How To Spend a Perfect Day in Notting Hill

Colourful houses, a legendary carnival, a world-famous market and, of course, that film with a certain H. Grant and J. Roberts. These are just a few of the images London’s Notting Hill neighbourhood conjures up. But there’s a lot more to the area than elegant architecture and *that* movie. My one-day itinerary will help you uncover Notting Hill’s rich cultural and social history — and make the most of its excellent dining and shopping.

Notting Hill has always been one of my favourite London neighbourhoods; it was on my radar long before Richard Curtis’s film came out in 1999. As a teenager growing up in Oxford in the late 1990s, I’d take the coach into London, which passes through W11: my first glimpses of the Big Smoke. Many of the members of my favourite bands like Suede and Blur lived there and for me, it was the epitome of cool. 

When I lived in Marylebone, I spent most weekends eating, drinking and shopping in Notting Hill. I even came close to moving there in 2012, but my budget only stretched to a tiny studio overlooking the Westway; my pennies went a lot further south of the river.

Living in Bermondsey meant fewer trips west, but I rediscovered Notting Hill during COVID, cycling there on my newly acquired Brompton bike. The colourful houses and tree-lined streets were the perfect remedy for the metaphorical greyness of that period. Now, I’m excited to share some of my favourite spots and the best things to do and see.

HOW TO GET TO NOTTING HILL

Notting Hill is located in West London, about four miles west of Trafalgar Square. It has no official boundaries, but it is generally considered to span from Holland Park Avenue in the south to the Westway in the north. It’s served by three Tube stations — Notting Hill Gate, Ladbroke Grove and Westbourne Park — as well as countless bus routes.

WHEN TO VISIT NOTTING HILL

There’s lots to do in Notting Hill year round, and there isn’t really a bad time to visit. You’ll stand the best chance of good weather in summer, although Portobello Road and the surrounding streets are exceptionally busy on summer weekends. Notting Hill Carnival takes place on the late August bank holiday weekend — it’s an incredible community event but with more than 2 million visitors, it’s best to avoid this weekend if you want to experience all of the other delights of Notting Hill.

My favourite time to visit is in the spring when the trees are in bloom: the pink blossoms look so pretty next to the pastel-hued buildings. Autumn is also lovely, and although the weather may not be great in November or December, it’s a good time to get your holiday shopping done.

Notting Hill is busiest at weekends, so try to go on a weekday for a more relaxed experience. But if you’re planning a visit to Portobello Road Market, check out their website to find out which sections are on open on which days.

NOTTING HILL: A BRIEF HISTORY

Notting Hill was mostly rural until the early 19th century when London’s residential sprawl pushed west from Bayswater. To support this expansion, the area became a hub for pottery and brick making, and was known as the Potteries and the Piggeries.

Still largely working class, Notting Hill began to attract middle-class families, who moved into the Georgian houses and new Victorian terraces. Class tensions emerged early, as seen when a race course was built in 1837, blocking off a major public right of way. It proved so unpopular that it closed just five years later. Mews-style housing also failed to take off as planned, with many homes later split into flats.

The 1950s saw the arrival of many people from the Caribbean as part of the Windrush Generation. Seeking better lives in the UK, they helped to fill the post-war labour shortage, but faced menial jobs, low pay and poor housing conditions. Racial tensions also escalated, leading to several riots in the area.

The early origins of what is now Notting Hill Carnival emerged in the 1960s. Claudia Jones and Rhaune Laslett-O’Brien were influential figures in establishing street parties that celebrated Caribbean street culture. Artists, writers and musicians flocked to Notting Hill, drawn in by its bohemian appeal. Around this time, legendary record store Rough Trade and the Tabernacle arts venue opened, and Mick Jagger’s role in the film Performance helped cement Notting Hill’s cultural cachet.

Gentrification continued through the 1990s as more celebrities made Notting Hill their home, the release of Notting Hill in 1999 reinforcing the neighbourhood’s iconic status. But it remains a place of stark contrasts, where multimillion-pound homes sit just streets away from Grenfell Tower Block, where 72 people died in the tragic 2017 fire.

BEX’S ITINERARY: ONE DAY IN NOTTING HILL

Here’s my suggestion for how to spend your day in Notting Hill. It combines history, culture, food and shopping, with a walking route that includes many of my favourite spots along the way. But do go your own way and explore: Notting Hill was made for wandering!

Starting and ending at Notting Hill Gate station, the route is about 3.5 miles (6 km) long and I’ve included lots of places to stop for refreshments.

10:00 — Stop for Top Specialty Coffee

Start your day with a visit to my favourite Notting Hill coffee shop, Amoret, which is near Notting Hill Gate station and the southern end of Portobello Road. Owner Sadiq is lovely and the single-origin filter coffees and espresso-based drinks are always impeccably brewed. You can also grab a pastry or stock up on coffee beans.

10:15 — Hunt for bargains on Portobello Road

Dating back to the 19th century, Portobello Road is one of the world’s most famous street markets. Portobello originally focused on food and household essentials. Today, you can shop for these goods as well as antiques, vintage fashion, homewares and much more.

Check out the market website for details of what’s available when. Fridays and Saturdays are best for antiques and they’re also the busiest, especially on summer afternoons. That’s why I suggest heading straight there in the morning. You’re sure to find your perfect souvenir from the eclectic range of goods at the market stalls and shops.

I’m always looking for coffee-related antique prints for my gallery wall, so I like to drop by the Portobello Print & Map Store. Other shops I like are: Books for Cooks (does what it says on the tin — and beautifully), Biscuiteers (biscuits that are too beautiful to keep in a tin!) and The West Village (fashion boutique with gorgeous, colourful clothes and accessories).

11:30 — Notting Hill on the big screen

Even if you don’t plan to shop, Portobello Road and the surrounding streets are great for people-watching. You can also check out sights like the Electric Cinema — England’s first purpose-built cinema, dating back to 1911.

There are several notable Notting Hill movie locations nearby. Hugh Grant’s character William’s Travel Bookshop was filmed at 142 Portobello Road: it’s now a gift shop but has never been a bookshop! The actual store was the inspiration for the film — now called The Notting Hill Bookshop (confusing, I know) — is located at 13 Blenheim Grove. Finally, William’s front door is at 280 Westbourne Park Road. The original blue door was auctioned off and replaced by a black one, but it’s now painted blue again.

12:00 — Splendid streets and marvellous mews

Notting Hill’s streets are lined with terraced houses painted almost every colour of the spectrum, from pretty pastels to vibrant violets. Do be respectful of people’s homes if you’re taking a quick photo and don’t trespass or go onto the stoops. From Portobello Road, head east on Talbot Road which has some of the boldest facades. Take a peek at Colville Houses, with its Neapolitan-ice-cream-like hues on the way, and you’ll also pass The Tabernacle, a church turned music and arts venue that has hosted many legendary acts over the years.

Make your way to Westbourne Park Road. Admire the lovely houses and continue north on All Saints Road, where Saucy Books may have just the right tome to get your heart racing. Speaking of, er, romance, the highly photogenic St Luke’s Mews is where the scene between Andrew Lincoln and Keira Knightley’s characters in Love Actually was filmed.

Cut across to Lancaster Road for perhaps the most vibrant-hued houses of all (pictured at the top of this post). On a much more sombre note, as you walk west you’ll see the remains of Grenfell Tower: a stark reminder of the 72 people who lost their lives when a fire broke out in the high-rise tower block in 2017.

13:00 — Brunch o’clock

Several of my top London brunch picks are located in Notting Hill. TAB x TAB has the best avocado toast in town (it’s the cashew, coriander and lime dressing that does it), Sunday in Brooklyn is my go to when I’m craving a bit of NYC in London and Granger & Co when I'm dreaming of Sydney!

If you fancy a lighter bite, try It’s Bagels or the Secret Sandwich Shop. You could also pick up a snack or sweet treat to enjoy later on at Notting Hill Bakery or Buns from Home.

14:30 — Uncover Notting Hill's Victorian history

Wherever you brunch, it’s worth making the small detour to the plaques commemorating Claudia Jones and Rhaune Laslett-O’Brien, 'first ladies' of Notting Hill Carnival, on the corner of Portobello Road and Tavistock Road.

Continue west to Ladbroke Grove. As you walk south from the junction with Blenheim Crescent, you’ll climb Notting Hill’s eponymous hill (the ‘Notting’ part of the etymology is more debatable but likely derives from the Saxon name Cnotta). It’s quite steep (for London), as I discovered when cycling it for the first time on my Brompton!

As you approach St John’s Church, you’ll notice that many of the side roads curve off into crescents. That’s because there was once a race track, or hippodrome, here and the church stands at what was once its centre. Built in 1837, the hippodrome further inflamed class tensions as it blocked off a major right of way for working-class residents. The heavy clay soil that supplied the area’s brick and pottery production didn’t make for ideal racing conditions and the hippodrome closed down in 1842 after only 23 meetings. Today, the curved streets and a few street names are all that remain.

Head west down to Clarendon Road and then onto Clarendon Cross where you can find two fantastic shops. Summerill & Bishop sells beautiful kitchenwares — and it’s just as pretty to look at — while The Cross is a gorgeous lifestyle boutique.

Follow Hippodrome Place and turn right on Walmer Road. On the right you’ll find a rare example of one of the remaining bottle kilns that characterised the area in its Piggeries and Potteries days. These Victorian kilns were built in areas where the greatest residential expansion was taking place, providing bricks for construction.

15:30 — Chill out in Holland Park

Walk down Pottery Lane and cross Holland Park Avenue onto Abbotsbury Road where you can enter the leafy green space of Holland Park. One of my favourite London parks, Holland Park opened in 1952 and spans 52 acres in what was once the grounds of Cope Castle, which was later renamed Holland House after the Earl of Holland, whose wife inherited it.

Take some time to relax and explore the park. Don’t miss the Kyoto Garden, created for the 1992 Japan Festival in London. It’s one of London’s most serene green spaces, centred around a large pond with a gently flowing waterfall. The elegant Dutch Garden is also worth visiting, especially when the spring flowers are in bloom.

If you have time, pay a visit to the Design Museum, which has an excellent permanent collection and special exhibitions. Otherwise, go for a wander or relax on a bench or a shady lawn.

17:30 — Art with a capital A

You may be reluctant to leave the tranquility of Holland Park, but Notting Hill still has more to offer! Make your way back to Holland Park Avenue and then walk east to Notting Hill Gate station. Just south of the station, Hillgate Street and Hillgate Place are great places to eye up colourful houses.

On lower Portobello Road, you can find one of Notting Hill’s best cultural juxtapositions: writer George Orwell’s former residence at no. 22, just across from Banksy’s Made You Look street art at no. 19.

18:00 — Notting Hill by night

Notting Hill has some of the best places to drink in London, from boozers to gastropubs and high-end cocktail bars. For a pint, check out The Pelican, The Cow or The Ladbroke Arms. For cocktails, sip potent tiki-inspired cocktails in the cosy basement bar at Trailer Happiness. The Little Yellow Door is another fun pick, or for a refined experience with impeccable mixology, try Whiskey & Seaweed, the bar at Core by Clare Smyth. There are more suggestions in my map.

19:00 — Dine in style

You can eat your way around the globe without ever leaving the W11 postcode. Whatever your budget and preferred cuisine, you’ll find a delicious place for dinner. It’s worth booking ahead if you have your heart set on a specific restaurant, especially at peak times.

I recently dined at Gold, a new opening on Portobello Road. As you walk into the light-filled, pastel-hued courtyard dining room, you’re immediately transported away from the hustle and bustle outside. The sea bass crudo and nduja roast chicken were delicious, as were the cocktails.

Other dinner options include: Holy Carrot (refined plant-based fare), Akub (Palestinian cuisine), Julie’s (French bistro), Dorian (Michelin-starred neighbourhood bistro) and The Permit Room (the latest opening from the Dishoom group; they have rooms upstairs if you want to stay the night). One day I’ll treat myself (or perhaps be treated!) to the tasting menu at Core by Clare Smyth or The Ledbury, which both have three Michelin stars.

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For more London specialty coffee spots, check out my London coffee guide, and if you're looking for more restaurant recommendations, here are 50 of my favourite places.