Babylon

99 Kensington High Street W8
020 7937 7994

Above: Babylon

Once home to London’s best tea room on the top floor of Derry and Tom’s, the legendary Kensington Roof Gardens have been through several incarnations since they were completed in 1938. After Biba they changed hands several times – the flamingos remaining constant – and now the gardens and club belong to Richard Branson’s empire as Babylon.

The views from the restaurant, obviously, are wonderful and stretch from the Gherkin to the World’s End Estate. Being so high up, surrounded by so much sky, makes the place feel a bit like an airport lounge and the random, international collection of guests adds to the transit feel. We were here for Sunday lunch with our one-year-old and the kind and welcoming staff immediately and brilliantly provided a clever booster seat and a selection of entertaining objects for her, enabling us to enjoy a very welcome glass of champagne in relative peace.

The lunch menu is small and satisfying. I started with a very lovely butternut squash, apple and ginger soup that contained surprise slices of pretty potent chilli – delicious – while my partner’s risotto of clams, chorizo and parsley was wonderfully creamy and generous on the juicy clams. My main course, pot-roasted corn-fed coquelet with red wine and port sauce, came as a tiny casserole dish containing a miniature bird, bubbling hot and very hearty, while my partner’s roast beef was lovely, perfectly rare and well prepared. For pudding we enjoyed a pretty green pyramid of pistachio parfait and a lovely apple and almond tart; and a bottle of smoky Chilean cabernet sauvignon went down a treat. Babylon has an impressive range of Christmas menus and specials, so don’t forget that there’s life above The Gap.
Pendle Harte

Place:
Babylon,
99 Kensington High Street W8
020 7937 7994
Feels like:
Being on top of the world
Tastes like:
Good, satisfying food
Costs:
£21 for three courses at lunch