The Abingdon

"When it’s dark outside and you want somewhere to hole up for a couple of hours, interrupted only by a waiter relighting your candle, The Abingdon in Kensington is the place for you. The menu is straight-up comfort food: deeply satisfying artichoke soup with a slice of fluffy focaccia for dipping, and tender, lip-puckeringly tangy buffalo fried chicken thighs. The British restaurant and pub feels like the perfect mix between your friend's living room and your local, and after sharing a hearty, creamy fish pie in their deep red booths, the pillow-laden sofas are the place to be. Grab a seat and order the sticky toffee pudding to finish. It’s been on their menu for more than 25 years for good reason: the soft dome of airy cake arrives in a shallow pool of dark, caramel-y sauce and makes for the kind of dessert that—much like The Abingdon in general—is as comforting as a day spent in bed. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Food Rundown photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Buffalo Fried Chicken, Blue Cheese Pieces of soft chicken thighs are absolutely drenched in the tangy, tart buffalo sauce. We’re big fans of this starter, especially when we get a bite with a generous amount of crumbled goats’ cheese. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Jerusalem Artichoke Soup & Homemade Focaccia This has everything you want in a soup. Creaminess? Check. Likeliness to burn tongue? Check. Ability to make you forget it’s 3°C outside? Check. If they have a soup on, you should order it. Fish Pie, Smoked Haddock, Salmon & Prawns With Lobster Bisque Perfect for anyone who complains when their pie is “too much mash”, this two-person portion is filled with chunks of salmon, smoked haddock, and prawns. While we love the commitment to the fish, we’d love it even more if the filling was a tad creamier. But it’s more than ideal for when you’re after a dinner that will prep you for bed. Cauliflower Cheese This slightly watery side dish lacked seasoning and the comfort-factor expected from a dish that’s 90% cheese." - Rianne Shlebak

"Sticky toffee pudding “When puffer jacket weather begins, sticky toffee pudding is the answer. The piping hot cake from this fancy Kensington gastropub came in a shallow pool of dark, sticky, caramel-y sauce—there was enough to have some with each bite and not too much that it was overpowering. Topped with a small scoop of refreshing vanilla ice cream, it was the perfect end to a day that should’ve been spent in bed.” - RS" - Jake Oliver, Rianne Shlebak, Sinead Cranna

"Sink into The Abingdon’s pillow-laden sofas and the sticky toffee pudding on a chilly evening. The dessert at this Kensington gastropub is comfort in a bowl. The soft dome of airy cake comes in a shallow pool of dark, sticky, caramel-y sauce—there’s enough to have some with each bite but not so much that it's overpowering. The sweetness of the dates is complemented by the small scoop of refreshing vanilla ice cream, and makes for the kind of dessert that’s as cosy as a day spent in bed." - Jake Oliver, Rianne Shlebak, Sinead Cranna, Daisy Meager