The Kensington Roof Gardens

An 8th-floor Kensington eyrie, where “beautiful views” (of London and the greenery in the Roof Gardens below) and “blingy” décor create a “special” vibe; in other respects, however, it “doesn’t hit any high spots” and is “too expensive”. read more

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If there was ever a venue that was perfectly suited to the glitz and glamour of Kensington then surely it’s got to be Kensington Roof Gardens.  Owned by uber-rich Richard Branson, set six storeys above the reach of the working class, and full of the crème of London’s beautiful people, it pretty much epitomises the kind of venue that the average Vogue/GQ reader parties at or aspires to party at.  And to ‘top’ it off, the venue is also home to one of Europe’s largest and most impressive roof gardens.  Apparently, these people still need to eat, so the venue has obliged with Babylon, its seventh storey restaurant.

Walk into the rather unassuming ground floor entrance and one is lead into an elevator which you expect will magically transport you into a whole new world of solid gold walls, diamond chandeliers and £50 notes for loo role.  Disappointingly this is not the case; the restaurant is a pleasant contemporary affair, with plenty of whites, bright greens and some quirky décor.  There’s also a nice outdoor area where one can indulge in some cool cocktails, although the view of the city isn’t the best around.   Visit on a Thursday evening and you’ll even be treated to their live jazz band.

Some nice warm bread with properly salty butter got things going nicely.  Starters were plump Seared scallops with fennel puree, wild cress, winter truffle and a really fresh and clean tasting Prawn & crab tian served with some lovely runny soft boiled quail eggs.  Mains were just as simple and well executed.  Alex Vee’s Scottish fillet of beef was modest of size, perfectly cooked and served with celeriac mash, sautéed spinach & a perfectly complementary Madeira jus.  My generous Braised lamb shank was equally good, with the tender meat just falling off the bone, whilst the lovely Pommery mash had a solid mustard kick and the jus was thick, rich and plentiful.

Desserts were again a mix of classics, but requiring a little more polish.  The Plum & Armagnac soufflé was light and fluffy, but lacked any hint of the promised Armagnac, whilst I decided to pig out on the Dessert Selection; highlights of the five desserts were the Clementine Cheesecake and the Pear sorbet, although none really set my world alight.  Some lovely dessert wines helped soften the blow though, including a particularly well rounded Turkey Flat dessert wine from Australia.  The extensive wine list also contains plenty of good quality and decent value half bottles too.

So we both really liked the place and the food was very accomplished. But with starters at around £12, mains at £22 and desserts for £9, it was pretty expensive and there is far better value to be had elsewhere.  If I had the money though, I would gladly make this my local!

Food: 3.5/5
Venue: 4/5
Value: 3/5

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Love's profile     Other reviews by Love     Love likes    

One of the most beautiful venues in London is the prestigious Kensington Roof Gardens. Located on the 6th floor of a rather majestic building just off of Kensington High street, a lift takes party goers up by the group to wait in line for entry by the cloakroom.

Entry is only possible as a member or being on a guest list, so befriending members is a priority for all who wish to visit. After paying the extortionate fee to get in (some £25) I enter into the main room with its white tile finish, large rounded glass floor-to-ceiling windows and white curtains dotted around the white room are pillars and centrally sits a dance floor with pop and rnb tunes being spluttered out. The drinks are also quite expensive, with cocktails available and wine from about £25 a bottle.

Heading down a passage off to one side, the venue opens out onto a scene of well tended gardens with lawn, a live orchestra and thick full-set trees, hedges, shrubs, beautiful flowers and water features about the place. Up-lighting and romantic benches, strategically placed for privacy among the garden really bring the place to life. Off to one side of the gardens is a restaurant and a large glass room with heavenly neon lighting equipped with Shisha, of a more modern variety with strange tubing, ornate glass vessels and deep sofas. There are also BBQ services and burgers cooked fresh all through the night, during the summer months.

Overall the Kensington Roof gardens is a haven of absolute luxury. The experience is breathtaking and the evening, wonderful (with the right amount of cash) The only turn-off is the number of beautiful women throwing themselves at the feet of rich, ugly, old men. I would definitely frequent this venue if invited, and would consider membership if it were more affordable

Greg's profile     Other reviews by Greg     Greg likes    

I MET TWO flamingos behind the anonymous face of 99 Kensington High Steet, overlooking the Babylon Restaurant's furtively tucked Hanging Gardens. Not being one to dwell on disappointment, my father facilitated a classy feast post publisher Webster's declination. The flamingos (alas) were not on the menu.
We licked proceedings with charged flutes of Beaumet 'Cuvée Brut' Rosé NV cerise plush shampoo, gaining an effervescent, wild strawberry tinted perspective via the quadruple glazed filmic vista of the world's most complex city.

A city which promises to turn dreams into reality but more often than not sharpens reality. A hearty truffle-whipped wild mushroom soup (let's use the Russian for soup 'cyn', it sounds more apositely decadent) was hot on its vibrantly beady tail, met dunkingly-fine with just born soda bread picked-out with shaved almonds and sun-dried apricot morsels.

Black Lagoon vdp d'oc evocatively 'dawn picked' Viognier '03, followed as the low November sun shone its rays through the glass, its gentle confected pineapple influence quelling adeptly fried baby seabass, al-dente, whole asparagus and a sheath of dill (a tough ingredient when it comes to non-argumentative wine marriage).

Chateau Les Arroucats, Sainte Croix du Mont '03 provided a slight rose bush thorny bitterness to my crisp pastry, fig-full Eccles cake, whilst '87 Hutcheson port minced convincingly alongside my father's cheeseboard, calming blushing sour grapes with its "texture thing" attribute (soft, beguiling; silty but not naughtily-tannic).

Down below, luminous flamingos overtly absorbed the breath-condensing cold, wandering why they wandered so far from their eastern hemisphere home. Rustling, vellum feel vine leaves and a gauche olive turned softly to russet. Tropical looking, bright mottled ducks meandered with docile notes played in harmony on beak trumpets.

J. Springer-esque 'thought for the day': intrinsic knowledge of wine is not automatically equating to passion. Wine writers with overriding concerns over 'specific gravity', please don't ever taint this wannabe communicater who is in love with the sensous pleasures proferred innately in the powerful pulse of food and wine and the presence of words...

Douglas's profile     Other reviews by Douglas     Douglas likes    

I went to the Roof Garden Restaurant and its night club last Saturday. The restaurant was really good: although the food was presented as a nouvelle cuisine dish, we all felt full at the end of the meal (but we were all girls!) The wine was very good too and the overall bill was very reasonable for London. You do find pretty awful table service in England but I was quite impressed last Saturday. We got a discount on the entrance fee of the club which was a nice touch. Just as well because none of us enjoyed it: the music was very boring and not varied, 80% of the seats were reserved and the drinks were expensive (had more ice cubes than coke which I think is very mean). Despite the music, the drinks and the posh customers, the setting was very good: can see outside while dancing, can go outside in the 1930's garden. Worth a visit just for that.