Beach Blanket Babylon

Address: 45 Ledbury Road, Notting Hill, West London, W11 2AA
Telephone: 0871 811 4705

Beach Blanket Babylon -- or BBB to regulars -- occupies a prime site in the centre of Notting Hill in an old Georgian house. A fixture since 1990, it's recently been refurbished but has lost none of the visual impact for which it is famous. The interior is opulent to the point of decadent, a baroque melange of styles that encompasses Gaudi, Versailles and the cathedrals of Spain. The ornate bar can accommodate up to 200, whilst the restaurant is a series of rooms -- Chapel, Crypt, Scullery -- interconnected by walkways, tunnels, bridges and staircases. Food, lest we forget, is Modern European in style