Kensington Place

For many food-lovers, Kensington Place is where the current food renaissance all began. This was the first place where you could enjoy seriously good food, sometimes light and simple, but with deft, complex touches, in what is essentially a very smart of-the-moment brasserie-style setting. Kensington Place taught us to expect fabulous space, madly buzzing ambience, service, and food that made us swoon. And now? It's still fabulous, still has Rowley Leigh at the helm, and still is number-one choice for media and stage types, and lucky local denizens of Notting Hill. The modern decor features enormous plate glass windows for the see-and-be-seen factor, a calm mural of a child's ball on a pond, designer chairs and designer everything else, and an active and satisfying bar area where you can grab a snack. Buy why deny yourself the full KP experience? You haven't lived until you've tried the starter of chicken and goats cheese mousse, or griddle scallops with pea puree and mint vinaigrette.