One of my favorite things about London is the city’s streets. From wide boulevards to secret mews, I could spend hours exploring them (and I have!). Today I want to bring you my Kensington High Street guide. This bustling road in west London is an exciting place to eat, drink, browse, and soak up the scene. Its vibrant atmosphere and range of things to do and see make it a local London favorite. Read on for my top picks for places to go on the road. I’ve included an interactive map as well.
Kensington High Street
Kensington High Street sits right in the heart of the area. It runs from near the entrance to Kensington Palace in the east to near Kensington Olympia station in the west. It’s known for its range of shops, restaurants, and cafes.
Originally developed between the 1690s and 1890s, Kensington High Street was established along a residential terrace with large houses. The road now serves as a link connecting the neighborhood to the areas east and west of it.
The street is surrounded by hidden mews and tucked-away green spaces that are worth seeking out. I used to live nearby, and I loved walking down the road and ducking into all the side streets. I still go back every chance I get. I hope this blog post inspires you to do the same.
How to Get Here
It’s easy to get to Kensington High Street from other parts of London. If you want to find yourself in the heart of the road, High Street Kensington tube station is a good place to start. It’s served by multiple London Underground lines and numerous local buses.
Other train, Overground, and tube stations near the road include Notting Hill Gate, Kensington Olympia, Holland Park, and Earl’s Court.
You can also walk, cycle, or ride a scooter to Kensington High Street from areas like Hammersmith, Holland Park, South Kensington, Notting Hill, Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, and Earls Court. In short, there’s no excuse to stay away.
Kensington High Street Shops
Once you’re here, one of the most popular things to do on Kensington High Street is shop. This is one of the best high streets in London after all, and there are plenty of good opportunities to indulge in a bit of retail therapy.
You’ll find a lot of big names here, from fashion to outdoor apparel and home goods. There’s even a giant Whole Foods near the eastern end of the road.
Places to Eat on Kensington High Street
It’s not just the shops that draw people to this major street in west London. There are excellent restaurants and cafes, too. You can find food from around the globe.
Some of the most popular restaurants on Kensington High Street include Jacuzzi, Bottega 35, and La Palombe, but it’s hard to go wrong here.
And when it comes to restaurants just off the high street, everyone loves Maggie Jones’s. Rustic and romantic, it has cozy corners, loads of atmosphere, and delicious British food.
Let’s not forget the under-the-radar Kitchen W8, either. With a Michelin star and top-notch cuisine, it’s one of my favorite restaurants in London.
Museums & Palaces
If you’re into sightseeing, you’ll want to head to some of the cultural institutions on and around the street. The local area has some famous ones, and they’re worth a special trip.
The southern end of Holland Park is on Kensington High Street. Right through the gates you’ll find the Design Museum. It’s home to a range of displays featuring all things contemporary design and innovation. It hosts great rotating exhibitions, too.
Just off the high street, the Leighton House museum is another of my favorites. It’s the former house and studio of prominent Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton.
Unassuming from the outside, the interior is brimming with Leighton’s art. Its interiors are decorated with tiles and fixtures from all over the world, too. It’s one of the best small museums in London.
At the eastern end of the road, Kensington Palace is worth touring if you love all things royal. You can book tickets here. Set in Kensington Gardens, it first attracted William III and Mary II, who chose it as their country retreat in 1689.
Subsequent Stuart and Georgian monarchs made Kensington Palace fashionable, and Queen Victoria lived here until she moved into Buckingham Palace in 1837.
Kensington Palace is still in use as a royal residence today. Everyone from Princess Diana to Princess Margaret has resided here. It’s even been home to Will and Kate.
Side Streets
While the museums and palace show off the opulent side of Kensington, the quiet mews and little lanes let the area’s subtle beauty shine.
From Adam and Eve Mews to Kensington Church Walk, there are loads of beautiful streets to discover. My free self-guided Kensington walk can show you the best of them.
Places to Stay
If you want to stay on Kensington High Street, you have a lot of good options. There’s a range of accommodation along the road, from popular chain hotels to boutique boltholes and apartment rentals.
My top pick for a place to call home-away-from-home on the street is Hux Hotel. In the heart of the action near Kensington Palace, this boutique hotel has everything from sumptuous, whimsical guest rooms to a vibrant cocktail bar. You can book a stay here.
You can see a range of other accommodation options and hotels in Kensington here. With so many choices, you’re sure to find a place that fits your travel style and preferences.
Local Area
There are plenty of places around Kensington High Street that are worth a visit when you’re in the neighborhood. Holland Park is full of lush gardens and peacocks, not to mention an open-air opera in the warmer months.
Towards the eastern end of the street, Saint Mary Abbots Gardens is another pretty green space. The streets around it are beautiful, too.
Running perpendicular to the high street is Kensington Church Street. It’s packed with everything from antiques shops to pretty pubs like the Churchill Arms.
There’s no shortage of other good spots to explore in the neighborhood as well. You can read my full Kensington guide for more of my top picks for things to do and see in the area.
Kensington High Street Map
If you want to get your bearings, you can find an interactive map of Kensington High Street here. It has all the places I mentioned in this blog post on it. It can help you get a feel for where things are on the road.
Kensington High Street
I hope you’ve enjoyed my guide and that it’s made you want to discover this famous street in London. There’s a lot to do and see on and around it, and I’m confident you’ll enjoy exploring as much as I do when you visit.
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