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Kensal Green, Kensal Rise and Willesden area guide

Keep busy in north-west London with Time Out's guide to Kensal Green, Kensal Rise and Willesden's restaurants, bars, pubs and things to do
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Considered the chilled little sister of Harlesden, Kensal Green has an arty, bohemian feel (Kensal Green Cemetery, just over the Kensington & Chelsea border, was a fashionable final resting place for Victorian writers and artists, as well as a number of modern-day luminaries) and its cosy, compact terraces appeal to young professionals who can’t afford Notting Hill. Kensal Rise, a few streets east, has blossomed in recent years, with most of the retail action at the north end of College Road where there's a bijou, middle-class vibe, with delis, alternative-medicine treatment rooms and quirky boutiques. Restaurants, cafés and gastropubs also do a roaring trade. Further east, Willesden High Road offers an array of restaurants, shops and takeaways.

RECOMMENDED: London by area

The best bits of Kensal Green, Kensal Rise and Willesden

Restaurants in Kensal Green, Kensal Rise and Willesden

Comptoir V
Restaurants

Comptoir V

  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • price 2 of 4
Even if you’re not vegan and live miles from Kensal Green, you won’t regret making a journey for this. An animal-free sister restaurant to nearby Comptoir...
Bel & Nev
Restaurants

Bel & Nev

  • 4 out of 5 stars
Appearances can be deceiving. Bel and Nev Dartora, co-owners of their eponymous Kensal Rise café, probably do not know personally every single customer who...
Behesht
Restaurants

Behesht

  • 4 out of 5 stars
Long stretches of Harrow Road are fairly unprepossessing, making Behesht a delightful – if slightly bonkers – surprise. The interior is a...
Sushi Masa
Restaurants

Sushi Masa

  • 4 out of 5 stars
For more than two decades, the wife-and-husband team at Sushi Masa have been dishing up an ample selection of Japanese staples at this inconspicuous Willesden...

Things to do in Kensal Green, Kensal Rise and Willesden

Brent Museum
Museums

Brent Museum

Local history museum featuring interactive displays 

Bars and pubs in Kensal Green, Kensal Rise and Willesden

Hotels in Kensal Green, Kensal Rise and Willesden

Kensal Green Backpackers
Hotels

Kensal Green Backpackers

Opposite Kensal Green Station, Kensal Green Backpackers is a 20-minute walk from vibrant Notting Hill. The budget hostel features a 24-hour front desk, free...
Villiers Apartments
Hotels

Villiers Apartments

Featuring free WiFi throughout the property, Villiers Apartments is located in London, 3.3 km from Wembley Stadium. London Designer Outlet is 3.5 km from the...
Kensal House
Hotels

Kensal House

Kensal House offers accommodation in London, 2.6 km from Portobello Road Market. The property features views of the garden and is 3.4 km from Lord's Cricket...

The perfect weekend in the Kensals and Willesden

Browse: Willesden Salvage
Shopping

Browse: Willesden Salvage

Wander around this magical yard filled with everything from vintage road signs to life-size metal horses
Chill: Roundwood Park
Attractions

Chill: Roundwood Park

Willesden's main open space is a Grade II-listed formal Victorian park known for its aviary and wildlife area
Eat: Parlour Kensal
Restaurants

Eat: Parlour Kensal

  • price 1 of 4
Stop in for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just a cup of Allpress coffee at this homely-industrial restaurant