Picture of Mall Tavern, W8 4RU

Historical version 6 of Mall Tavern, W8 4RU (view current version)

Gastropub in Notting Hill.

It changed hands in spring 2010, and is now run by the people behind the Stag in Hampstead and the Regent in Kensal Green. The menu has changed from European to British, and their website says they now have real ale.

The comments below predate the change of management.

It's roughly divided into two parts; the front room seems more aimed towards drinkers, while the tables in the back room are laid with wine glasses and cutlery.

Kake visited on a Thursday evening in October 2008. There was only one other customer when I arrived around 5:30pm, but the place filled up while I was there to the point where the front room was entirely full by 6:30pm (though most of this was due to one large group).

Although the ambience is reasonably gastropub-like, it's more of a bar than a pub in that I knew the moment I walked in that I'd be drinking wine here. No handpumps, and I didn't even bother asking if they had any interesting beer in bottles. However, they do have a fair selection of wine by the glass.

The main menu is served noon-3pm and 7pm-11pm Mon-Fri, 11am-4pm and 7pm-11pm Sat, and noon-4pm and 7pm-10:30pm Sun; but bar food is served all day.

I was a little too early for the main dinner menu, but there were various bar snacks available. I had the antipasti platter (£8) photo. This was generally pretty good; I liked the inclusion of a grilled aubergine slice, the meats were good quality, the accompanying bread was both fresh and freshly-sliced, and the semi-dried tomatoes were very sweet and tasty, and (like the pickled red onions) seemed to have been made on the premises rather than bought in. My only criticism would be a slight over-vinegariness, both in the general balance and specifically in the olives (which again I suspect were marinaded in-house).

On the strength of this visit, I'd like to come back and try the main menu, and I'd also happily pop in again for a glass of wine if I was passing and needed a sit-down.

A sign spotted in October 2008 advertised brunch every Saturday between 11am and 4pm and every Sunday between noon and 4pm, including eggs Benedict, French toast, omelette Arnold Bennett, steak and eggs, buttermilk pancakes, English breakfast, fruit salad, plenty of newspapers, Illy coffee, and "the best Bloody Mary in Notting Hill".

Accessibility: One step up to get in, and the ladies' is up a flight of stairs.

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Last visited by Kake, 30 October 2008.
OS X co-ord: 525449 OS Y co-ord: 180344 (Latitude: 51.507601 Longitude: -0.192168)
This is version 6 (as of 2010-05-05 23:33:16). View current version. List all versions.