The Princess Royal Notting Hill

First impressions? The Princess Royal has been beautifully renovated. The outside has had a fetching forest green paint job, and the interiors feel snug and sophisticated, with just the right amount of wear and tear to feel cosy. The Med-inspired tiling of the conservatory is a particular highlight, especially when the sun is beaming through the windows. No doubt - this is a wonderful place to spend an evening.

Bright and spacious as the conservatory is, diners are slightly handicapped by the size of the tables, which have barely enough space for two dishes, water and a bottle of wine. We understand that larger tables are on the way, but for the time being it meant that dishes had to come in dribs and drabs.

Those dribs and drabs were very good, though. The raw bar is a big sell at The Princess Royal and we ordered oysters - fresh and delicious - and red prawn crudo, which emerged in two pairs, gently translucent and with a waft of orange and rosemary. At £17 though, they don’t come cheap.

The small plates revolution has sometimes left us nervous of ‘main courses’, but these are genuine mains: a stocky Old Spot pork chop is nicely cooked and smartly paired with salt-roast beets and walnut picada, and a hefty chunk of monkfish tail is beautifully grilled and rested on a bed of borlotti beans.

Ben Tish's generous and rustic style is a good fit for The Princess Royal, as confirmed by the lemon curd doughnuts with saffron custard - the glorious, messy highlight of a very good dinner. Once the tables get sorted out, The Princess Royal will have a very good thing going.

The Princess Royal is the newest addition to the Cubitt House pub portfolio, this time located in the heart of Notting Hill. And though the location might be old (the pub itself dates back to the Victorian era), Chef Director Ben Tish promises a new twist on some classic cuisine.

The menu is a diverse blend of Mediterranean cooking styles with seasonal British produce. Diners can start with dishes such as English burrata with blood orange, radicchio, coriander seeds and fennel, and enjoy mains like the Old Spot pork chop with salt roasted beets, new season carrots and a walnut picada. Or if seafood is more your taste, the restaurant also offers a red prawn crudo with rosemary and orange.

The Princess Royal features a refined centre bar with a raw menu, including wild bream crudo, aged beef tartare, and oysters. Wash your meal down with your choice of Champagnes, fine wines, classic cocktails or cocktails-on-tap, craft beers or ales. 

The pub also pays special attention to the aesthetic. While the interior takes inspiration from its classic Victorian roots, the outdoor dining space and walled private gardens are designed with the Mediterranean style in mind by Jinny Blom, House & Garden’s Garden Designer of the Year 2021. But if you'd prefer to sit inside (try as they might, the Princess Royal can't bring the beautiful Mediterranean weather with them to England), the restaurant also has private feasting rooms.

And if you find it difficult to leave the Princess Royal, they also have four bedrooms located on the second floor of the building. Stay overnight in one of the cosy rooms, and help yourself to a selection of 100 Acres Apothecary products. The bedrooms are individually-designed, so expect some unique antiques and callbacks to the pub's history. A certain benefit to this experience is being able to head back down to the large dining room and bar to enjoy another meal fit for a royal come the morning.