Guide to the best bars in Notting Hill

The Distillery on Portobello Road is the home of the distillery that produces the renowned Portobello Road gin. It's spread across four floors and houses the critically acclaimed gin experience, The Ginstitute, where you can learn about the fascinating and often surprising history of gin and make your own blend to take away with you.

The Elgin is a casual pub and bar between Holland Park and Ladbroke Grove. They not only plate up an exceptional roast dinner on Sundays, but the menu for the rest of the week focuses on fresh, seasonal ingredients from British suppliers. It’s a lovely spot to swing by after work for a glass of wine with friends.

Zephyr serves a menu of Greek-inspired dishes, like smoked aubergine with roasted sesame and wild sea bass with Amarillo butter. Once you’ve filled up on food, head to their Naked & Famous basement bar for an evening of cocktails, all of which are themed around agave syrup. The bar is intimate, only seats 35, and is open from Tuesday through Saturday.

The flower-covered Churchill Arms in Kensington is regarded as one of the most beautiful pubs in the country, and it’s not hard to see why. This picture-perfect pub was built in 1750 and was frequented by Winston Churchill’s grandparents. They offer a range of cask-conditioned ales, lagers and ciders, wine from around the world and a range of spirits and soft drinks. If you’re hungry, you can enjoy Thai cuisine, like spicy jungle curry, stir-fried vegetables and mixed platters.

You’ll find Notting Hill Arts Club located just around the corner from Notting Hill Gate station. It’s been open since 1997 and offers a welcoming space to enjoy a drink and live music performance from emerging artists in its basement bar.

This once neglected pub on Notting Hill’s All Saints Road has recently undergone a complete transformation. Since being revived, it’s got a brand new menu of tasty pub dishes made with ingredients from local suppliers who use sustainable production methods. The drinks menu comprises the classics: local beers, an interesting selection of wines, soft drinks and more.

When you enter The Little Yellow Door, it’ll feel like you’ve stepped foot into a familiar flat. That’s the aim anyway. Five friends came together to create this new concept of a bar, where there’s an authentic home-away-from-home feeling. Enjoy late-night cocktails or head to one of their house party events, where you don’t have to worry about any of the tidying up afterwards.

The Garden Bar is home to the biggest outdoor beer garden in Central London. Although the pub’s interior is lovely, the garden is where it’s all happening, decked out with fairy lights, plants and plenty of seating. If you visit during summer, they’ll serve an epic summer BBQ with meat and veggie options alongside their menu of classic pub drinks. There’s also plenty of cover in case it rains.

Pop along to The Duke of Wellington for a casual drink and food made with seasonal British produce. The bar serves a menu of creative cocktails, premium wines, real ales and craft beers, while the menu comprises classic British dishes like ale-battered haddock and chips.

The Sun in Splendour is the oldest pub in the area, right in the heart of Notting Hill. They serve a wide range of premium lagers and ciders, artisan spirits and cocktails alongside a seasonal menu of classic British fare, like chicken schnitzel in a lemon and rosemary crumb and sausages with spring onion mash.

Sip on innovative cocktails in the cool and quirky LOVE bar, moments from Ladbroke Grove station. Enjoy cocktails crafted by expert mixologists or stick to champagne or wine. Catch a live music performance while you’re at it; they host a range from blues and jazz to afrobeat.

This basement bar in Notting Hill is decorated with everything and anything Hawaii-related. The drinks are mostly rum-based, with classics like the Mai Tai taking centre stage, but there’s also a variety of beer, wine and champagne available to order. Fancy trying your hand at mixology? Book yourself onto one of their cocktail-making masterclasses.