The Pelican, London Travel Guide

For 150 years, The Pelican stood as an ordinary boozer on All Saints Road, a quiet fixture amid Notting Hill's evolving streetscape. In 2022, restaurateur James Gummer spearheaded its dramatic overhaul, stripping back layers to reveal a glamorous space that honors its pub roots while elevating it to gastropub stardom. The corner location captures the neighborhood's eclectic energy, where market stalls and Portobello Road's buzz spill over into this welcoming haven.

Head chef Owen Kenworthy, with stints at The Wolseley, Sketch, and Brawn, infuses the menu with intelligent British cooking. Starters like cured trout with dill, cods cheeks in luminous curry sauce, and spider crab toast showcase pristine seafood and offal. Mains emphasize provenance: onglet with shallot, hake with mussels, or a Tamworth pork chop paired with parsley sauce and caramelized apple. Sides such as smoked new potatoes or Cornish mids complement the hearty plates.

The lobster and monkfish pie, topped with burnished puff pastry and bound in lobster head bisque, exemplifies the kitchen's prowess—designed for two but feeding more at accessible pricing. Chicken and ham or pumpkin and Wigmore pies offer flaky, filling alternatives. Large-format feasts like whole lamb shoulder or bone-in sirloin encourage communal dining, while bar snacks—pork scratchings, sausage rolls, Welsh rarebit, and monkfish scampi with Marie Rose—perfectly pair with drinks.

Eight pumps feature revived Allsopp’s ales alongside crafts from Portobello, Deya, and Kernel. The compact cocktail lineup nails classics: Old Fashioned, Negroni, Margarita, and Martini, with non-alcoholic twists like No-Groni. Wines lean New World, reasonably marked up, supporting the sustainable ethos through regenerative suppliers. Upstairs, the Pelican Room hosts private gatherings.

Provenance drives the menu, partnering with suppliers using regenerative farming to minimize environmental impact. Brief descriptions belie thoughtful execution: marinated tomatoes with Lancashire cheese, cucumber and sorrel salads, or mince on toast atop griddled sourdough. Desserts like lemon posset with shortbread or ginger parkin and custard provide comforting closes, rooted in family recipes.

Big, solid, and unapologetically glamorous, The Pelican thrives as a neighborhood anchor. Its joyful spirit echoes influential London spots, blending pub familiarity with refined touches. Whether for a light lunch of fritters and pilsner or a feast spanning snacks to sweets, it captures Notting Hill's essence—historic yet forward-looking.