The Shed is a small plates restaurant situated on a quiet side street behind Notting Hill Gate. When you walk up to the restaurant, if almost feels like stumbling upon a secret. The entrance leads you through a little garden that has rustic outdoor seating. The cozy area is illuminated by string lights threaded through vine-covered trellises. You are immediately transported out of London and back to the country or a hot summer night in the U.S. where fireflies circle around you all night long. It is just beautiful.
Through the garden is the entrance to the restaurant. A quirky shed, with a boathouse feel. We were immediately greeted by one of the flannel-clad staff members and led to our table through the busy bar and dining areas. Reservations are required here. I had called many days in advance and had to go back and forth via email to negotiate a booking at a reasonable time. They’re not on OpenTable or have any other type of online booking available which is not super convenient. They also call to confirm the reservation that required multiple calls to get in the first place. Let’s just say they make you work for it. However, it’s worth the effort.
Having been to their sister restaurant, Rabbit, we knew the drill. They recommend about 5 small plates for a couple. The ever-changing small plates menu has everything from single bite teasers to slow-cooked hearty portions. They also have a daily specialty cocktail they refer to as their “loosener.”
The menu is a little bit confusing. The descriptions are so abstract, that you don’t really know what you’re going to end up with. But you don’t really need to, since everything will be delicious. We indulged in a nacho-like dish of ground chorizo, cured bresaola with mushroom ketchup (which sounds a little gross but was actually like a truffle whipped cream), a delicious garlicky grilled scallop, the beef cigars (the only item I wish had either a little more sauce or something wet inside to cut the dryness), the pan-fried goat cheese (omg!), the amazing bread and salty butter, and the not-too-sweet blueberry doughnuts. We left so full and so happy.
And the price is extremely reasonable. We had all of those dishes and like 6 drinks for only about £100.00! Not bad for a Saturday night date in pricy London. We will definitely find ourselves at The Shed again. It is such a cool little place, with a really attentive staff and inventive dishes that change enough so there is always something new to try. I look forward to bringing out-of-town guests here because it really does feel special. There is something magical about this little shed that seems to pop up out of nowhere.
The Shed
122 Palace Gardens Terrace
London W8 4RT
