Amazing food. Fabulous service. It deserves more than one star. Everything was superb. This biz is so tough and I hope we can make it that much better with this review! Telling everyone we know! read more

This is a fancy French restaurant with Michelin star. Went there for lunch. Ordered the Roast loin and leg of rabbit dish. Portion was very small for $42 pounds. But it was delicious. If you don't mind to pay high prices this is the best Michelin restaurant to go. read more

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Seldom do I find such a gap between boh and foh. The boh is great - my entree was delicious, texturally diverse, visually attractive, and balanced. The foh I evaluate as a Michelin-starred spot - if this were some chain it would be different. In no particular order- two glasses of wine ordered at the same time arrived ten minutes apart, and required asking two people. It also took asking two people and over ten minutes to get salt. My wine was poured without asking me to taste - I think the first time I've experienced that at a Michelin starred spot place. After pointing out that I was bleeding and asking for something to stop it, it took over five minutes to get some paper towels (I could have made a few round trips to the restroom during that time). After asking someone for the check, that person brought me the dessert menu instead. As I left, I passed three foh staff, none of whom acknowledged me. read more

5/5. What a great find! Full range of breakfast options in the morning. Charming compact space. Great English breakfast or bakery goods, coffee. Sit inside or outside. Quiet side street off Kensington High street. read more

My fiancé and I were on vacation in London and we found Kitchen W8 on the Michelin guide website. This was our last meal in London and I am so sad to say that it was the worst. We went to 3 Michelin star restaurants during this trip (The Goring Dining Room and Elystan were the other 2). Kitchen W8, unfortunately, should not be on that list based on our meal. We went in for the early dinner 3 course set menu. I wonder if that was our mistake. We went for cheap. The first dish was extremely salty that I chose not to eat it. The main dish I chose was cod. It tasted like someone poured an entire bottle of salt on it. It was so bad that I ended up ordering gnocchi from the a la carte menu. I must mention that the gnocchi was well made. It was so scrumptious that I almost forgot how bad the previous dishes were. The wait time in between courses was really long. The manager tried to smooth things over. But as I told him, we had 7 items but only enjoyed 2: gnocchi dish and Valrhona chocolate. Our bill for this terrible meal was £140. The chef had the desserts removed to make up for the bad meal. Sadly, I cannot recommend this restaurant at all. Don't waste your money. read more

I loved Kitchen W8. This was the first Michelin starred restaurant that I have ever visited. In fact, this may well have been my first fine dining experience. I am no gourmand. Wine is not my thing. I know what I like, though, and this restaurant served me excellent food at a price that I do not consider unreasonable. All of the staff were very friendly and ready to answer any questions. I loved the design of the place. The wallpaper was outstanding. I believe the birds depicted were cedar waxwings! I am sorry that I spilled some of my strawberry lemonade on the tablecloth. My starter was Late Summer Tomatoes with watermelon, cucumber, baked feta, red onion, and mint. I am not normally a watermelon fan. I do not know what they did with this watermelon, but it was amazing. Little flavor bombs, to be honest. Main course was the Cornish Cod with courgette, scorched corn, and Scottish girolles. I had no idea what either courgette or girolles were. Turns out courgette is zucchini and girolles are small mushrooms. The cod was cooked perfectly. The courgette was sublime. I know zucchini in many forms and this was the most flavorful representation of the vegetable that I have ever tasted. The girolles were terrific, as well. Dessert was the yogurt parfait. Just a superb closer. I don't know when I will be in London again, but I will try to make it a point to get back to Kitchen W8 when I am in town! read more

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I wouldn't recommend Kitchen W8. The Good... - The servers were friendly. Seemed like really nice people and you could see how they interacted with the other guests. It was really charming. - The decor. Loved it. Enjoyed the tables, chairs, colors, wall art... All great. The Bad... - The food just wasn't great. It was presented beautifully. Some of the most beautifully presented food I've ever experienced. The flavors weren't there. They lacked. It felt like there was much more emphasis on presentation than flavor. The Ugly... - I'm shocked this restaurant has a Michelin star. That was the reason we chose Kitchen W8. We went out of our way to visit, and we honestly left disappointed. - Very overpriced. read more

Kitchen W8 definitely deserves the Michelin-star that they received since opening about 10 years ago in the Kensington area and probably a second star is in its future. Chef Mark Kempson hits the right notes in serving upscale and contemporary dishes with French influences in a comfortable and warm interior and modern environment. The food was absolutely superb and at a relatively reasonable price for this restaurant caliber. They do offer a tasting menu for £75, but we opted for a la carte dining. The amuse-bouche of black rice crisp with a pea hummus created an incredible balance that started the meal with great anticipation of what was to come. The appetizers of warm salad of artichoke and cauliflower and grilled cornish mackerel with smoked eel were well executed and tasty. The flavor profile of the cornish cod entree with its aioli and baked fennel was spot on. For dessert, the more popular chocolate pave with the salt caramel was heavenly for chocolate fans, while the vanilla crousade with the strawberries was equally creative and rewarding. There was no dish in its presentation that did not meet expectations. And also notably, service was also exceptional. I aggressively pursued and secured a last minute table at Kitchen W8 during my stay in London and I was absolutely glad I did. Highly recommend Kitchen W8! read more

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I wanted to try a Michelin starred restaurant for my 30th birthday and after hours of research, we finally settled on Kitchen W8 and let me tell you, it did NOT disappoint. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a friendly host who handed me a happy birthday card! We got to the table and the server walked us through the menu. We asked a lot of questions and he was extremely knowledgeable and helpful in providing us direction, recommendations and wine pairings. It was a truly memorable experience with impeccable food, delicious drinks, phenomenal service and a clean, modern and classy ambience. Also, they brought me a birthday dessert with a candle. It was such a special meal and I'm so glad I chose to spend my 30th here. read more

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So... Mr. Snarky wanted to start a tradition: to have our anniversary dinner at a different Michelin starred restaurant each year. Year 2 into this tradition, we were very excited because of our experience at Petrus last year. Now I think there was a distinct difference between our experience last year to this year... when we went last year we weren't sure what to expect, but this year we came in with some expectations. I will say that we may have been overly dressed for W8, in fact the couple next to us (calling each other Mummy and Daddy with no children in site) were in jeans and trainers. I suspect that for this area of London, W8 is where the locals go on a casual night out. But I did like that aspect because it means that a Michelin starred experience doesn't have to be out of reach for everyone. I don't know if we will ever go to one of these restaurants and order a la carte, but this year we decided to go with the tasting menu again. And because the tasting menu was so affordable (£75) I may have decided to go for the wine pairings with each course (£120). While our waiter was very attentive, it was so difficult to hear him because it was like he was whispering. When the restaurant was full, it was difficult to hear him through all the noise. He did check with me on my lactose intolerance and was telling me about the differences in the menu they would make for me... most of them revolved around dessert. However, this year I had these magical Lactase Enzyme pills that have really helped with that intolerance... and because I missed out on the spectacular Raspberry Souffle at Petrus and because I didn't want a glorified fruit salad for dessert, I just asked if I could have the desserts that came with the tasting menu. He seemed a bit confused, but this is the problem with Lactose Intolerance... the intolerance for each person is different and I reassured him that there is no anaphylactic reaction. Anyway the dishes were nice, but there was only one dish that really stood out to Mr. Snarky and myself... it was the Veal with Young Garlic, White Asparagus, Jersey Royals and Morels. There was a garlic cream on the plate that just brought everything together. Our second favourite dish was the Chocolate Pave... it was so rich, but delicious. While I still stick by the decision to have the tasting menu, if I were to go back to W8, I would just order the Veal because it was delicious and I want more of it! Overall it was a lovely dining experience and would love to try some other dishes off of the a la carte menu. read more

Kitchen W8 - Tasting menu - French Near Me - London, XGL

My first real meal in London in 2018, located in the area where I once lived as a student. W8 set the bar very high for the rest of the trip: it's a beautiful space with attentive service befitting it's Michelin Star. Hard to go wrong with the 3-course set menu (28GBP at lunch, and 29.50 at dinner) with a bottle of wine from their reasonably-priced list. It was a hot day and we'd been walking, so we went with a rose. Unfortunately I didn't write this review quickly enough, and 5 weeks of travel has fogged the specifics of what we ate here, but our group of 4 was highly impressed with the quality of everything we were served. The tartare from the regular menu was excellent. W8 is definitely worth a diversion, and a great option for post-High Street shopping. read more

Last night my wife and I celebrated our 40th anniversary. The meal experience was everything we hoped it could be. The food was creative and delicious. The homemade linguini appetizer was very flavorful! The cod and deer courses were wonderful! The service from Allegra and Dipika was exceptional! Anyone reading this should go and experience Kitchen W8 for themselves! read more

Overall good experience. Ambiance is okay but nothing to be wow'ed by. It is pleasant with calming colors. Service was fast and efficient and we did not feel rushed at all. I was a bit disappointed that after we ordered I heard the waiter at the table next to us tell the guests the specials of the day which we were not told. We loved all of the dishes we tried. Velouté of Cornish Mussels with Mussel Beignets was heavenly. Super rich and creamy velouté with a side of perfectly fried mussels YUM. The poached cod was so flavorful and moist! I want to say it was one of the better fish dishes I have had. The venison was cooked just right and was super tender. Although we liked both of the desserts, my favorite of the two desserts we tried was the salt caramel parfait. Deep fried Salt Cod Balls as an amuse Velouté of Cornish Mussels with Mussel Beignets, Garlic and Parsley Cream Crispy Hen's Egg with Parmesan Polenta, Wilted Chanterelles, Bacon and Truffle Beurre Noisette Poached Cod with Brown Shrimps, Pickled Cauliflower, Lightly Spiced Haunch of Venison with Jerusalem Artichokes, Roast Onion, Port Soaked Raisins and Bulgur Wheat Blackberry Poached Pear with Hazelnut Pain Perdu and Vanilla Rice Pudding Mousse Salt caramel parfait with Roasted Peanut Ice Cream, Chocolate Milk Purée and Lime read more

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One of the best meals I have ever had in my entire life. I didn't even know the menu going in, just that it would be good, and it absolutely blew me away. The highlight of my vacation. read more

I had higher expectations for a Michelin star restaurant, with a reservation for lunch booked 2 months in advance. The service was abysmal, nearly absent at all times. A friend and I joined for lunch, which took nearly 3 hours because it was about 30 minutes after we were seated for anyone to even take our order. We waited about an hour between finishing our starter before we got our main course. And the chocolate cake for dessert still had the wax paper under the cake when served to us. Overall, would not recommend or return to for the service alone, the food did not save the meal enough to make it worthwhile. read more

Kitchen W8 - Dining area - French Near Me - London, XGL

I had the good fortune to dine here yesterday evening, courtesy of my friend Tom's birthday - his girlfriend Rebecca sorted a meal at this Michelin starred restaurant to celebrate. It has been an impressively fast elevation to Michelin star status for Mark Kempson, who worked in Philip Howard's 2 star kitchen at The Square before being installed here in 2009. The restaurant is located in a pretty unprepossessing part of Kensington and being of the slightly older generation, I was also a bit worried that W8 may be teenage text slang for 'Wait'! Fortunately, as soon as I walked in the door, all such worries were dispelled and Kitchen W8 have got the Michelin formula, both in the quality of the food and the service. There is a definite standard and way Michelin like things done and this place has understood that. We had some pretty good food through the evening. The lightest deep fried salt cod balls were served as canapes as we perused the menu. It's always a pleasure to have the conundrum of what to order from a tempting menu. My starter of saute of chicken wings with hand rolled linguine, broad beans, mousseron mushrooms and parmesan was packed with umami flavour, offset nicely by the sweet broad beans, which were a nice seasonal touch to the dish. Tom and Rebecca pronounced themselves equally satisfied with their choices of crispy hen's egg with asparagus & truffle soldiers and ravioli of ham hock with Hispi cabbage & veloute of peas. For mains, Tom and I opted for the pressed pork belly with a puree of violet artichokes, broad beans, Parmesan and preserved lemon. The pork belly had been properly rendered to turn the thick layer of fat into flavoursome unctuous gooeyness which sat atop moist tender meat and below the skin, which had just enough crunch. Rebecca enjoyed her slow poached pollock with a sourdough crust, fennel puree, golden beetroot & citrus vinaigrette. We managed to find just enough room for dessert - the vanilla panna cota, salt chocolate parfait and Sicilian lemon tart proved food ends to the meal. Francesca, our Sicilian waitress for the evening, was attentive but happy to have a laugh. Rebecca chose a little gem and Tom certainly enjoyed his birthday dinner here. It just sneaks into 5 stars but I don't think you'll be disappointed with an evening out here. read more

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LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE! everything in this restaurant is perfect. From the interior, cleaningness, quality of food, price etc, there is not one thing I did not like ! The restaurant looked so modern and the lighting was brilliant (not one of those dimmed ones that makes you fall asleep) the staff were very friendly from greeting and we were allocated to a quiet corner near the front window of the restaurant. After careful consideration decided not to opt for the tasting menu. It actually works out cheaper and better to go a la Carte. This is because tasting menu applies to the whole table. We had three starters, two mains and two desserts, and we only had to pay £10~ extra. The portions are of course, bigger too. I absolutely loved everything I ate, but my favourite has to be the scallops. Big, jjuicy, fresh, and compliments the cream source and mushrooms so well. What a big surprise I'm definitely coming back here ! read more

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Whenever somewhere serves me a meal which I feel necessitates a review that evening, their job is done. I think the wine's wearing off enough for me to be able to type this coherently (as tempting as a stream of consciousness review would be), and I'm not going through enough of a food coma to be put out of action. Which is good, I am *perfectly* full right now. Couldn't ask for anything more. I won't comment much on the environment here - it's everything that I'd expect from a decent restaurant of this type. From entrance to exit, I found the staff to be extremely warm and definitely put a nice gloss on my whole experience. I find that a lot of places have polite-but-standoffish service which is fine - functional and pleasant, but I dunno. I felt that the atmosphere here was just that bit more personable. We went for the tasting menu: 2 starters, 2 mains, 2 puddings. I'll say it now before my dish-by-dish rundown: every dish was a delight - simple (in a manner of speaking), yet extremely well constructed - and I felt that the transition from course to course was perfect somehow. Like a well thought-out mixtape. As such, it's definitely been the most satisfying meal I've had in the last year, hands down. The time between courses was pretty short until dessert, oddly there was a pretty long gap between the two desserts, not that I minded too much. Predinner: foccacia crisps with pea puree. Mm. very thin, crispy sheets of focaccia, a delicious pea puree. A good pea puree is wonderful and this one was absolutely spot on. Nom. Course I: asparagus with toasted quinoa, egg yolk, and hazelnut. The asparagus itself was nice, if not the most flavourful in the world. Everything else? The toasted quinoa added a nice crunch and nuttiness, assisted by the hazelnut. The egg yolk? The egg yolk. So. Good. Both delicious and with a consistency I've never had before, more like butter than egg. Course II: thin slices of veal rump with morels, parmesan, hazelnut, and peas. The texture of the veal was wonderful, and the morel-parmesan combination was extremely good, balanced out with the sweet peas. Perfect combination of flavour. If I had to choose, this was probably the standout dish, but really, it's not very relevant. Course III: sea trout with pickled beetroot and watercress, and smoked eel on a new potato with vinegared shallots, topped with watercress and eel scratchings (!). I love sea trout when it's done this way. So easy to cut and the texture and flavour were great. The eel scratchings were a great touch and provided a great crunch and a bit of fishiness, without being overpowering. The smoked eel bit of the dish was similar to herring potato salad that's often found in Northern France. I loved the shallots (the acidity came a little bit close to overpowering the dish, but they were just right. And yummy), and the paper-thin eel provided a touch of smokiness. Course IV: 55-day aged pork on celeriac, with a charred pear. I was sceptical about aged pork, but this was delicious, particularly the aged fat. Mm. Unfortunately my mum found a bit of gristle in hers (the only black mark of the evening) which shouldn't really happen in a place like this. However, the texture of the pork (like all the meat here) was absolutely wonderful, a little bit of bite, but falling apart in the mouth. Om. And the crackling. Perfect crackling sitting at the perfect point between gooey and crunchy. Course V: vanilla parfait topped with mango, white chocolate and lime. A light dessert, great balance of flavours. A really nice follow-up to the pork. Course VI: chocolate pave, salted caramel ice cream, hazelnut cream, lime zest. Mmmnom. This dish avoided being too heavy, and the hint of lime, whilst not adding much in terms of overall flavour, added just a little bit to cut through the chocolate. The salted caramel ice cream and hazelnut went perfectly too. Memorable. The tasting menu was £60, so pretty much in line with what I'd expect, not cheap, but I would come here again in a heartbeat (if I had the cash...) - I often have tasting menus with the odd nice-but-not-that-memorable courses, but this one's burned in my memory and I'm salivating a bit writing this. The accompanying wines were also good (not that that's my forte, and I'm not keen to speculate over how much they were), and I particularly enjoyed the Languedoc Maury red dessert wine. Whilst each dish was excellent, the whole thing ended up being greater than the sum of its parts and it's definitely one of the best meals I've had in recent memory and I'm wondering now when the next trip will be... read more

Kitchen W8 - Nom ! May 2015. - French Near Me - London, XGL

One of the best 1* Michelin's I have been to! This place deserves more than 1*! Makes other 1* michelin restaurants feel average! The presentation of the food is "jaw dropping". The taste is immaculate, price is spot on (as its not too pricey) and the staff are so friendly it's unreal. The staff are bilingual, which made me feel very welcome and comfortable. The waiter spoke cantonese to me, and to my surprise he spoke it very fluently, considering he's from a European background. The decor of this place has a modern vibe to it. I believe it has recently been refurbished, so everything is neat, tidy and clean. The food: loved everything I ordered. I opted for the a la carte rather than the tasting menu. Would recommend the scallops, a must try! read more

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Went here for dinner, I certainly hope that the Michelin reviewer returns here soon because there is absolutely no way the service or food here warrants a star. We had a hair in one of our diner's main dish, the service was inattentive at best and disappointingly unimpressive for a restaurant with a Michelin star. At $230 for dinner for 2 I would expect at least good food or good service but neither was provided except for the one chipper fellow who brought the bread and said goodbye on the way out. If only he had been our server perhaps things might have been at least a bit friendlier. My husband had also made the reservation and noted we were celebrating my birthday, they did not acknowledge this though we did see them seat another couple and then awkwardly ask them to move after they had been seated for a bit because another couple was celebrating their anniversary and they wanted that particular table. All in all a very disappointing experience. The best part of the meal was the apricot old fashioned, it is the only thing I would recommend and probably would had had another had the server ever come back and asked if would like another drink. read more

3 course prefixe was delicious. The fresh baked bread was ridiculous. Comes out hot crispy outside and pillowy inside. Service is good but one of the servers needs to learn how to not stomp her feet when she walks on the bouncy hardwood floors. It was distracting. Otherwise everything was perfect. read more

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Stopped here for dinner last night, and was really pleased we did. I'd read really good reviews and found out that they do a three course dinner for £24.50 from 6-7pm. For a place with one Michelin star already, that's not too bad at all :) So we went, were the first ones in the place at 6.30 and ended up having a lovely time. Little deep fried balls of salt cod started things off, and were really tasty. Excellent bread and one of the most punchy Malbecs I've ever had made it even better. My other half had a beetroot and goats cheese salad that he said was one of the best things he's ever eaten, while I had a chicken/mushroom ravioli to start (with char-grilled lettuce, really unusual but very tasty). We both then had the steak, with smoke potato (not to my taste), spinach (a wee bit salty) and broccoli (divine). For dessert we went off peak and ordered from the a la carte, I had chocolate pave with salted caramel ice cream and honeycomb, which was heavenly - the boy had some nice cheese. With a great atmosphere and great food, it was a great evening. One for a treat though, as even with a special menu the bill came to £100. Well worth it though. Sad to hear that Julia suffered from a 'snooty' attitude, as our experience couldn't haven't been further than that. Our waiter was fantastic, one of the best I've encountered actually. read more

We ate here for our first night in London; it was a little removed from the more "popular" destinations in the city, which was actually nice. We came at about 6:30 with a reservation and the restaurant was nearly empty; it slowly filled up by the time we left. We loved the food - particularly the beef - thinly cut, with smoked mashed potatoes - astounding - can see why the restaurant has a michelin star. Worth a trip to this part of Kensington. read more

Had a long layover so we decided to spend the morning in London. After a museum visit we went for a late lunch at Kitchen W8. So glad we did. The Sunday lunch is a steal. 3 course and all were superb. The fallow deer tartare was a highlight. As was the duck egg with truffle. I also greatly enjoyed the cod cheers. The warm chocolate pudding with salted caramel and hazelnut ice cream was a perfect ending. The decor is nice and the wait staff was very good. They accommodated us with a table even though reservations showed as full. Very deserving of its one star status. read more

I would have given this place 5 stars if it wasn't for their uppity and snooty attitude towards my boyfriend and I. Let me explain.... We were originally looking for a French restaurant called Whitis, and we decided not to get dressed up because I had read that the restaurant was casual. Unfortunately, Whitis was closed so we walked into W8 because it was right next door. From the moment we walked in the hostess talked to us in a condescending tone and asked us if we had reservations when the restaurant was clearly empty! She then rolled her eyes and seated us. We ordered the foie gras to start off with and it was excellent! My boyfriend then got the pork chop while I got the fish with mussel risotto. My dish was cooked to perfection and my boyfriend had told me that this was the best pork he's ever had in his life (and I have to add in that we have pretty expensive taste). Overall, this place was great and I would go there again. I guess next time I would make a reservation and dress up though so they'll treat me as equal as everyone else. read more

Looking for a quiet / romantic place with amazing food in London? Look no more. This place is simply amazing. In my opinion their food and service beats other places with more michelin starts in London (I think w8 has 1 star)! read more

Superb! I had the 3 course set menu on a recent Friday and the food was absolutely delicious. How can you top a steak tartare, spring chicken, and a fruit fool for desert for £28? Service was exemplary and the space itself is serene and modern. Fantastic experience and looking forward to visiting again on my next trip to London. read more

Menu looks impressive, but I don't think the full experience is worthy of a Michelin star I've been fortunate enough to experience many Michelin star dishes, and I would have to say that this one was my least favorite, but that isn't to say it was bad, in fact, it was very good. This is where reviewing gets tough. Next to other places I've reviewed, this is clearly 5 star material, but what group to I judge it against? Other Michelin restaurants? In London? Of a similar cuisine? Or in the overall cost/benefit sense? It's tough to rank the stars, but take what you will out of this: I had not heard of Kitchen W8, though it is very close to my home, and we was invited by friends who only dine at establishment with white linen table cloths (if you know what I mean). My first impression on a Saturday night was that is was only half full, taking away from the 'exclusive' factor that many Michelin's should aim to live up to. That's fine, we were happy to get a good table and move devoted service. We started with Kir Royals and Nigronis which were all very nice, and the complimentary cod and potato croquets whetted our appetites. The menu offerings were very impressive, but it was slightly confusing as there is only one menu with a dedicated section to lunch specials and items which are not available for dinner. I wish there was just a separate menu for lunch and dinner without being teased and fluttered over options. I opted for the terrine of parfait of foie gras with camomile jelly, apricot chutney and sourdough toast. It was very good with a liberal serving of fois gras in a preservative jar. It was well presented, but that didn't make up for the overly toasted bread, which I ditched immediately and headed for the far more appetizing bread basket. We also tired the breaded duck egg with truffle, which was very good, if not too unique. As a main, I had breaded plaice medallions with purple sprouting broccoli and new potatoes. I initially didn't like the sound of breaded anything, but I had sea bream for lunch and I don't eat red meat, so my option are always limited. Sadly, my first instinct was correct and the dish was disappointing. There was no playful flavors, and because the plaice was breaded, you could not taste the quality of the fish, and therefore the dish didn't do justice for the freshness and the flavors were muttled and lost. I also tried the fricassee of sweetcorn and girolles with saute artichoke, parmesan gnocchi and summer truffle, which was lovely and a much better choice. I do think that I ordered wrong, which is my own fault, but even though, each dish should hold it's own. I also found the waitress a tad intrusive (I was speaking to the table, in the middle of a story, when she approached from behind me and ask if we have any questions ... hello, I was speaking, you can wait for one moment until someone give you the go ahead look, haha, I mean, you don't just come up from behind and speak over someone... rude!) All in all, I'm glad I went and the menu is trying to do something special, but it's just not my style and I will not be going back, at least until the day where I only dine a white linen restaurants. read more

I can't believe that Kitchen W8 was not previously on my culinary radar. Shame on me. I went here today for the set menu. 23 for 3 courses? A STEAL. Like, actually...I feel like I'd pulled one over on someone for the price against the quality of the meal. It was a perfect lunch in a perfect environment. See? 5 stars! 5 full, well-deserved stars! To start I had lamb sweetbreads, smoked eel and potato salad with tiny polka dots of nettle pesto adorning the plate. Sweetbreads and eel you say? YES. What culinary creative mastermind came up with that combination I don't know to say but...THANK YOU. It was a treat, and the thin shaving of eel was the perfect foil to the creamy potato and indulgent sweetbreads. //pause to say: you'll want to tuck into the breadbasket. It is *divine* bread, and I promise it won't spoil your meal to indulge in it and the salt-speckled butter// The second course featured THE MOST PILLOWY SOFT AND FLUFFY AND DELICIOUSEST (not a word, roll with it) gnocchi, served with roasted onion and garlic and amazingly flavoured, moist chicken (pot roast corn fed, apparently). Nary a peep of criticism from me. Ok, well...*tiny*...a piece of the chicken had a ball of joint/gristle that ideally would have been caught before it left the kitchen but, oh oh, the flavour of the dish more than made up for that tiny oversight. For dessert there was a cheese option and a sweet selection. I surprised myself and went for the latter - a lemon yogurt with a quenelle of divine raspberry ripple ice-cream atop (sounds weird, but I swear you won't question it if you have the opportunity to try it) and crunch provided care of sable crumbs. Post-meal coffee served with mini truffles. Service SO ON POINT. Unobtrusive, attentive at the right times, hands-off when appropriate...it complemented the meal perfectly. I will be returning. Soon. Have been thinking of my lunch all afternoon. Yelp note: NO BUT ACTUALLY THAT GNOCCHI THO. Easy-peasy reservation system online, and generally not a full dining room for lunch so a good time to go (secret's out). read more

I went to this Kensington establishment largely expecting to be disappointed - with good online reviews and a recent 1 Michelin Star there's always a risk of resting on laurels. But I needn't have worried :-) The food was very good (well presented, great tasting and reasonable sized portions), and the service exemplary. So this gets the full 5* rating from me. read more

After having lunch at Pollen Street Social it was almost unfair to eat at another renowned restaurant for supper -- how could a neighbourhood joint in Kensington compete? Honestly, the food was easily as good (and in my main's case, even better). They brought over some salt cod and potato croquettes as an amuse bouche which were crispy and so savoury -- even my wife-loathing wife tried and admitted it was good (and then quickly recanted, probably to keep up her fish-hating credentials). My crispy hens egg with parmesan polenta was incredible, and my haunch of venison main was stunning. My wife had a braised lamb main which was excellent, but i forget her starter! WINE! The room can't compare with central London restaurants really as its more of a fancy place for a supper than a real dinner destination, but the service was good and the food was excellent. Not sure I'd rush back rather than trying other michelin starred places, but if im lazy and want a great meal (i live nearish) I'd certainly give it another go. read more

Nice little hidden gem near South Kensington. Stopped in during my layover and had an excellent meal with great service. Ordered the tartare, roasted pork, and strawberry dessert. Each dish was perfect. Lunch is a steal but even the dinner prices are very reasonable for this level of quality. Definitely coming back on my next trip. read more

Kitchen W8 - Veal tartar was delicious - French Near Me - London, XGL

Tucked away in a little street in Chelsea, this quaint restaurant was a definitely a great find.I went there for Saturday lunch for the 3 course lunch menu (28 pounds) and was delighted by the quiet and friendly atmosphere. I was initially surprised it had a Michelin Star due to the price of the menu however, the great service and food proved otherwise. I had concerns about the food as I am a vegetarian but the waitress gave me a few vegetarian options and even gave me the option of making my own starter based on the original menu by taking out the meat and adding other components. My friend had the Hand Rolled Garganelli with Mousserons,Peas and Berkswell and I had the Bulls Heart Tomato with Seaweed Cream. The tomatoes were really fresh and juicy with a hint of sweetness and the dish overall was simple yet briliant. My friend thoroughly enjoyed his starter as well. For mains, I had a gnocchi dish and my friend had the pork. The pork was cooked perfectly. The gnocchi dish was OK and fell short to the starter. However, we both enjoyed the atmosphere and stayed for a lot longer than expected. The staff never rushed us off and we were given chocolate truffles at the end of the meal which were really creamy and a great end to the afternoon. Overall, definitely worth the money especially for lunch. Portions are quite small which was great for me but not worth going if you're really hungry or prefer big portions of food. Service was friendly and food was good. read more

Advertising isn't much fun right now. Budgets are down. Working hours are up. Times are hard. But I'm off to lunch on a Monday Arvo at Kitchen W8. And I'm not paying. I tell you what. It's better than working for a living. I always loved the Square, and this place is by Philip Howard who runs that gaff. Good reviews, my end of town, why not? I had a starter that I would put in the 'memorable' bracket. Smoked eel implausibly thinly sliced into perfect oblongs with blobs of wonderful sauce and perfectly sliced bits of leek laying on it. Pretty as a picture and sublime taste. Hard to imagine how to improve on that dish in either looks or taste. Stunning. My other two diners enjoyed wonderful starters too. Foie gras with sourdough toast and scallops with celeriac and stuff were received equally enthusiastically. I had the pot roast chicken for my main and expected something rough and hearty but again got something perfectly cooked and expertly considered. The gravy had been reduced to a glossy delight. The chicken was pot roasted to perfection. The cabbage bed was lovely. It was served beautifully. Not the rustic plate I was expecting but actually far far better. Food out of the top drawer and I wouldn't be surprised if they build on the one Michelin star they already have. So why not 5 stars? well the place itself is pretty unimaginative. A ubiquitous very nice place. Neutral everything. Right down to the paint on the walls. The heart simply doesn't sing when you come out of there. A place built not to offend the super rich of west london when they come in. Safe. Nice. Shame. The food is great. The service is professional and the place is adequate. I guess it just doesn't grab the heart. Compare it to to La trompette a mile or two down the road. Both serve similar fare (kitchen w8 is a notch above in terms of the food no doubt) but la trompette just has something more about it. A warmth to the dining room and a confidence front of house that this place lacks. And you pay a good deal more at kitchen w8 too. All in all, some wonderful food. But in forgettable surroundings. I'd add that I went on a Monday lunchtime and would imagine the buzz was at it's lowest. But if they could work on something it would be the 'feel' of the place. I don't buy the argument that you need a neutral environment to appreciate the food better. You pay a fair amount of money here and it would be nice to feel like you had been somewhere special and I didn't quite get that from here, despite excellent food. read more

Had a wonderful dinner at this like tuck-away. I had appetizer (artichoke) and entree (fish) there, which was both delicious. Really enjoyed the bread paste that was served in the beginning of the meal also - complementary on the house was definitely a plus! My only complaint was that the food almost came a bit too fast for me to enjoy my dining experience. There was barely any gaps in time between when food was served. Sure, I appreciated the promptness, but as a solo diner, I almost felt like I was rushed out without properly enjoying my time there. read more

Verdict: Can't say anything but YES to still/probably cheapest and most bang for the buck Michelin star lunch in London! Pros: - Cosy small, homely and intimate venue. - Risotto among the items available at lunch set menu is impressive. - The Parmesan Gnocchi with mushroom and garlic is lovely! - Lunch Set menu/Sunday lunch prices are pretty unbeatable when location, quality, variety and execution are factors considered! - Excellent fish dishes. Cons: - The chips looks somewhat like the ones served at fast food joints! - Less is more: maybe a little to eager to impress sometimes the plate could do with less tastes or ingredients. read more

Really surprised at how delicious the food was here given the area. We often find that restaurants in this area are more style than substance. The lunch price for the set menu was £25 which is a total steal. The both the starter and main we're perfectly executed. My main was missing a bit of acid but the cooking on the Gurnard was almost perfect, maybe a tad over. This place is perfect value for a business lunch. The atmosphere is a little boring for a Saturday afternoon so come with people you want to actually talk too. Although people watching in Kensington is also pretty fun. read more

Great food. Great value. Great service. Tried 5 of their dishes on the menu, and everyone of them came out to be a great dish. There were not a huge menu selection, but we managed to find quite a few dishes we liked. The service was great, and our waitress was very friendly and unpretentious. We overhead the guy at the table next door, had allergy with onion and he told the waitress when ordering, but they sent him his dish with onion, so he was pissed and left in the middle of dinner. So if you are allergic to something, make sure you ask twice! read more

Bit disapointing with the staff , not knowlegable enough about the menu, food come too quickly , felt as we were rushed through Food ok , but not memrable read more

I first heard about this new Philip Howard (of the Square fame) gem from Richard Vines' review on Bloomberg. This restaurant is barely one month old but i am confident that it will become very famous in the months ahead. The restaurant has a very formal feel. Its tastefully decorated ... and almost everyone were in formals (though i wasn't told of any specific dress code). An ideal place to entertain clients, in my opinion. The toilet looked like a star trek holo-suite when a program isn't running in it ... black tiles with white borders. My friend and i started with the complementary canapes ... small round balls made of fish and cheese(our best guess). We ate them ... and asked again ... and again ... and again ... until our sense of shame overpowered the greed :) Kitchen W8 claims that there food has a English style with a French Soul. I for one completely concur ... the combination of these two styles was very evident. For my starter i had the dish i was looking forward to ... Game Consommé with Bacon Cream and a Small Game Hot Dog. It was ... liquid meat. Different from a soup ... but liquid ... and filled with a variety of meat (you can't see the pieces, you can just taste them) ... grouse, hare, pheasant ... and bacon foam. I have never had anything like that before ... made my companion's tasty dish of eel and mackerel look ordinary. I got my main course ... and i thought what was that puddle of white in the middle ? Cream ? Cheese ? I had forgotten that i had ordered Risotto of Butternut Squash & Chanterelles with Red Wine & a Soft Poached Egg ... and that was the egg. I realized it when i poked it and the yellow liquid oozed into the risotto ... the quantity was rather less, but the dish was very satisfying. My friend was a bit disappointed with his special venison dish ... he would have preferred it to be a bit more well done. We were full ... but not done yet. We still had the tenacity to try the desserts ... and they lived up to my expectations. When a rice pudding later, and 40 pounds poorer, i left the restaurant, i was sure that i would return for more. read more