regularly hosts everything from fringe theatre to acoustic music sessions. The theatre occasionally offers matinee performances, which work brilliantly with your foodie itinerary – catch an afternoon show and enjoy a later dinner at one of the neighbourhood’s stellar restaurants, or opt for an early pre-theatre bite before an evening performance.
Between cultural pursuits, indulge in some retail therapy along Westbourne Grove’s boutique stretch. The independent shops here range from vintage clothing to locally-made crafts.
Pre-Dinner Drinks: Pub Culture
As afternoon melts into evening, experience authentic local pub culture at The Walmer Castle on Ledbury Road. This proper local boozer maintains the unpretentious charm that’s made it a neighbourhood institution. Order a pint of London Pride and settle into one of the worn leather banquettes for some quality people-watching.
Evening Dinner: Palestinian Perfection
For dinner, secure a table at Akub on Uxbridge Street, one of our favourite restaurants in Notting Hill that deserves significantly more recognition. Franco-Palestinian restaurateur Fadi Kattan has created something genuinely special here – a modern Palestinian restaurant that celebrates the country’s sophisticated culinary traditions whilst incorporating British seasonal produce.
Under head chef Mathilde Papazian (who spent considerable time in Bethlehem mastering traditional techniques), dishes like slow-cooked lamb neck with fenugreek and red shatta mayo achieve perfect balance between comfort and refinement. The za’atar manakeesh arrives warm with toasted sesame seeds, perfect for dragging through their trio of exceptional dips.
Day 2: From Market Culture To Haute Cuisine
Breakfast: Malaysian Comfort
Begin day two with something completely different at Med Salleh Kopitiam on Inverness Terrace, visible from Bayswater tube station’s exit. This authentic Malaysian operation, run by Med Pang and Koi Lee, serves proper comfort food that’ll transport you straight to Penang’s hawker centres.
Order Med’s Grandma Hainanese chicken rice – poached thigh meat (skin thankfully left on) with rice made silky from chicken fat, accompanied by three powerfully pungent sauces for mixing according to your spice tolerance. It’s genuinely comforting in that deep, soul-warming way that only proper home-style cooking achieves. If it’s eggs you’re after this morning, Med Salleh Kopitiam’s ayam percik comes with an excellent fried egg, whilst the curry rice features half salted duck eggs that add rich, creamy depth to the aromatic sauce.
Mid-Morning: Coffee & Constitutional
Post-breakfast, pick up a coffee from Notting Hill Coffee Project and take yourself on a proper constitutional to work off that Malaysian comfort food. Weather permitting (this is the UK after all), enjoy a morning stroll around Kensington Gardens – the vast green lung provides perfect contrast to the neighbourhood’s urban intensity. Over at Speaker’s Corner, there’s potential entertainment from the capital’s more eccentric orators.
From the park, head north to marvel at Trellick Tower – Ernő Goldfinger’s controversial Brutalist masterpiece that’s either an eyesore or a work of genius, depending on your architectural persuasions. Seek out the Pottery Kiln on Clarendon Road, a beautiful Victorian structure that once fired ceramics for local potteries, and hunt for the Carnival founder plaques that commemorate the Caribbean community leaders who established what became Europe’s largest street festival.
Alternatively, just get lost in the maze of streets between Ladbroke Grove and Westbourne Park – this is where Notting Hill reveals its authentic character, away from the tourist trails and film location hunters.
Late Lunch: Turkish Excellence
Ready for something heartier after your morning’s explorations, head to Fez Mangal on Ladbroke Grove for some of London’s finest Turkish grilling. The strings of dried chillies hanging in the window telegraph their commitment to proper spicing, and the crushing aroma of charcoal smoke announces this as serious business.
The adana kebab represents a masterclass in texture and spicing – minced lamb singing with garlic and chilli whilst retaining distinctly pastoral flavours. The lamb beyti, wrapped in lavash and drowned in tomato sauce and yoghurt, provides comfort food of the highest order. Best of all? It’s BYO with no corkage charge, so bring a decent bottle to accompany those perfectly charred kebabs. The well-oiled service means minimal queuing despite the restaurant’s popularity.
Afternoon: More Culture & Cocktails
Spend your afternoon gallery-hopping and boutique browsing before settling in for pre-dinner drinks. Choose between cocktails at Trailer Happiness for tropical rum-based concoctions that’ll transport you to Caribbean shores, or The Ginstitute if gin’s your poison of choice – their botanical-heavy G&Ts provide perfect preparation for evening dining.
For a more relaxed option, hit up Churchill Arms for a pint – this flower-bedecked Fuller’s pub offers one of London’s most photographed exteriors and a properly traditional interior where locals have been supping pints for generations.
The Grand Finale: Haute Cuisine Theatre
For your Notting Hill finale, choose between two very different expressions of culinary excellence. The Ledbury on Ledbury Road represents arguably England’s finest realisation of haute cuisine, with its three Michelin stars and recent recognition as the UK’s best restaurant at the National Restaurant Awards.
Chef Brett Graham’s tasting menu showcases seasonal British ingredients with unmatched technical precision. Expect dishes like line-caught red mullet with Wye Valley asparagus and black Périgord truffle, each course representing perfect clarity of flavour and technique. The iconic brown sugar tart with stem ginger ice cream provides a fitting finale to one of the country’s most celebrated dining experiences.
Alternatively, Caractère on Westbourne Park Road offers Franco-Italian fusion from Emily Roux and Diego Ferrari that’s equally impressive but more relaxed. Their menu structure around five personality traits (‘Curious’, ‘Subtle’, ‘Delicate’, ‘Robust’, and ‘Greedy’) allows you to build your own tasting journey; the showstopping celeriac cacio e pepe – beloved by Emily’s grandfather Albert Roux – demonstrates why this restaurant earned its Michelin star within months of opening.
For those seeking something more robust, Dorian on Talbot Road provides charcoal-grilled excellence with theatrical flair. Their bone-in rib-eye ranks among London’s finest steaks, whilst the scene attracts famous chefs celebrating their own successes.
The Journey Home
Before bidding farewell to Notting Hill’s culinary wonderland, ensure your departure is as delicious as your arrival. Stop off at The Secret Sandwich shop which is open every day from 8am to 3pm. This TikTok famous yet tiny operation, tucked away from the main tourist drags, creates sandwiches that elevate humble ingredients through sheer technical skill and quality sourcing. Their range of breakfast sandos provides the kind of satisfying sustenance that makes train journeys infinitely more bearable.
Alternatively, Jay Dees delivers authentic Caribbean flavours that connect directly to Notting Hill’s cultural heritage. Their jerk chicken takeaway boxes showcase the neighbourhood’s Jamaican influences with properly spiced, perfectly charred chicken that carries genuine heat alongside complex aromatic depth. The rice and peas provides cooling counterpoint to the fiery protein. Alongside, the festival dumplings add textural interest that makes this a properly complete meal.
Pack your chosen takeaway carefully, preferably in one of those ubiquitous ‘The Notting Hill shopping’ tote bags that every convenience store seems to flog for a fiver (because nothing says sophisticated foodie weekend quite like carrying your gourmet jerk chicken home in a canvas bag alongside postcards of Hugh Grant’s fictional front door). Grab a final coffee from Notting Hill Coffee Project if you need caffeine for the journey, and head to the tube station knowing you’ve experienced the very best of what this remarkable neighbourhood has to offer. The memories and flavours will linger long after you’ve returned home.
Where To Stay
For maximum convenience, base yourself near the Notting Hill Gate tube station with easy access to Central, Circle, and District lines. The area offers everything from boutique hotels to serviced apartments, putting you within walking distance of the neighbourhood’s best shops and pubs.
Among the many hotels in Notting Hill, you’ll find The Laslett which is perhaps our favourite hotel in the area. Taking its name from Rhaune Laslett, a community activist and notable figure in the founding of Notting Hill Carnival, this hotel embodies everything this guide celebrates about Notting Hill – a charming place with great food.
The hotel itself is a short 2-minute walk from Portobello Road Market for that essential early morning start, perfectly positioned between the antiques section and food vendors.The thoughtfully designed interiors blend mid-century modern furnishings with contemporary art, creating spaces that feel both sophisticated and welcoming. Each room features carefully curated vintage pieces alongside modern amenities, while the hotel’s restaurant Henderson’s, named after Russell ‘Russ’ Henderson (one of the founding fathers of the Carnival) is a great local hangout serving seasonal small plates with locally sourced ingredients.
Elsewhere, The Portobello Hotel offers rock-and-roll heritage with its famously eccentric decor and celebrity guest history. This intimate Victorian townhouse has welcomed everyone from Johnny Depp to Kate Moss over the decades, with each of its individually designed rooms telling a different story through bold colours, vintage furnishings, and theatrical touches.
The Bottom Line
For foodies seeking a sophisticated urban escape, Notting Hill presents the perfect weekend destination – walkable enough to explore thoroughly in 48 hours, yet diverse enough to satisfy every palate and price point. With excellent transport links via the Central, Circle, and Hammersmith & City lines, you can decide on Friday evening and be browsing Portobello’s food stalls by Saturday morning.
Unlike tourist traps that reveal all their secrets in a weekend, Notting Hill’s food scene keeps evolving, keeps surprising, keeps rewarding those curious enough to venture beyond the obvious.
There are, of course, plenty more restaurants in the area to visit, check out our roundups on the best restaurants in Notting Hill and best restaurants on Westbourne Grove…
