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Il Portico, London,

Il Portico

4.8
4.8
2119 Reviews
£26 to £40
Italian

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2 people
19:00
Booked 9 times today
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
The oldest family run restaurant in London. Spanning 6 decades and three generations, Il Portico Restaurant on Kensington High Street has been cooking regional Italian specialities since it was first opened in the 1960"s by acclaimed chef Pino Chiavarini. Still managed to this day by the same family, siblings James and Francesca draw heavily from their roots, providing simple, authentic Italian food from their home region of Emilia Romagna and beyond. Whilst the family are always on hand to welcome you in, our Executive chef, Eduardo (currently in his 25th year of service with us) concentrates on slow, homemade dishes with a sense of history and provenance.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    Italian
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 12:00 pm–2:45 pm Dinner Mon–Sat 6:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Phone number
    020 7602 6262
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Eduardo Ferreira

What 2,119 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseEnergetic

Diners' Choice Awards

  • West London

    Italian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Il Portico is a beloved Italian gem in Kensington, acclaimed for its "delicious food" and "attentive service." Frequented by locals for its traditional dishes and "warm, welcoming" atmosphere, it's praised for "consistently brilliant" experiences. The intimate setting and "excellent wine list" enhance its charm, making it a "highly recommended" dining destination.

2,119 Reviews
  1. Michael

    London

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food, staff, ambience all top-notch. Was difficult to get water refilled, but other than that great experience for this couple’s night out.

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  2. Kentaro

    London

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    They are very helpful even though my girl fried delayed almost one hour from the booking time.

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  3. Nina

    VIP

    London

    22 reviews

    5.0

    22 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food, lovely place and friendly service! Lovely neighbourhood restaurant!

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  4. Adriana

    VIP

    London

    14 reviews

    4.0

    14 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    We went to Il Portico after an amazing experience at La Palombe, the sister restaurant. The food was good, and the service was ok, but the vibe overall didn’t match our expectations. It’s a nice, classic Italian, maybe not for Valentine’s.

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  5. Paul

    London

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful food and great service. Cannot wait to go back

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  6. Mel

    London

    3 reviews

    2.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 2
    We went to Il Portico after a couple of museums, we were ready to eat. Thought the service was very attentive but the experience was let down by an average spaghetti vongole - not enough food overall for £28. Quite poor. The wine was lovely but expensive - for again an average Gavi. The tiramisu was nice. Felt rushed at the end of service to vacate the premises. Won’t be going back.

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  7. ELRTC

    London

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on 8 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We eat at Portico 2-3 times a year, it is our neighbourhood favourite, lively, friendly, with geniune regional Italian dishes. Do not expect run-of-the-mill puzza/pasta here. It's not for small kids either. We all have our favourite dishes there (calf's liver being one of them, seasonal dishes like pheasant-yet another), and truly appreciate the long-lasting continuity of this place, wishing it being part of the local community forever.

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  8. Corinna

    London

    43 reviews

    5.0

    43 reviews

    Dined on 5 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I had a business lunch at Il Portico and was very happy with the food - we both had the Scalopina alla Milanese...absolutely divine and tasted like I was back in Italy! The service was impeccable too. No wonder this local gem has been around since 1967. I'll be back for sure!

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  9. Sonja

    Sydney

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 1 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A nice dinner out, however the prices listed on Open Table are incorrect and much lower than the ones in the restaurant. One pasta was £29 which I thought was extremely expensive!

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  10. Bilyana

    New York City

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 1 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Insanely tasty local Italian spot, I heard about it many times but finally gave it a try and it’s officially becoming my go-to spot for pasta!

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FAQs

Il Portico is rated 4.8 stars by 2119 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 9 times today
Google Map for Il Portico

277 Kensington High Street, London, W8 6NA

Additional information

  • Area
    Kensington
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 12:00 pm–2:45 pm Dinner Mon–Sat 6:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Price
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    Italian
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Eduardo Ferreira
  • Additional
    Patio/Outdoor Dining
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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