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Notting Hill and Kensington have some of London’s most loved restaurants on quiet, leafy streets. Core by Clare Smyth and The Ledbury are the big-occasion names, both in Notting Hill, with Caractère and Dorian close by for something softer or livelier. Clarke’s on Kensington Church Street has been cooking with what’s best at market since 1984. In Kensington, Kitchen W8 is a smart neighbourhood dining room off the High Street, Akira serves Japanese food above Japan House, and Min Jiang looks over the park from the tenth floor. Six Portland Road, behind Holland Park, has only a handful of tables.
Our picks
Clarke's
Kensington Church Street, Kensington
Address: 124 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BH- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Romantic
- Foodie
Book dinner at Sally Clarke's restaurant, open since 1984, where the seasonal menu changes daily with what's best at market.
Why it's a good date: Simple food done beautifully in a calm, art-filled room, the kind of place you keep for an anniversary. Book ahead for a weekend evening.
Core by Clare Smyth
Kensington Park Road, Notting Hill
Address: Core by Clare Smyth, 92 Kensington Park Road, London W11 2PN- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Big night
Book Clare Smyth's tasting menu of refined British cooking at her Michelin-starred restaurant on Kensington Park Road.
Why it's a good date: It's one of the very best restaurants in the country, but the room is warm and the service makes you feel looked after rather than on show. Book well ahead for an anniversary.
The Ledbury
Ledbury Road, Notting Hill
Address: The Ledbury, 127 Ledbury Road, London W11 2AQ- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Big night
Celebrate with Brett Graham's tasting menu at the Michelin-starred restaurant on a leafy Notting Hill corner.
Why it's a good date: It's London's big-occasion restaurant, with seasonal British produce at the heart of the cooking and a calm, elegant room. Tables go fast, so book the moment reservations open.
Kitchen W8
Abingdon Road, Kensington
Address: Kitchen W8, 11-13 Abingdon Road, London W8 6AH- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Have a polished, Michelin-starred dinner of modern British cooking on a quiet street off Kensington High Street.
Why it's a good date: It's a neighbourhood restaurant with serious cooking, so it feels special without being stuffy. Pair it with an evening walk through Holland Park.
Caractère
Westbourne Park Road, Notting Hill
Address: Caractère, 209 Westbourne Park Road, London W11 1EA- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Book a romantic dinner of French and Italian cooking at Emily Roux and Diego Ferrari's Michelin-starred restaurant.
Why it's a good date: The dining room is soft and pretty, and the cooking is personal and generous. A lovely choice for an anniversary.
Dorian
Talbot Road, Notting Hill
Address: Dorian, 105-107 Talbot Road, London W11 2AT- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Big night
Book a celebratory dinner of modern British cooking at a Michelin-starred bistro on Talbot Road.
Why it's a good date: It's lively and glamorous rather than hushed, so it suits a celebration that should feel fun. Book ahead for weekends.
Akira at Japan House
Kensington High Street, Kensington
Address: Akira, Japan House, 101-111 Kensington High Street, London W8 5SA- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Book a refined Japanese dinner in the calm first-floor restaurant at Japan House on Kensington High Street.
Why it's a good date: It's quiet and beautifully done, with careful service and lovely tableware. Look round the free Japan House gallery downstairs before you eat.
Six Portland Road
Portland Road, Holland Park
Address: Six Portland Road, 6 Portland Road, London W11 4LA- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Romantic
- Foodie
Book a small, seasonal British dinner and something good from the wine list at an intimate restaurant behind Holland Park.
Why it's a good date: There are only a handful of tables on a quiet residential street, so it feels like a secret you're in on together. Book ahead, especially at weekends.
Min Jiang
Kensington High Street, Kensington
Address: Min Jiang, Royal Garden Hotel, 2-24 Kensington High Street, London W8 4PT- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Romantic
- Big night
Have a Chinese dinner high above Kensington Gardens at the tenth-floor restaurant of the Royal Garden Hotel, known for its wood-fired duck.
Why it's a good date: The floor-to-ceiling windows look across the park to the London skyline, and it's especially lovely at sunset. Ask for a window table when you book.
Quick answers
Which of these has a view?
Min Jiang is on the tenth floor of the Royal Garden Hotel on Kensington High Street, looking across Kensington Gardens. Ask for a window table when you book.
Is there anything to do before dinner at Akira?
Akira is upstairs at Japan House on Kensington High Street, and the gallery downstairs is free, so have a look round before you eat.
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