It has become somewhat of a trend in modern times for famous names to own restaurants in the city – and not necessarily those with a talent for cooking, but also those with a passion for dining. Once you have eaten your way through the wonderful menu at Park Grand Restaurant London, you may be interested to see which names you know from the public eye have endorsed the various restaurants across the city of London. You would be surprised by how many there are – here is a list of the top spots.
Walmer Castle, Notting Hill
Former footballer and all-round social baller David Beckham, and beloved director Guy Ritchie, co-own the Walmer Castle pub on Ledbury Road in Notting Hill, which is about half an hour’s walk from Park Grand Kensington. It is a Georgian pub not far from his family home with Victoria Beckham in Holland Park – so it would not be completely out of the question for him to be spotted here. It specializes in pub food with a glamorous twist – like the pub-classic scampi and chips, but with a peanut and sesame dressing. It has both light and heavy meals, meaning that if you found yourself googling “an Indian Afternoon Tea Near Me” that afternoon, this is the perfect place to head for a satisfying but not overly filling dinner.
Address: 58 Ledbury Rd, Notting Hill, London W11 2AJ
The Grapes, Limehouse
Limehouse is an often-overrated dockland area of London, which though a bit more of a distance from Kensington Rooms London, is well-worth a visit – especially if you are impressed by restaurants owned by famous names. The Gapes is owned by not one, or two famous people, but owned by a three-fold talent pool: actor Sir Ian McKellen, theatre and film director Sean Mathias, and publisher of the Evening Standard newspaper, Evgeny Lebedev. Though the current property dates all the way back to the 1720s, the site dates back to 1583 – the trio of famous landlords took over relatively recently (given its age) in 2012. The pub itself is also pretty famous – it was said to be frequented by Charles Dickens and is almost undeniably the scene of the opening of Dickens’ novel Our Mutual Friend.
Address: 76 Narrow St, Poplar, London E14 8BP
Tredwells, Covent Garden
Admittedly, though the owner of Tredwells is a top British celebrity chef, he is not the chef at this particular hotspot – just the landlord. It is Masterchef judge and French-cuisine expert Marcus Wareing, who is the head chef of Marcus and the famous face behind the establishment of this top-notch contemporary dining venue. He also runs The Gilbert Scott at the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel, yet another of London’s dining gems.
Address: 4A Upper St Martin’s Ln, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9NY
The Fox & Pheasant, Chelsea
The Fox & Pheasant can be a great dining option when staying in hotels in Kensington, as it is in the neighbouring area of Chelsea. This is owned by singer-songwriter James Blunt and his wife, Sofia Wellesley, and the pub has been around since 1846. Though right in the middle of central London, it retains a rustic, traditional country-pub atmosphere and has that sort of tavern-chic without being outdated.
Address: 1 Billing Rd, London SW10 9UJ
Bertie Blossoms, Notting Hill
This pub by Portobello Market is owned by non other than the beloved British country-boy, singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran – he opened it with his business partner Stuart Camp when he took a break from the music industry. This is not Sheeran’s first public house venture, as he owns one near his hometown in Suffolk too. Expect all the classics and be prepared with the knowledge that Sheeran loves beer, so the variety may be overwhelming!
Address: 323 Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London W10 5SY
The Parrot, Covent Garden
This tropically themed cocktail bar is owned by the one and only Idris Elba – is there anything he can’t do? He co-owns it with his twin brothers, Lee and Nicky Caulfield. Think chic and colourful decor, bright and imaginative cocktails and live music that retains unquestionable class. It can only sit 60 people at a time, ensuring a consistently elite environment. This is the kind of upscale bar service where you could probably walk up to the bar, tell the bar-tender your favourite flavours and they could rustle up something mind-blowingly delicious.
Address: 45 Aldwych, Holborn, London WC2B 4DW
Tracks and Records, Liverpool Street
If you thought Usain Bolt kept the tracks to competition and the records to running, you would be mistaken. He has opened a Jamaican bar, restaurant and late lounge which offers great music and an outpost for Londoners to get the kind of vibrant, authentic Jamaican experience which has arguably been absent for a while. You will find yourself entirely immersed in the spot-on design and drool-worthy jerk chicken that will Ja-make-a crazy! If you are feeling adventurous, you could also try some of the more exotic meals, like curried goat! So if you are keeping track, Bolt is setting records on the food scene as well as the athletic leaderboard.
Address: 94 Middlesex St, Spitalfields, London E1 7EZ
So, if you fancy dining out or drinking somewhere verified as top-notch by some of the world’s most iconic stars, then head to any of these seven suggestions and you will have a whale of a time. Whether you want a rustic pub from shaggy-haired singers, or spicy chicken from world-famous sprinters, there is something for everyone to enjoy in the city of London, especially those staying in the centrally located Park Grand Kensington – everywhere is at the very least a train-ride away. So, once you have experienced all that your hotel has to offer, from spa treatments to restaurant spreads, then start venturing further afield and let the stars fill your tummies.
