Notting Hill Area Guide
Notting Hill area guide
There’s no other area of London quite like Notting Hill. The setting of an eponymous film, with gorgeous pastel-adorned streets and quirky shop fronts, Notting Hill seamlessly combines prestigious west London living with some of the city’s most colourful streets and events for a local makeup that is both interesting and ever-changing.
Notting Hill’s architecture is a London icon – sweeping terraced townhouses make up the majority of this area, but adorable little mews and grand public spaces like The Tabernacle in the Victorian redbrick style make this corner of the city very photogenic.
In many ways, that is the essence of Notting Hill – a true diversity that reflects the city at large, from its popular Carnival to its plentiful range of shops, markets, and restaurants. It’s no wonder that this area has been fashionable for decades – well before Hugh Grant’s character famously resided here.
To-do:
Notting Hill is a colourful and vibrant part of London – it’s only fitting that it should host some of London’s finest and quirkiest restaurants, stores, and events.
The Portobello Road is the heart and soul of this community, with its antique book shops, bubbling café terraces, and abundant market stalls. This historic market boasts some of the best independent retailers anywhere comprising a gargantuan antiques market with a healthy sprinkling of retro and vintage fashion boutiques that make this historic market distinct from any other in London. With different types of vendors operating each day of the six days the market is open, there is always something fresh and exciting to discover here.
The Tabernacle is one of the area’s most glorious examples of Victorian architecture. An events space once called “the Taj Mahal of North Kensington”, this gorgeous Romanesque structure was first built as a church, but later became the rehearsal space for the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd before becoming a bona fide arts space showcasing the best of London’s artistic talent.
For something more chic, Notting Hill is home to one of the few Sézane stores in the UK. The sustainable brand, born in Paris’ 7th arrondissement, offers elegant and classy garments for every season. Their October range is particularly elegant, with gorgeous Autumnal reds and browns making for fantastic looking threads.
And keeping with sustainability, Notting Hill Farmers’ Market operates every Saturday lunchtime, featuring a wonderful array of produce from some of the country’s best farms. Whether its some fresh asparagus, some gorgeous carrots, or even a delectable organic meats, this farmers’ market has the very best collection of fresh produce that simply cannot be found on regular supermarket shelves.
Food and drink:
Notting Hill is also full of London’s best pubs – but with a twist. Out with the pie and mash, and in with the lobster and even Thai cuisine. A staple of Notting Hill’s local landscape is The Churchill Arms, with its eccentric yet gorgeous flowers façade. Whether it’s just a few drinks or a complete dining experience, the Churchill really is the jack of all trades and a must-visit.
If, however, your partial to a particular poison, the Ginstitute at Portobello Road Distillery offers a marvellous experience in creating your own gin whilst also learning about the fascinating history behind its invention centuries ago. And, if you quite like the gin you’ve made, you can re-order the same recipe online as many times as you wish.
The range of food options is wide in Notting Hill, but Osteria Napoletana is definitely one of the area’s most scrumptious dining locations. With a menu consisting of Italian seafood staples and the freshest of ingredients, only Naples itself can claim to do Neapolitan food better.
Speaking of fresh ingredients, The Shed restaurant in Palace Garden Terrace brings a taste of Sussex to west London with a range of fresh farm-to-table dishes.
Or, for a complete vegetarian experience, Holy Carrot uses micro-seasonal ingredients from independent and small suppliers, as well as foragers, in its wide range of veggie-friendly meals that have proved to be one of the area’s guilty pleasures.
And for a rather more refined dining experience, Gold on Portobello offers gorgeous charcuterie boards and a clever mix and match menu that combines high dining with modern tastes.
Transport:
In touching distance of central London, Notting Hill is optimally placed. The Circle and Hammersmith and City lines from Ladbroke Grove bring the City within 15 minutes, and most mainline train terminuses within 10-20 minutes.
The Westway is a five-minute drive from Notting Hill, meaning drivers can reach Heathrow Airport, the M25, and locations outside of London with ease.
