London’s Preeminent Italian Restaurant Spawns Another Neighbourhood Joint

A new neighbourhood restaurant and “late night bar” which is described as “modern European” but is definitely Italian will open on the site of the former Portobello Gold pub in the on Portobello Road in Notting Hill next month. It is being led by former River Cafe chef, Theo Hill, who is joined by two members who move from the Soho House group, Alex Ghalleb and Arez Akgundogdu. The group is described as a “team of local industry all-stars.”

The menu is said to “exude colour, taste, and modern freshness, with a focus on produce-led, minimal process cooking. Dishes will be cooked in wood ovens or over open flame and served to share.”

Dishes like: whole sea bream, wild oregano, and capers (pictured above); burrata, charred pears, Parma ham, radicchio, and balsamic vinegar; wood-roasted cauliflower, toasted buckwheat, cumin, yoghurt, and coriander; and nettle ravioli, sheep’s ricotta, and sorrel.

Regarding the dining room, per information released today: “Modern bohemian interiors, from local architect and design duo Felix and Valerie von Bechtolsheim, will draw on Portobello’s once-thriving industrial past to create a restaurant and bar that is both informal and open.” It is said to have been inspired by the area’s “unique cultural mix of artists, designers and musicians...Gold’s approach to dining will reflect the discerning, cosmopolitan spirit of contemporary west London.”

“Acknowledging Notting Hill’s long and illustrious reputation as a haven for artists such as David Hockney and Lucien Freud,” the statement says, referring more to a version of Notting Hill as reimagined by Richard Curtis, much less a complete picture of Notting Hill in real life. Nevertheless, and perhaps — though almost certainly not — in a nod to Golborne Road’s Portuguese culture, Portuguese artist Vhils has been commissioned to create a series of “show-stopping” works, including one that covers the building’s exterior.

More soon.