In case you missed it from my absolute obsession with posting photos of my hood on Instagram, I’m a Kensington girl. Well, you know, New Yorker picked up and dropped into Londontown, so essentially a Kensington girl now.
While I’ve explored London up and down, east and west, I always come back to my home away from home, my new stomping ground, High Street Kensington.
Despite my need to explore everywhere, I definitely love finding local haunts to frequent, because there’s nothing better than walking out of your flat and being at your favourite spots in under five minutes. Searching for the perfect Americano? Done. A place to take your next date? Sorted.
Here’s my top five picks near High Street Kensington for Time Out’s Love London awards.
Love London Favorites:
1. The Abingdon
Off the beaten path, away from the buzz of High Street Kensington, you’ll find The Abingdon. Deep blue exteriors and a little space for outdoor dining and drinks, The Abingdon is the best local you’ll ever find.
There’s a sleek bar inside ready for drinks with your mates, and a restaurant that will impress literally anyone. My go to? A bottle (of course a bottle) of their House White followed by a seafood pick on the menu, the salmon and sea bass are out of this world delicious. Their menu changes daily, so don’t expect to go back for the same thing twice. However, a reoccurring staple is the pork chop and fries, which are always a massive winner with my husband. Best fries ever. Also, a word to the wise – get the Sticky Toffee Pudding.
You could be in New York, you could be in Paris, but you’re in London at The Abingdon, which forever tops the charts as my favourite place for evenings in Kensington.
The Abingdon, 54 Abingdon Rd, London W8 6AP
2. Café Phillies
Hungover on a Sunday morning? Look no further than your new local café.
They aren’t about recreating the brunch/breakfast concept into the next best thing. There’s no slick marketing campaign. Café Phillies do it simply, and they do it well. Scrambled eggs, salmon and smashed avocado with a squeeze of lemon that will change your life. Or get stuck in with a stack of pancakes with maple syrup and bacon. Last but not least, grab a cuppa and relax with your shades on.
The staff are incredibly friendly and are beyond accommodating. And hey if you’re feeling like an afternoon visit, they’re also a wine bar. Keep in mind, this place fills up at the weekend, so get there early, or grab a coffee while you wait for a table to free up.
Café Phillies, 2A Phillimore Gardens, London W8 7QB
3. Yashin Kensington
OK, time to bypass the Yo Sushi’s and Wasabi’s of the high street and move your booty on over to Yashin. With a spectacularly cool interior (say hello to stylish green tiles that could grace the likes of Vogue magazine) and a menu to match, you’ve found your sushi date night spot. Slightly on the more expensive side, when your sushi arrives, you know what you’ve paid for. It’s an excellent, melt in your mouth type of good.
They advise ‘without soy sauce’ so we opted without, but hey, I’m sure they’ve got a stash somewhere. Their wine (and drinks) list is also set to impressive. Choose from bar seats upstairs or tables downstairs, but I’ll admit that I’m rather partial to the upstairs bar seating.
Yashin Sushi, 1A Argyll Road London W8 7DB
4. The Roof Gardens
Perhaps it’s not necessarily the independent you’re looking for, but the outside terrace at The Roof Gardens is pretty spectacular. Complete with views you aren’t typically exposed to, it’s London’s skyline from a totally new perspective. This Kensington hotspot is amazing for post-work drinks (or ahem – afternoon cocktails). Out on the terrace, you can indulge in their epic seafood menu, which you can get from Tuesday to Saturday (at selected times). You can pick from seasonal seafood dishes like their fresh Scottish smoked salmon, lobster and king prawns. Wash it down with a cool wine or beer and it’s the perfect day.
The seafood menu is available Wednesday to Friday for lunch and Tuesday to Saturday for dinner. Now that we’re heading into autumn… you may even be able to score a coveted outdoor seat with a heater and blankets you’ll want to stash in your bag to take back to your flat. Arrive early if you can, it fills up fast!
The Roof Gardens, 99 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA
5. The Windsor Castle
It’s what you’ve been waiting for on the Love London list. A good, old fashioned, take it or leave it pub. Throughout the summers, the Windsor Castle is without a doubt, a favourite pub garden in the likes of the W8 postcode. With a semi-spacious outdoor area (it’s still London you know, close quarters!) you need to arrive early for some outdoor space. Don’t let it bother you though, because summer is over, which means it is perfectly acceptable to get cosy inside. Including quintessentially British dark wooden decor, and small door frames that you truly need to duck to fit under, it’s a classic.
During the summer you can find me sipping on G&Ts but now that the autumn is officially here, I’m ready for glasses of deep red wine and something sweet. They have a pretty decent food menu too. Yep, I think we’ll take it.
The Windsor Castle, 114 Campden Hill Road, Kensington, London, Greater London
Even though I’ve named my Love London picks, there are so many other incredible places to explore in Kensington. A couple of shoutouts to a few other greats in W8? The Churchill Arms with it’s glorious floral display (all I care about is my Instagram!), Dirty Bones, because everyone needs a dirty brunch in their life, and La Piccola Deli for fantastic takeaway coffees and pastries.
Don’t forget to vote for your favourite Love London spots with Time Out. After all, foodie credit where credit is due.
Kelly xox
Some great suggestions! If and when this east end girl makes it over to Kensington, I’m totes requesting a tour!