Latest reviews for Food & Drink in Notting Hill, London, United Kingdom

Tea Palace - Aesome place for Tea-Aholics by stantoncarlisle

stantoncarlisle — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:57:17 +0000

Review by stantoncarlisle

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7727 2600

Website: http://www.teapalace.co.uk

Tags: afternoon tea, family & home feel, good value

Don't be fooled by the refined tasteful purple front, the freshly pressed table-clothes or the traditional look of the waiters. This a place of total, absolute indulgence - for any Tea Connoisseurs, that is. The prices are almost as high as the quality. Some of the Japanese Green teas trot out at over Â£10 a pot. There are some awesome Green Teas here - the White Monkey is subtle and excellent. Cheaper but robust and uplifting is the Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong Tea - great taste, buzzy and fat-burning. Refined tea drinkers on a quest for the adventurous might enjoy the fruity but nifty White Snowbuds. The cakes are all homemade looking and I've seen Sloaney types munching their way through a two-tiered cake trays of them. The cafe has the feel of an old-fashioned english tea-shop, like the kind you'd read about in Somerset Maugham. Who-ever put this place together is a tea addict/fanatic with a discerning taste. The tea menu is amazing and wide-ranging. The overall quality of the brews is fabulously high - they follow rigorous Oriental methods. On the whole its pricey but well worth it.Don't be fooled by the refined tasteful purple front, the freshly pressed table-clothes or the traditional look of the waiters. This a place of total, absolute indulgence - for any Tea Connoisseurs, that is. The prices are almost as high as the quality. Some of the Japanese Green teas trot out at over Â£10 a pot. There are some awesome Green Teas here - the White Monkey is subtle and excellent. Cheaper but robust and uplifting is the Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong Tea - great taste, buzzy and fat-burning. Refined tea drinkers on a quest for the adventurous might enjoy the fruity but nifty White Snowbuds. The cakes are all homemade looking and I've seen Sloaney types munching their way through a two-tiered cake trays of them. The cafe has the feel of an old-fashioned english tea-shop, like the kind you'd read about in Somerset Maugham. Who-ever put this place together is a tea addict/fanatic with a discerning taste. The tea menu is amazing and wide-ranging. The overall quality of the brews is fabulously high - they follow rigorous Oriental methods. On the whole its pricey but well worth it.

The Spice Shop - magic spice shop by lenalouise

lenalouise — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:42:17 +0000

Review by lenalouise

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7221 4448

Website: http://www.thespiceshop.co.uk

Tags: rare finds, herbs

This is such a great find, they have all the spices and rubs that you would ever want plus a load of random ingredients such as myrrh gum, golden seal powder and hawthorn leaves!!! The shop is quite small but every wall is stuffed with little bags of herbs and spices. It's a little out of my way to get here so I'd only go for rarer items. (It was beetroot powder the last time). You can also order online:

http://www.privt.eu/This is such a great find, they have all the spices and rubs that you would ever want plus a load of random ingredients such as myrrh gum, golden seal powder and hawthorn leaves!!! The shop is quite small but every wall is stuffed with little bags of herbs and spices. It's a little out of my way to get here so I'd only go for rarer items. (It was beetroot powder the last time). You can also order online:

http://www.privt.eu/

The Hummingbird Bakery - I will be back by spokane12

spokane12 — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 22:42:03 +0000

Review by spokane12

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7229 6446

Website: http://www.hummingbirdbakery.com

Tags: cupcake, american, bakery

This place is yummy. If you take kids - they will absolutely go crazy for the variety. They are rich but not overly sweet. I think they are the right size - you want to enjoy and not gorge on these delights. Take your time when choosing. It is hard because this place always seems really, really busy. It is worth taking your time as you really can't eat two. Or take a friend and share two between you - or take four friends and share four. Even better. I remember they had a red velvet cupcake I think that was very good. This place really inspires you to check through your cookbooks for your old cupcake recipies and give it a go - can't be that hard (and will be a lot cheaper).This place is yummy. If you take kids - they will absolutely go crazy for the variety. They are rich but not overly sweet. I think they are the right size - you want to enjoy and not gorge on these delights. Take your time when choosing. It is hard because this place always seems really, really busy. It is worth taking your time as you really can't eat two. Or take a friend and share two between you - or take four friends and share four. Even better. I remember they had a red velvet cupcake I think that was very good. This place really inspires you to check through your cookbooks for your old cupcake recipies and give it a go - can't be that hard (and will be a lot cheaper).

Tom's Delicatessen - Expensive yummy mummy hangout by Lacrimosa

Lacrimosa — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:24:26 +0000

Review by Lacrimosa

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7221 8818

Tags: cosy, trendy, cool

I used to regularly work around the corner from Tom's, and more lately had lunch with friends there on a Wednesday in April 2008. It has a bunch of takeaway items at the front, such as filled rolls, pastries, coffee, and posh Tyrrells crisps. As might be expected in Notting Hill, these are all well above average in price and, personally, I was never wowed with the sandwich selection, as they always seemed a little dry - not 'dry' as in 'stale', just not a very moist choice of fillings, and an over-realiance on that most evil of dry salad leaves... rocket. Uuuuurgh, rocket! I much preferred to fetch my lunch from Fresh & Wild nearby, which now seems to have disappeared unfortunately.

In April we ate in at one of the tiny tables at the back (see photo), surrounded by yummy mummies and displays of vintage packaging promoting the Museum of Brands, Packaging & Advertising around the corner in Colville Mews. I ordered quiche with salad and a freshly squeezed orange juice. As someone with hollow legs, you can imagine my disappointment when a tiny slice of warm quiche with a wisp of salad garnish was placed in front of me - tasty but simply not good enough for circa. Â£8, even in Notting Hill. Granted, I had been informed that it was the last slice, which may have accounted for its extreme smallness, but if that was the case they could have at least padded it out with more salad, surely?

I went away still hungry, although my friends declared themselves happy with their choices - one of which was a three egg omelette, as I recall, and I think the others had moussaka.I used to regularly work around the corner from Tom's, and more lately had lunch with friends there on a Wednesday in April 2008. It has a bunch of takeaway items at the front, such as filled rolls, pastries, coffee, and posh Tyrrells crisps. As might be expected in Notting Hill, these are all well above average in price and, personally, I was never wowed with the sandwich selection, as they always seemed a little dry - not 'dry' as in 'stale', just not a very moist choice of fillings, and an over-realiance on that most evil of dry salad leaves... rocket. Uuuuurgh, rocket! I much preferred to fetch my lunch from Fresh & Wild nearby, which now seems to have disappeared unfortunately.

In April we ate in at one of the tiny tables at the back (see photo), surrounded by yummy mummies and displays of vintage packaging promoting the Museum of Brands, Packaging & Advertising around the corner in Colville Mews. I ordered quiche with salad and a freshly squeezed orange juice. As someone with hollow legs, you can imagine my disappointment when a tiny slice of warm quiche with a wisp of salad garnish was placed in front of me - tasty but simply not good enough for circa. Â£8, even in Notting Hill. Granted, I had been informed that it was the last slice, which may have accounted for its extreme smallness, but if that was the case they could have at least padded it out with more salad, surely?

I went away still hungry, although my friends declared themselves happy with their choices - one of which was a three egg omelette, as I recall, and I think the others had moussaka.

The Grocer on Elgin - Tim Tam lovers rejoice by sue

sue — Sun, 18 May 2008 13:00:51 +0000

Review by sue

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7221 3844

Website: http://www.thegroceron.com

Tags: australian, friendly, trendy

After having read about the Grocer on Elgin, when I spied it whilst taking a casual wander along Portobello Road a detour was in order. The grocer specialises in ready made meals, and although we didn't buy any on this visit, they did sound/look good and decent value considering the location.

There was also a small selection of grocery items and fruit and veg, but the thing that excited us the most was the selection of Australian products available - always exciting for us ex-pats! Not one, but three flavours of Tim Tams, chocolate bars, Vita Wheats, Nutra Grain and more. We stocked up on a few "essentials" and now know where to shop next time we get a craving that only a Caramel Tim Tam with satisfy.After having read about the Grocer on Elgin, when I spied it whilst taking a casual wander along Portobello Road a detour was in order. The grocer specialises in ready made meals, and although we didn't buy any on this visit, they did sound/look good and decent value considering the location.

There was also a small selection of grocery items and fruit and veg, but the thing that excited us the most was the selection of Australian products available - always exciting for us ex-pats! Not one, but three flavours of Tim Tams, chocolate bars, Vita Wheats, Nutra Grain and more. We stocked up on a few "essentials" and now know where to shop next time we get a craving that only a Caramel Tim Tam with satisfy.

Gail's - Bread, Cakes and Coffee by sue

sue — Sun, 18 May 2008 12:58:52 +0000

Review by sue

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7460 0766

Website: http://www.gailsbread.co.uk/

Tags: cakes, bread, quick bite

After a visit to the very interesting Museum of Brands, Packaging & Advertising, a coffee was in order and the first place we came across was the inviting looking Gail's on Portobello Road.

Gail's is a bakery and cafÃ© which has a mouth-watering array of tasty looking goodies, along with a variety of fresh baked breads including the biggest loaf of sourdough I have ever seen!

The four of us took a while to decide what we wanted to eat with our coffee - everything looked great. In the end we opted for a healthy-ish muffin, a cute little pecan tart, a ricotta babka, and a mini maple cake. All were very good, apart from the maple cake which tasted like it had been sitting around for a couple of days. Plotting a return visit though for some of that sourdough.After a visit to the very interesting Museum of Brands, Packaging & Advertising, a coffee was in order and the first place we came across was the inviting looking Gail's on Portobello Road.

Gail's is a bakery and cafÃ© which has a mouth-watering array of tasty looking goodies, along with a variety of fresh baked breads including the biggest loaf of sourdough I have ever seen!

The four of us took a while to decide what we wanted to eat with our coffee - everything looked great. In the end we opted for a healthy-ish muffin, a cute little pecan tart, a ricotta babka, and a mini maple cake. All were very good, apart from the maple cake which tasted like it had been sitting around for a couple of days. Plotting a return visit though for some of that sourdough.

Melt - Willy Wonka Lookout! by belinda

belinda — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:59:27 +0000

Review by belinda

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7727 5030

Website: http://www.meltchocolates.com

Tags: expensive, special, chocolate

Unusual and yummy chocolates ( in this chocolate shop, they are not a cafe but they do have hot chocolate.

Its a "select your own" set-up but don't go crazy as these chocolates are very expensive. My husband went a tad crazy when we first went there and we ended up with a box of chocolates for Â£30 (thats after I made him put some back!). Luckily these chocolates are so divine that you only need a couple to overdose.

They do these chocolate hearts where you can put a gift inside and they seal it up, very cute!

They used to have the most amazing chocolate fudge cake but it was made by some woman not by Melt and she stopped making it, get it back! it was divine.

They package the chocolate very nice so it always makes a great gift and you can sometime see the chocolates being made as the shop/kitchen is open.Unusual and yummy chocolates ( in this chocolate shop, they are not a cafe but they do have hot chocolate.

Its a "select your own" set-up but don't go crazy as these chocolates are very expensive. My husband went a tad crazy when we first went there and we ended up with a box of chocolates for Â£30 (thats after I made him put some back!). Luckily these chocolates are so divine that you only need a couple to overdose.

They do these chocolate hearts where you can put a gift inside and they seal it up, very cute!

They used to have the most amazing chocolate fudge cake but it was made by some woman not by Melt and she stopped making it, get it back! it was divine.

They package the chocolate very nice so it always makes a great gift and you can sometime see the chocolates being made as the shop/kitchen is open.

Ottolenghi - Really yum (but helps to have deap pockets) by kellytron

kellytron — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:54:50 +0000

Review by kellytron

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7727 1121

Website: http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk

Tags: expensive, pricey, lunch

Now the food here (mainly salad, breads and cold meats) is just amazing tasting and even better looking. But it really isn't cheap.

Four types of salad on a plate for Â£13 (i think) is a lot, even if they are the nicest salads I've ever tasted.

So until my pockets get deeper or my live of salad gets stronger I might stick to walking past, drooling and stealing ideas for salads to make at home!

NB: I have eaten at the one on Upper Street, Islington

Now the food here (mainly salad, breads and cold meats) is just amazing tasting and even better looking. But it really isn't cheap.

Four types of salad on a plate for Â£13 (i think) is a lot, even if they are the nicest salads I've ever tasted.

So until my pockets get deeper or my live of salad gets stronger I might stick to walking past, drooling and stealing ideas for salads to make at home!

NB: I have eaten at the one on Upper Street, Islington

Kingsland Butcher - by gilka

gilka — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 17:43:19 +0000

Review by gilka

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7727 6067

Tags: cheeses, organic produce

If you are in Portobello market and need meat, this is the place. The butchers have a very interesting characters. The senior looking butcher, looks like he has been doing this for all his life and has so much confident in the way he prepare the meat that you feel safe...
There is usually a queue so you canâ¬"t mess around- know what you want and be clear, otherwise you are going to get some nasty looks...If you are in Portobello market and need meat, this is the place. The butchers have a very interesting characters. The senior looking butcher, looks like he has been doing this for all his life and has so much confident in the way he prepare the meat that you feel safe...
There is usually a queue so you canâ¬"t mess around- know what you want and be clear, otherwise you are going to get some nasty looks...