The Pelican - Notting Hill

"If the Peaky Blinders made a real go of their bar and stopped having fights and piss-ups, it’d be The Pelican. True, there are less flat caps and double-breasted overcoats, and more floppy hair and Adidas Gazelles. But the old-English pub aesthetic is alive and well. Think caramel-brown leather banquettes, antique-looking tables, and big pies with lobster-head gravy. Well-dressed Notting Hill locals pour in after work and families book out the semi-circle booth in the dining room for casual weeknight meals that are anything but casual. " - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna

"If the Peaky Blinders made a real go of their bar and stopped having fights and piss-ups there, it’d be The Pelican. True, there are less flat caps and double-breasted overcoats, and more floppy hair and Adidas Gazelles. But the old-English pub aesthetic is alive and well. Think caramel-brown leather banquettes and antique-looking tables. It’s the stuff of glossy food magazines. Well-dressed Notting Hill locals pour in after work and families book out the semi-circle booth in the dining room for weeknight meals that involve cheese-dusted mince on toast and show-stopping beef and Guinness pies. " - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, sinead cranna

"For When You’re Allergic To Sticky Floors If you just want to get drunk somewhere that, if you squint just the right amount, you could be in an Aesop store, go to The Pelican. The Notting Hill pub is less Del Boys in distress and more artfully distressed walls, caramel leather banquettes, and scampi that’s of the monkfish variety. For more fancy pubs, look out for those named after creatures you’re probably not legally allowed to keep as pets: The Parakeet, The Cow, The Bull & Last.  " - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, sinead cranna

"The Pelican is a great venue for a first date because it screams “dependable and rich”. Think caramel-brown leather banquettes, antique-looking tables, and natural, earthy tones everywhere. It’s the stuff of glossy food magazines, and the bunches of dried flowers and lack of water rings have us wondering if people even drink here. But they do—lots of them. Well-dressed Notting Hill locals pour in after work and lucky dates snag the semi-circle booth in the dining room for casual weeknight meals that are anything but casual. " - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, sinead cranna

"Take a big old Victorian boozer and do it up, serve gutsy food with a British heart, and keep the menu flexible and the prices sensible – and you have a pub we’d all like to have at the end of our street. Clearly the residents of Notting Hill agree, as the place is packed to the rafters, so you'd be wise to book ahead before your visit. For fans of no-nonsense food packed with natural flavour, it really is the place to be; from whole roasted turbot to tomahawk steak, the chefs have the good sense to let their quality produce do the talking." - Michelin Inspector