The Abingdon

When it’s dark outside and you want somewhere to hole up for a couple of hours, interrupted only by a waiter relighting your candle, The Abingdon in Kensington is the place for you. The menu is straight-up comfort food: deeply satisfying artichoke soup with a slice of fluffy focaccia for dipping, and tender, lip-puckeringly tangy buffalo fried chicken thighs. The British restaurant and pub feels like the perfect mix between your friend's living room and your local, and after sharing a hearty, creamy fish pie in their deep red booths, the pillow-laden sofas are the place to be. Grab a seat and order the sticky toffee pudding to finish. It’s been on their menu for more than 25 years for good reason: the soft dome of airy cake arrives in a shallow pool of dark, caramel-y sauce and makes for the kind of dessert that—much like The Abingdon in general—is as comforting as a day spent in bed.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Food Rundown

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Buffalo Fried Chicken, Blue Cheese

Pieces of soft chicken thighs are absolutely drenched in the tangy, tart buffalo sauce. We’re big fans of this starter, especially when we get a bite with a generous amount of crumbled goats’ cheese.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup & Homemade Focaccia

This has everything you want in a soup. Creaminess? Check. Likeliness to burn tongue? Check. Ability to make you forget it’s 3°C outside? Check. If they have a soup on, you should order it.

Fish Pie, Smoked Haddock, Salmon & Prawns With Lobster Bisque

Perfect for anyone who complains when their pie is “too much mash”, this two-person portion is filled with chunks of salmon, smoked haddock, and prawns. While we love the commitment to the fish, we’d love it even more if the filling was a tad creamier. But it’s more than ideal for when you’re after a dinner that will prep you for bed.

Cauliflower Cheese

This slightly watery side dish lacked seasoning and the comfort-factor expected from a dish that’s 90% cheese.