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Black dal as done by Dishoom in Kensington, served in a bowl with a paratha Haarala Hamilton/Dishoom

Where to Eat When Campaigning in Kensington

Brilliant sandwiches, black dal, cardamom buns, pizza, sherry, pints of Guinness, oysters — and more

by Adam Coghlan Updated
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by Adam Coghlan Updated
Haarala Hamilton/Dishoom

Labour’s Emma Dent Coad is protecting a majority of just 20, in what is the country’s most marginal seat, with a challenge this time round not just from the Tories’ Felicity Buchan, but also Tory-turned-Lib Dem Sam Gyimah. Kensington is also the most stratified constituency in the whole of the U.K., with large sections of social housing sitting side-by-side with some of the country’s most valuable properties. The large area stretches from the Ladbroke Grove in the north, down through Notting Hill, and under the Westway, to Holland Park and further still to South Kensington. The area includes a great many eating options for all times of the day. Here’s the pick.

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Golborne Road Market

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Local legend Golborne Road Market is open at the weekend, but hours can differ during the week. Hassan Morocco Fish is there more often than not, a great option for an excellent value lunch of grilled fish, chips, and salad. He’s joined by a second Moroccan van with no name serving soups, stews, merguez sausage, and grilled fish; Trini Flava which does Trinbagonian street food, including roti wraps; and a burger van called Big Burger Break.

51-63 Golborne Rd, London W10 5NR, UK

Sporting Clube de Londres

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Insiders know that London’s Portuguese community of Notting Hill has frequented this bar, restaurant, and sports club for many years. A churrascaria (barbecue) is fired up — for chicken, sardines, and other generously seasoned hunks of protein. Inside, there’s no shortage of cold beer. Loads of flat screen TVs show English and European football and is particularly suitable for big parties, post-canvassing.  

27 Elkstone Rd, London W10 5NT, UK
020 8968 3069
020 8968 3069

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The Cow Pub & Dining Rooms

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Blurring constituency boundaries a little, but this place serves one of London’s most reliable pints of Guinness, so it makes no sense to leave it off the list. This pub — which is notable for its unusually excellent service — also serves very good oysters and shellfish. Canvassers might find an opportunity to lobby Cow regulars Ed Sheeran and David Beckham, too.

89 Westbourne Park Rd, London W2 5QH, UK
020 7221 0021
020 7221 0021

Makan Cafe

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Delicious char kway teow noodles, roti canai and lentil curry, nasi lemak, and a full English breakfast are available at this Malaysian cafe on Portobello Road. Ideal and affordable option for breakfast or lunch.

270 Portobello Rd, London W10 5TY, UK
020 8960 5169
020 8960 5169

Fabrique Bakery

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Excellent Scandinavian-French bakery that’s the perfect place to either start the day or take a mid-afternoon pit stop: cinnamon or cardamom buns, a cheese, ham, and mustard croissant, and cup of strong black filter coffee will suitably fortify or refuel canvassers in Notting Hill.

212 Portobello Rd, Notting Hill, London W11 1LA, UK
020 7221 3721
020 7221 3721

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Fez Mangal

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Meze as far as the eye can see. This old Ladbroke Grove favourite can get busy, so be prepared to wait a little. Reasons to join the queue: Very good Turkish kebabs, salad, and bread. And it’s BYO.

104 Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill, London W11 1PY, UK
020 7229 3010
020 7229 3010

Electric Diner

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Safely one of the better restaurants in the international Soho House group which serves one of west London’s better burgers. The smashed patty (go double) is charred properly before the assembled sandwich does a little time under the cloche to fuse its cheese. A little mayo-ketchup compound and a pickle is all else this burger needs.

Full menu here

191 Portobello Rd, Notting Hill, London W11 2ED, UK
020 7908 9696
020 7908 9696

Hereford Road Restaurant

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Alumnus of St. John Bread and Wine Tom Pemberton has been in charge of one of Notting Hill’s best restaurants for 12 years. A good place to book ahead for dinner after a day on the doorstep. A plate of duck livers, green beans, and tarragon followed by roast lamb, swede, and sprout tops, and a scoop of brown bread ice cream sounds like a good way to round off a productive day — in one of west London’s nicer dining rooms.

3 Hereford Rd, Bayswater, London W2 4AB, UK
020 7727 1144
020 7727 1144

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Da Maria

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Rated across the generations, this nearly 40-year-old Neapolitan neighbourhood restaurant in Notting Hill Gate narrowly avoided closure two years ago thanks to the efforts of a local petition and some high-profile advocates. It’s somewhere in the middle of the constituency and therefore a handy option at lunch for pizzas, pastas, and other hearty Italian meat and vegetable dishes.

87 Notting Hill Gate, Kensington, London W11 3JZ, UK
07733 143191
07733 143191

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Sam Sandwiches

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Exemplary Algerian sandwiches. It’s worth popping just outside of the constituency borders for one of Samir Ladoul’s, one of Jonathan Nunn’s west London best-value picks. Choose two of marinated chicken, lamb’s liver, kofte patties, or merguez sausage to be accompanied, in pliable fried white bread, with egg, chips, olives, harissa and mayonnaise. Boss.

9 Shepherd's Bush Market, White City, London W12 8DE, UK

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Dishoom Kensington

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The Bombay cafe-inspired group’s site off Kensgington High Street is a good place for a cup of chai and a bacon naan in the morning, a chicken ruby murray or black dal at lunch, or for a group meal with a few beers at the end of a long day pounding the streets.

4 Derry St, Kensington, London W8 5SE, UK
020 7420 9325
020 7420 9325

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Fernandez & Wells

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One of three remaining Fernandez and Wells outposts and a good place to start if setting off with a hangover. Order a bottle of Vichy Catalan to clear the mind, a black Americano to focus the mind, and a ham, cheddar, and piccalilli toasted sandwich to fortify the soul. Good for tea and cakes in the mid-afternoon break, too.

8A Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 2HF, UK
020 7589 7473
020 7589 7473

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Beirut Express

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Reliable and reliably good, this fast-service Lebanese restaurant is an institution famous for its shawarma wraps, batata harra, mezze, and grilled kebabs. Open til half past midnight.

65 Old Brompton Rd, Kensington, London SW7 3JS, UK
020 7591 0123
020 7591 0123

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Capote Y Toros

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Yearning for something a little stronger than a Thermos of tea? Celebrate a day canvassing southern European style with a glass of sherry (there are 125 to choose from) at this Andalusian bar on Old Brompton Road. It’s the kind of place to settle in for a few hours — tapas of jamon, croquettas, patatas bravas, padron peppers, gambas, and pulpo — to the backdrop of live flamenco music.

157 Old Brompton Rd, Kensington, London SW5 0LJ, UK
020 7373 0567
020 7373 0567

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Golborne Road Market

51-63 Golborne Rd, London W10 5NR, UK

Local legend Golborne Road Market is open at the weekend, but hours can differ during the week. Hassan Morocco Fish is there more often than not, a great option for an excellent value lunch of grilled fish, chips, and salad. He’s joined by a second Moroccan van with no name serving soups, stews, merguez sausage, and grilled fish; Trini Flava which does Trinbagonian street food, including roti wraps; and a burger van called Big Burger Break.

51-63 Golborne Rd, London W10 5NR, UK

Sporting Clube de Londres

27 Elkstone Rd, London W10 5NT, UK

Insiders know that London’s Portuguese community of Notting Hill has frequented this bar, restaurant, and sports club for many years. A churrascaria (barbecue) is fired up — for chicken, sardines, and other generously seasoned hunks of protein. Inside, there’s no shortage of cold beer. Loads of flat screen TVs show English and European football and is particularly suitable for big parties, post-canvassing.  

27 Elkstone Rd, London W10 5NT, UK
020 8968 3069
020 8968 3069

The Cow Pub & Dining Rooms

89 Westbourne Park Rd, London W2 5QH, UK

Blurring constituency boundaries a little, but this place serves one of London’s most reliable pints of Guinness, so it makes no sense to leave it off the list. This pub — which is notable for its unusually excellent service — also serves very good oysters and shellfish. Canvassers might find an opportunity to lobby Cow regulars Ed Sheeran and David Beckham, too.

89 Westbourne Park Rd, London W2 5QH, UK
020 7221 0021
020 7221 0021

Makan Cafe

270 Portobello Rd, London W10 5TY, UK

Delicious char kway teow noodles, roti canai and lentil curry, nasi lemak, and a full English breakfast are available at this Malaysian cafe on Portobello Road. Ideal and affordable option for breakfast or lunch.

270 Portobello Rd, London W10 5TY, UK
020 8960 5169
020 8960 5169

Fabrique Bakery

212 Portobello Rd, Notting Hill, London W11 1LA, UK

Excellent Scandinavian-French bakery that’s the perfect place to either start the day or take a mid-afternoon pit stop: cinnamon or cardamom buns, a cheese, ham, and mustard croissant, and cup of strong black filter coffee will suitably fortify or refuel canvassers in Notting Hill.

212 Portobello Rd, Notting Hill, London W11 1LA, UK
020 7221 3721
020 7221 3721

Fez Mangal

104 Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill, London W11 1PY, UK

Meze as far as the eye can see. This old Ladbroke Grove favourite can get busy, so be prepared to wait a little. Reasons to join the queue: Very good Turkish kebabs, salad, and bread. And it’s BYO.

104 Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill, London W11 1PY, UK
020 7229 3010
020 7229 3010

Electric Diner

191 Portobello Rd, Notting Hill, London W11 2ED, UK

Safely one of the better restaurants in the international Soho House group which serves one of west London’s better burgers. The smashed patty (go double) is charred properly before the assembled sandwich does a little time under the cloche to fuse its cheese. A little mayo-ketchup compound and a pickle is all else this burger needs.

Full menu here

191 Portobello Rd, Notting Hill, London W11 2ED, UK
020 7908 9696
020 7908 9696

Hereford Road Restaurant

3 Hereford Rd, Bayswater, London W2 4AB, UK

Alumnus of St. John Bread and Wine Tom Pemberton has been in charge of one of Notting Hill’s best restaurants for 12 years. A good place to book ahead for dinner after a day on the doorstep. A plate of duck livers, green beans, and tarragon followed by roast lamb, swede, and sprout tops, and a scoop of brown bread ice cream sounds like a good way to round off a productive day — in one of west London’s nicer dining rooms.

3 Hereford Rd, Bayswater, London W2 4AB, UK
020 7727 1144
020 7727 1144

Da Maria

87 Notting Hill Gate, Kensington, London W11 3JZ, UK

Rated across the generations, this nearly 40-year-old Neapolitan neighbourhood restaurant in Notting Hill Gate narrowly avoided closure two years ago thanks to the efforts of a local petition and some high-profile advocates. It’s somewhere in the middle of the constituency and therefore a handy option at lunch for pizzas, pastas, and other hearty Italian meat and vegetable dishes.

87 Notting Hill Gate, Kensington, London W11 3JZ, UK
07733 143191
07733 143191

Sam Sandwiches

9 Shepherd's Bush Market, White City, London W12 8DE, UK

Exemplary Algerian sandwiches. It’s worth popping just outside of the constituency borders for one of Samir Ladoul’s, one of Jonathan Nunn’s west London best-value picks. Choose two of marinated chicken, lamb’s liver, kofte patties, or merguez sausage to be accompanied, in pliable fried white bread, with egg, chips, olives, harissa and mayonnaise. Boss.

9 Shepherd's Bush Market, White City, London W12 8DE, UK

Dishoom Kensington

4 Derry St, Kensington, London W8 5SE, UK

The Bombay cafe-inspired group’s site off Kensgington High Street is a good place for a cup of chai and a bacon naan in the morning, a chicken ruby murray or black dal at lunch, or for a group meal with a few beers at the end of a long day pounding the streets.

4 Derry St, Kensington, London W8 5SE, UK
020 7420 9325
020 7420 9325

Fernandez & Wells

8A Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 2HF, UK

One of three remaining Fernandez and Wells outposts and a good place to start if setting off with a hangover. Order a bottle of Vichy Catalan to clear the mind, a black Americano to focus the mind, and a ham, cheddar, and piccalilli toasted sandwich to fortify the soul. Good for tea and cakes in the mid-afternoon break, too.

8A Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 2HF, UK
020 7589 7473
020 7589 7473

Beirut Express

65 Old Brompton Rd, Kensington, London SW7 3JS, UK

Reliable and reliably good, this fast-service Lebanese restaurant is an institution famous for its shawarma wraps, batata harra, mezze, and grilled kebabs. Open til half past midnight.

65 Old Brompton Rd, Kensington, London SW7 3JS, UK
020 7591 0123
020 7591 0123

Capote Y Toros

157 Old Brompton Rd, Kensington, London SW5 0LJ, UK

Yearning for something a little stronger than a Thermos of tea? Celebrate a day canvassing southern European style with a glass of sherry (there are 125 to choose from) at this Andalusian bar on Old Brompton Road. It’s the kind of place to settle in for a few hours — tapas of jamon, croquettas, patatas bravas, padron peppers, gambas, and pulpo — to the backdrop of live flamenco music.

157 Old Brompton Rd, Kensington, London SW5 0LJ, UK
020 7373 0567
020 7373 0567