The Traditional English Restaurants of London

This Notting Hill stalwart - an area that has recently achieved worldwide fame thanks to the film of the same name - was founded by the Geale family in 1939, but they finally parted company with it in 1999; some would say ‘not before time’ as it was starting to reflect a slightly rundown image.

The new owner, Mike Graham, has given the place a lick of paint, rather than a new ‘look’, and the menu continues to offer up the same dishes as before, specialising in fish, fried or grilled, chips and extras like the traditional ‘mushy peas’.

Most importantly, the fish is fresh, cooked to order, and the quality is consistently good; whilst the portion size is between 10 to 12 ounces, quite generous.

The traditional fish: cod, plaice, salmon and haddock, are on offer at between nine and ten pounds a portion, with a choice of chips or new potatoes to accompany the dish, whilst their salmon fishcakes at £7.50 are deservedly popular.

Lack of space is a bit of a problem, and some find the conditions rather too cramped and spartan for their liking, however, it does offer good value for the area, which tends to be rather pricey these days, and this is a compensation for many.

It has developed a loyal following over the years, and devotees would hate to see any changes being made, but others feel that – though the standards of food and service have undoubtedly improved with the change of ownership – it still could be brought a little more up to date.