So there we are on a summery Sunday evening, mooching about the house with a supper of Waitrose Thai Chicken Curry soup waiting for us in the fridge, when out of the blue the Lovely Husband says “fancy a drink?”. Now this offer has never knowingly been refused, so we walk down the road, cross Notting Hill Gate and go up a short stretch of Campden Hill Road. This is where the Windsor Castle is, a pub I have been going to on and off for more years than I care to remember. It’s a quaint little place full of dark wood and ‘Ye olde worlde’ atmosphere. Midget sized doorways lead from one small room into another and recently I’ve had a pretty good Sunday lunch there, but this time we head straight into the pretty beer garden at the back. It’s heaving with people as all outside spaces are on a warm, sunny evening in London.
A pub that everyone, if asked, would agree suits the adjective 'charming' very well. Kensington, so...
A really *nice* English pub with loads of history that they haven't hesitated to write on the walls.
"The Windsor? You know, the one with the weird small doors and the big beer garden." It's a cosy wooden affair inside with plenty of space whether you're eating or just drinking.
For a drink: lovely pub, would recommend.
For food: not amazing, leaning towards sub-average pub grub. Still refusing to grow up, I got the burger which was tasty but didn't impress more than usual. The cauliflower tart was equally OK, but only OK.
Nevertheless, it's a nice all round experience of you want to eat in a decent, intimate Kensington environment.
A classic and famous pub in Kensington/Notting Hill. I have been there several times with friends and family. The historical environment plays a big part in my coming back every time. It's food is top notch and I can definitely recommend the burger, bangers and mash, roast as well as their scotch egg! It's a great place to relax and enjoy some drinks in good company. It's also a laugh to see my 6'6 boyfriend fit through the small doors. The staff are great although some lack knowledge within their beverages and at times have been noticeably hung over, which isn't too nice. I strongly recommend anyone a visit!
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Arriving at Notting Hill Gate tube, the pub is only a short ten minute walk. Situated right in the heart of the local community at the end of Peel Street sits The Windsor Castle pub. Outside, the pub looks fresh faced having recently undergone a renovation but I am pleased to see that the 18th Century listed building has not lost its charm.
Once inside the same warm charm and character is maintained with dark wooden panelling adorning the walls. I must admit for a Tuesday night I am a little surprised at how full the pub is with many of the pews and cosy booths taken up. The bar plays centre stage with an impressive range of 18 speciality beers, real ales and ciders. It is sweltering, so I really can’t wait to be seated and have a nice cold pint.
We are seated at a table inside the newly refurbished restaurant at the back of the pub with views of our subject’s frivolity in the courtyard. So would this meal be fit for a Queen?
Our dining experience starts off well enough with a friendly waitress passing us our menus and offering us drinks. Whilst we ponder over the menu we opt for a bottle of Aconcagua, Sauvignon Blanc from Chile (£29) and a cold pint of Bernard Dark Lager (£5.20). The Bernard arrives and has been described as dark in colour but surprisingly does not taste like ale, but indeed a lager with a slightly chocolaty taste.
Whilst mulling over the menu I sink back and back into my faux leather seat that resembles more a chaise longue, than a chair, no straight backs here.
The seat gives you the choice to ‘style it out’ in an extremely relaxed pose or sit on the edge with a stiff upper back. My choice was made simple as the chaise long pose was abruptly halted by the thud of my leg hitting the wobbly table leg. One bruise later I’m sitting upright with enough room behind me to happily seat another patron.
On reviewing the menu I am pleased to see that the Windsor Castle hasn’t lost its familiar pub favourites. The menu offers some traditional pub classics Scotch egg (£5), Smoked chicken Caesar salad (£9.50), Gloucester sausages and Mash with cider gravy (£11.50) and Rib-eye burger (£14).
We quickly review the menu and settle on our starters and mains which are noted down and hurried to the kitchen for them to be made.
In a few short minutes our castle dining experience quickly turns into a theatrical Shakespearian performance of “The Comedy of Errors” when a red faced waitress returns to say that we have ordered from the dining menu and will need to pick our meals again from the pub menu. I am not too bothered given that both my chosen starter of Ham hock terrine, piccalilli and toast (£7.50) and my main 28-day dry aged rib eye steak with Béarnaise and chips (£22) are still on the menu. For my partner however is disappointed given both his starter of Scallops and his Sea Bass main have disappeared from the new menu.
This is quickly forgotten however when he finds numerous additional meals that he would happily like to try. To start, he opts for the meat board – spicy sausage, chorizo, ham hock terrine, sausage roll and piccalilli (£15) and for his main rib-eye and chuck burger, Colliers cheddar, chips and house relish (£11.50)
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Whilst we wait for our food some more customers are seated at a booth table behind us, upon switching on the lights the customers remain in complete darkness until the bulbs are speedily replaced by a mortified waitress.
My guests meat board arrives and is laid out on slate and looks visually pleasing to the eye, I am assured that it tastes as good as it looks. The homemade piccalilli is a really great accompaniment to the chorizo and spicy beef sausage. My starter of ham hock terrine on the other hand is so very disappointing; it has no definable taste and has hard lumps of indigestible fat. It is accompanied with a broad bean salad that also contains squares of terrine. Why anyone would think it a good idea to give two huge slices of terrine, with no discernible flavour and then add even more to the salad I have no idea.
In between our starters and mains we sit watching life pass by in the courtyard and the errors keep on rolling with staff taking food orders to the wrong tables. We then watch as anyone over 5ft 10 comes in from the courtyard hitting their head on the ‘Fire Escape’ sign repeatedly. After a while, although it’s wrong, it does become rather amusing and we silently chuckle into our wine
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In a pub restaurant there are a few meals that I view as signature dishes, a beef burger and steak being two of them and if done badly they can seriously put you off returning to a pub. With this firmly in mind I am worried that my guest’s rib-eye and Chuck burger could make or break the night. Luckily the burger arrives moist, smothered in Colliers cheese in a sesame bun. The addition of the house relish with a hint of Worcestershire sauce is wonderful.
My steak arrives cooked to perfection and is accompanied with a huge bone marrow. For some people this could be off putting but for me it brings back wonderful memories of Sunday lunch when my treat after dinner was to have the lamb bone and devour the marrow.
We are given a dessert menu (£6-£8) to peruse over whilst I do my best impression to my guest that I am full and have no intention of ordering anything. Yeah right, for me dessert is the most important part of the meal. Having scanned the menu there are too many things that I would happily choose, so we seek a recommendation from the waitress.
I settle on the Hazelnut brownie, peanut butter ice cream (£8) and my guest goes for Bakewell tart, cinnamon crumble and ice cream (£7.50). Both desserts are absolutely delicious, the brownie has a firm nutty consistency and the peanut ice cream is tremendous. The Bakewell I am assured is one of the best my guest has ever tasted. The pastry is light and crumbly with just the right amount of jam and almond.
Even though the waitress had one of those days and we played Yahtzee with the menus, the beer was fantastic and if you’re looking for a vibrant fun pub with lovely friendly staff and good favourable pub grub then you can’t go far wrong with the Windsor Castle.
I don’t know about you but for me my local pub is more than a drinking establishment it’s an institution a focal point for the community. So if you have a local pub make sure you support it sadly over the last couple of years London has seen a steady decline of many of our much loved and historic local pubs.
One of my favourite pubs still, as it has been for the last several decades. A pub not a tosser's paradise. Can be frequented by Hooray Henry's but still appeals even in this modern age.
This is a charming pub that still holds the characteristics of the olden days with wood panels to segregate the pub into areas. It can get very busy on a weekend so if you want to enjoy one of my favourite beer gardens in the area, I suggest you book. The stand out menu item for me is the scotch egg. Highly recommended if you are after a snack
My friendly neighbourhood local. Good beers on tap, to go with great food. They have an outside seating area which one can call a beer garden. I wouldn't call it a proper garden but it's green enough not to dispute their call. They put up a marquee in the winter along with ample heating so you can still eat outside.
They do a brilliant scotch egg. And their roasts are tip top. Fish and chips is great too. Be sure to book before as it is extremely popular!
One of my favourite pubs in Notting Hill (and London for that matter). Yes i did just say the same about the Prince Bonaparte but the Windsor Castle is better. The outdoor beer garden is amazing for the summer and the cosy interiors are great for winter. The pub has a lot of history and that old world English charm, which is lost in modern day pubs with slot machines and too many bright lights (did somebody say Weatherspoons?)
Probably the best feature of the Windsor Castle is its beer garden. It has a 'Secret Garden' feel to it with fairy lights and vine covered trellising. The outside bar serves mulled wine in the winter and cold beer in the summer.
The interior is also charming, all old wood. The pub is split into two with this tiny door you have to pass through to get from one section to another. I have bumped my head here on a number of occasions. There is a decent wine list and the food is good gourmet pub food.
Great pub with an impressive legacy. The beer garden is fantastic - full of heaters, fairy lights, lots of seating and it's own outdoor bar (so you don't have to keep going in to get a drink!). In the winter they have barrels of mulled wine and hot cider - at Christmas time it's a dream! Only complaint would be a rather rude, sarcastic and flippant barman I've come across a couple of times - he's all gelled hair and bad attitude - avoid! Other than this charmer, the staff are lovely. Food isn't bad but a little bland. They are renovating at the moment and will open again in April - look forward to seeing what they've done!
The food and place are great especially when the weather is that amazing but the service is terribly slow and mediocre. Even if they are lovely, they just don’t know what they are doing unfortunately. If you’re a patient person and don’t mind repeating yourself, you’ll have the best time.
The staff were really friendly, it was said to be wheelchair friendly & wasn't. If you have a manual wheelchair & are able to manage a small step you may be able to get in. I couldn't get in with my electric wheelchair. I needed to leave my electric wheelchair in the the Beer garden near the 3 steps from the garden. I went back to 1 of the doors with 1 steps & pulled myself in. Once in the staff were great & I had a child's meal as an adult meal was to much for me to eat, but it was well worth it, I enjoyed it so much. There was no disabled toilet there so go before going.
Another amazingly popular pub rammed on Easter Saturday..even the beer garden is booked solid. Luckily the wonderful staff let us sit on a reserved table as we were only here for a quick drink..and ready to go as soon as asked. Had a good Taylor's Landlord. Madge on lime and soda. CAMRA heritage interior....thus in 2023 Good Beer Guide.
Great atmosphere. The food was outstanding. Service was wonderful and fast. And they were super busy when we were there.
Gorgeous pub. Friendly staff. Can’t wait for the sun to come out so we can enjoy the garden. Pimms was delicious.
Great Place to eat. Maybe a little bit dark for my standard, but great dishes
The Sunday roast sharing platter was superb. Plenty of food for 2 people and cooked very well.
The desert's were great.
The service was very good but only a little slow at the beginning but mostly due to about 5 different groups of people coming in at the same time.
The garden seating was great. very clean and also you get the smell of the cooking from the kitchen which adds to your appetite.
I visited it with my wife recently and I need to say atmosphere 100% amazing! Staff is wonderful.
Such a stunning WOW FACTOR!
Bar service = fast and friendly.
Food service = patient & friendly and fast.
The variety of food is overwhelmingly in a good way.
You will have plenty to choose from for any dietary preference.
I would absolutely come back, it's a must see for anyone.
If I could give this place more than 5 stars I would, fantastic service from start to finish.
Brilliant pub and well worth checking out if you don’t know it
Staff are amazing and they sell the best beer in the UK Tim Taylor’s landlord and it always tastes fantastic.
Cheers!
I had the pleasure of being served by member's of windsor castle and I must say the guy named Tushar provided outstanding customer service. He was attentive, polite, and went out of his way to ensure that my experience was enjoyable with my girlfriend. I would gladly return to the pub because of the excellent service
We really liked the food. We were lucky to get food as walk ins, so a reservation for dinner is definitely recommended. The swedish pear cider with strawberry was very nice.
I visited with a friend on a lovely summer evening for drinks and dinner and were lucky enough tho get a table outside. They have this lovely little garden full of character and great atmosphere. Inside the pub is also very cosy and has period features. The service and food were great. Overall really enjoyed our experience. #alfresco
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🚇 Notting Hill Gate
🍺 £5.85 Pravha
❤️ A charming old world West London pub.
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The Windsor Castle is located in a peaceful street in upmarket Kensington. Agatha Christie lived just around the corner, I’m not sure if she ever popped in for sherry after scribing a novel but I would love to think she did. The nearest tube is Notting Hill Gate which is a five minute amble away.
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This pub was built in 1830 and is Grade II listed. The building wouldn’t look out of place in a rural village and is unlike any other pub facade in London.
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The interior of this pub has a Dickensian feel and is full of old world charm. There are beautiful Georgian wall panels throughout and be careful to watch your head on the partitions between bars. There are loads of comfy nooks and crannies to plot up in around the four different areas around the bar. At the back of the pub is a large covered beer garden for whatever the weather.
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The beer choice is good, there were the usual suspects, a few craft options and cask for the cultured imbiber. My beer was ok, it had a bit of a twang but I’m not one to complain and necked it soon enough. Dining here is quite the intimate affair, the menu is pub classics, good old Fish & Chips costs £17.
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The clientele was a mix of tourists checking out ye olde London pub and well to do locals. The atmosphere here was convivial and relaxed. The staff were very efficient, they were ran off their feet running food to tables inside and out to the garden.
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The @windsorcastlew8 is full of old world charm and an intimate pub experience. I would definitely recommend a visit here and bring your other half, they will love it.
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ℹ️ Info correct on visiting 26/11/22
“I recently had a fantastic meal at The Windsor Castle – the food was delicious and beautifully presented. The service was also excellent from Andrea ,and the ambiance was cozy and inviting. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great dining experience.”
Old school pub with a little "Notting hill" vibe - great service, quick food, maybe add another veggienoption to the menu, but great Plant Based burger, so all good :)
Truly a lovely place for a pint or proper pub food. The fish and chips might be the best I’ve ever had - light and crispy and with a full fresh moist cod filet, hot, a perfect balance of flavours and textures, and elegant presentation. The chips were also perfectly crisp on the outside while hot and tender on the inside. The staff was lively, friendly, and attentive. The atmosphere was quaint and comfy and the bar itself makes for a well-rounded pub experience. Highly recommend!
The menu is top notch, lots of fresh food. I had a chickpea and pomegranate-seed salad with added fillet steak, which was perfection. Lots of pubs in the neighbourhood, this one definitely stands out. Recommended for travellers (like me) looking for a better than average dinner in Kensington.
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