As a lifelong West Londoner, baker Tessa Faulkner has just celebrated the opening of her second Layla Bakery, this time in Acton. She's agreed to share her go-to food and drink spots in her neck of the woods, Ladbroke Grove.
Canteen
310 Portobello Rd, London W10 5TA
How lucky I am to have this Italian restaurant so close to home on Portobello Road. The kitchen is led by my friend, Jessica Filbey and it's all about produce-driven Tuscan cooking - celebrating seasonal ingredients, bold flavours and beautiful pasta (I'd recommend them all). On my most recent visit, I had the girolle and thyme ravioli, which was excellent. It's got great vibes, and plenty of hype thanks to no-reservations, walk ins only. The ice cream alone makes it worth a visit.
Le Choux
332 Ladbroke Grove, London W10 5AD
At the top of Ladbroke Grove, Le Choux specialises in classic choux buns. With 9 different flavours to choose from I'd recommend going for a mixed box - my favourite being the hazelnut & gianduja. They also make incredible cookies and if you're after something very special, they take orders for choux towers!
Falafel King
95 Golborne Rd, London W10 5NL
On Golborne Road, this spot is a bit of an institution, serving nothing but falafel pittas. It's takeaway only, there's always a queue and you can watch the falafel being cooked right in front of you. Every customer gets a homemade lemonade included in their order.
The Pelican
45 All Saints Rd, London W11 1HE
A classic British pub on All Saints Road, it's part of the Public House Group empire which is quickly taking over Ladbroke Grove. The atmosphere is always exceptional, the menu serves up elevated takes on British pub classics. If you're lucky enough to get a table by the fire my choice would be pork scratchings and the monkfish scampi from the bar snacks menu.
Provenance
33 Kensington Park Rd, London W11 2EU
A butcher on Kensington Park Road, serving high-quality, responsibly sourced meat from British farms. This is my go-to for all things meat - they do great kids' sausages, bone broth and salted almonds in their deli selection.
See also
For more of these local area guides, visit the My Manor page.
Subscribe to hear the latest from Hot Dinners
