International Eats in Notting Hill
by Tilly Pern
Staying within our culinary comfort zone is the easier way of eating. In any case, it’s certainly the less adventurous. But with the Notting Hill Carnival just around the corner and returning to the streets in full swing for the first time since the pandemic began, here’s yet another reminder that in London, you can and very much should eat across the globe. Notting Hill is clearly a neighbourhood of juxtapositions but amongst the eclectic mix of the people and the places, the diverse cuisine is a real stand out for foodies. Dive into this Bimble guide for some of the best international eats in Notting Hill.
Given that Carnival — Europe’s largest street festival — is just around the corner, we would be amiss to kick off this guide without a nod to the Caribbean community in Notting Hill and their fabulous island food. Cottons frequently tops lists for must-eat Caribbean food in the city but for good reason. This is Caribbean cuisine done authentically and complimented with an island ambience to match. Whilst their signatures include the Jerk Grill Platter and Jerk Half Chicken, the vegan and vegetarian options are also bursting with flavour and definitely worth a try. The jackfruit and cauliflower curry is especially good. Purveyors of every single variety of rum you can imagine, Cottons is also often the choice for a boozy bottomless brunch but if you’re in the mood for a chill one, stop by for drinks during happy hour, every Monday to Wednesday.
From the Caribbean to Kyoto, the next stop is Sumi. A Japanese restaurant situated not far from its Michelin starred sister, it is affectionately and eponymously named after sushi master Endo Kazutoshi’s mother, Sumi. Sumi offers a menu directly drawn from Japanese traditions but with a fresh and modern take. The interiors capture a perfect Japanese vision means Sumi makes for a special dining experience, an insight into chef Endo’s inspired food journey. The staff especially recommend the Temaki — a hand-rolled variety of sushi characterised by its shape for any new faces at the restaurant. Using a technique developed by the family of Endo Kazutoshi, the dish consists of rice, raw fish and vegetables wrapped in a piece of nori seaweed. It’s one to try for anyone new or well-versed when it comes to Japanese cuisine.
Whilst eating out is a joy, most of us can attest that homecooked food can be second to none. Maramia cooks with the intention of bringing the flavours of Palestine into the heart of London with a menu made up of the comfort dishes that Palestinians eat at home. Fresh, healthy and flavourful, Maramia is a great spot for a quick lunch of mezze dishes or can be the location for a romantic dinner date, made special with the soft lighting of candles. “The star of the menu” has to be the chicken Mousakhan — a traditional grilled chicken breast cooked with caramelised onion, and sumac, placed in between thin slices of home-made bread and served with fresh salad and yogurt dipping. This is a restaurant where you’ll find Middle Eastern charm and flavour at its most excellent.
Welcome to a piece of Greece. Mazi — literally meaning “together” in Greek. This restaurant encapsulates the Grecian tradition of sharing in everything that they do. The sister of restaurant Suzi Tros, which also calls Notting Hill its home, Mazi use seasonal produce from sustainable sources when curating a delicious menu, which itself changes seasonally. The food is undeniably good but one of the loveliest things about Mazi is the overall rustic ambience, with shutters and an idyllic outdoor terrace. It truly feels like the Mediterranean on a hot day in London (less rare than they used to be of course!) Another one that’s great for a light lunch to share or a real feast at dinner time.
Is this the controversial pick of the list? American food? Well, it certainly counts as international. And Sunday in Brooklyn’s arrival in London has been quite the win for those of us in love with a good brunch. A favourite on the New York scene, it’s no surprise that Sunday in Brooklyn co-founder and chef Jaime Young (formerly chef de cuisine of the two Michelin-starred Atera) decided to open the first UK location in London’s Notting Hill. This Williamsburg-offshot can be found on the corner of Westbourne Grove, where the interiors have a distinctly New York feel in this distinctly London neighbourhood. The most popular brunch dishes to go for are the Sunday Pancakes — with some mouth-watering options of Hazelnut, Maple Praline, Brown Butter. Just say sorry to your blood sugar levels.
Last but not least, we’re ending our Notting Hill trip around the world in Mexico. Taqueria started as a small Mexican stall on Portobello Road, seving up tacos to the crowds of Notting Hill. In 2005, they decided to move round the corner and put a roof over their heads. The whole menu revolves around their speciality tacos, served with a variety of modern fillings with fresh and organic ingredients. Wash down your tacos with a couple of beers or hand-shaken margaritas. Our top tip? Do not miss the fish tacos; the cod is deep fried in cider batter and is served with chipotle mayonnaise, avocado cream, shredded cabbage, pico de gallo. Holy s*it, it’s hard to even write about them without getting hungry.
How many cultures and cuisines do you think are represented in this small corner of this bursting city? More than we could probably ever write about and of course, this is just a taste of the variety in a city that is undoubtedly one of the world’s best for food. Bimble is about sharing places but more than that it’s about celebrating the independent businesses that make up our neighbourhoods and the people behind them. The chefs and owners of each place are proud to share their work, their culture and their traditions through their food, which makes it all the more a special experience to eat at and support these businesses. Find the placelist of these international eats over at Bimble (at the link below) AND GET EATING FRIENDS!
All images credited.
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