This cosy Notting Hill newcomer has figured out that the way to win over local gourmands is to give them everything they want in one place: flashy pantry ingredients (in this case, from Spain, France and Italy), a respectable deli and an achingly stylish café area that lives up perfectly to Ledbury Road’s preppy reputation. If you’re partial to a bit of quince jelly or a piquillo pepper, you’ve come to the right place.
Grubwise, the brunch-style menu is simple – boards, pricy avo on toast and references to pastries and sandwiches you’ll need to ask about if you don’t clock the chalkboard listing the specials. The day’s highlights included a crusty ciabatta stuffed with slivers of salty prosciutto, creamy gorgonzola and fig, a flavoursome but bready combo that wasn’t bad for a fiver. The real star was the avocado bread (£3): a delightfully moist and crumbly cake laced with tiny chunks of the fruit.
So the next time you’re in this swanky ’hood and it’s impossible to get into the nearby Ottolenghi, make a mental note: the Continental Pantry is an impressive Plan B. Just try not to blow your entire budget stocking up your own pantry while you’re there.