The Pelican - Notting Hill

I started the evening with a beer in the pub area, which has a great atmosphere around the bar, though it can be quite loud and chaotic. For dinner, I moved to the restaurant area where the atmosphere was perfect, with beautiful lighting and the right sound level. I had three courses, all excellent, and the orange and almond tart was absolutely sublime. Fantastic service from Anthea, always smiling, attentive, and my glass was never empty. Overall, I would definitely recommend this place.

I wanted to love The Pelican - we came for a birthday lunch so were already in a great mood. The rave reviews, the title of "best gastropub in London", all set us up with high hopes. Everything started fairly well. We came early to enjoy a cocktail at the bar. The decor is beautiful - someone has poured considerable time and attention into creating something so stunning. It took a little while to get attention at the bar (even though we were the only ones standing there!)... perhaps an omen for what would follow. Our table for lunch was unexpectedly in the bar - not terrible, but inevitably somewhat chaotic. We looked longingly at the dining room around the corner for the space and calm it offered. Our waitress was pleasant but not hugely attentive. We were flagging her for attention rather than feeling like she had the time to take care of us. The food started well. The sausage roll was delicious, the Welsh Rarebit wonderfully spicy. So far, so good. But then the main - a 650g Sirloin for £88 - was well-cooked but lukewarm bordering on room temperature. It had clearly been left to rest for too long, and was in contrast to the piping hot chips and delicious charred sprouts we'd ordered alongside. As a main event, it was disappointing. We took a look at the desserts menu and were underwhelmed, so decided to take our leave and see what sweet treats Portobello Road might offer instead. Our experience at The Pelican wasn't bad. But for the price, it was fairly mediocre hospitality and food that was delicious but served without attention to detail. Disappointing.

One of the best meals I had this year. Was lucky to walk in and get a dinner table on a Sunday night at opening time. Wow. I was expecting good but i wasn't expecting perfection which is what i got. Ordered: oysters, venison (a must), pumpkin and kale, butterhead lettuce, and cornish mids (a must) Oysters i wont order again, they were plump and meaty, great texture but for me i like smaller sweeter oysters these were quite aquatic and big, but it certainly got my appetite going Venison was unreal. The sauce was almost licked clean by me, and the meat were thin, beautiful cuts of lean venison with a very small amount of perfectly rendered fat on edges. Omg i am drooling. A MUST. pumpkin and kale was flavourful and rich though a small dish, couldnt even finish it was a great flavour to accompany everything else Butterhead lettuce was the refreshing bite you needed admist it all Now, the cornish mids were the best preparation of potato i think i have ever had. Seasoned and cooked to perfection, some crispy pieces and some soft, all perfect. The seasoning is almost tangy, they are addictive in the right way and i wont stop thinking about them. A MUST ORDER. Also got elderflower lemon granita. I always get wary of elder flower bc its so strong, these people KNEW THE ASSIGNMENT👏 Heavier on the lemon, a kiss of elderflower to round it out. A MUSTTTTTT. The vibes are so right in here. Its a must visit in the area. Recommend for dinner or just a drink

Bone marrow and champagne aren’t exactly part of my regular diet, so I’m rating this place for the experience it offered. A fair ‘well done’ from me — what more could I ask for than popping into a pub on a casual Portobello walk and dining by the fireside? The beautiful decor, high-end tableware, attentive service, exceptional menu items and reasonable pricing made it a day. Thank you Team!

Once in a while I like to dine at a gastropub because it feels very casual but still got that curated menu. The Pelican is that one gastropub that I always recommend to friends. What we ordered were all 10/10. Our waitress was a very sweet lady who walked us through on the menu and the specials of the day, which I find was very considerate bc our seat has a restricted view of the menu. I really like the gazpacho and the summer tomatoes. Later I learned that the tomatoes were grown in The Pelican’s own garden. No wonder they were so full of flavor, talking abt farm to table. I have so much respect for restaurants that carefully source their ingredients. It tells me that the culinary team takes their food seriously. Did I mention the mouthwatering lamb roast? My partner and I devoured that huge plate of lamb and it was emptied in 15 minutes. Absolutely delicious. I would highly recommend my friends to visit The Pelican even if they don’t live in the area.

Incredible food - we both said that the onion tart and turkey pie were the best pies we’ve ever had. Shoutout to the delicious spicy margs at the bar as well! Great service and atmosphere. We will certainly be back.

Excellent dinner in a super cosy setting in London. What makes it even more special is that you can choose to stay either in the pub area or the restaurant side. The food was truly outstanding — in my opinion and my mother’s, the best restaurant in London when you take into account the vibe, atmosphere, food, and service. A beautiful experience overall. A big thank you also to Vlada, who took care of us the entire evening, explaining each dish in detail and communicating my mum’s dietary needs and allergies to the kitchen. Greetings from Switzerland! ;)

I had the turkey pie, mashed potatoes and chocolate mousse. The standout was actually the mashed potatoes followed by the pie and then the mousse. Service left more to be desired, hard to get their attention. And the washrooms were weirdly very dark! Could barely see anything. I would return given the quality of the food.