whenever I crave something sweet, I take a conveniently-short walk to the notting hill favourite cupcakery: hummingbird bakery.

with top-notch ingredients, their cupcakes are the best in London. the sponges are soft and moist. and the frostings perfectly creamy.

I love the red velvet and simple vanilla cupcakes. but make sure you get a bite of the whoopie pies and a slice of cheesecake too.

my favourite branch is in soho. it has such a big display with hundreds of cupcakes. and the south kensington shop has some tables to sit at to enjoy your treats with a delicious latte or a creamy hot chocolate.

a must.

tags: notting hill, soho, south kensington, sw, w.

I almost always go there for take-away only. first, because it’s constantly packed. and also, because I find the people not so nice.

but trust me, when you’re going to eat such lovely food, you don’t need nice.

what you need is a couple of fritters, a slice of brownies, and some cookies. if I’m being honest, I shall admit those are the best brownies I have ever had. they have a perfect texture and an overwhelming taste. the cookies are also damn good.
but the fritters! I could have them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. ask for the dipping sauce.

edit. another view of the window display. with the beloved pentax this time!

tags: notting hill, w.

a lovely restaurant, not too packed during week days. we even managed to find a lunch table for two on a friday.
the food is cooked simply, yet in a refreshing – and altogether delicious – way.

I simply adore the glasses and plates; which you can find at the shop next door, also accessible from the restaurant space.

they also sell take-aways (the counter looked gorgeous) and packaged things like soups (and certainly a lot more, although, I must admit, I didn’t have a proper look).

for lunch we shared:
• a spicy vegetable pad thai – a cold salad of cabbages and carrots with chilli, mint and cashew nuts
• a pizza du jour – with mozzarella, grilled courgettes, marinated artichokes and olives

just one thought: where can organic courgettes come from when it’s snowing outside?

tags: notting hill, w.