The Knowhere Guide

Eating and Drinking in Ealing, Greater London*

Ealing, Greater London Pubs, Cafes, Coffee Shops and Restaurants

Food

• Good but expensive - Parade, Charlotte's Place; Good Greek: Wine and Moussaka;
• perfect fried chicken in west ealing (or PFC.. haha!) is a bit dodgy perhaps.
• Service in many of the Restaurants around South and West Ealing has detiorated at lunch time. Recently a customer was told literally "we cant be bothered to cook for you as we are all watching football".(West Ealing-Indian) In another last orders were announced at 1.30pm though the restaurant closes at 2.30pm.(South Ealing-Bangladeshi) There seems to be indifference as to whether these empty places were filled or not.
• We always enjoyed a ggod curry from Monty's. It was near Ealing Broadway.
• A new Italian Deli has opened.The opening night was a huge party.Since then its somewhat quieter. The initial 25 minute wait for strange sauces at £3.50 for two spoonfuls and the Im too busy to serve you wait a long time were making a mint attitude has made it the second and last time I shall visit. Canned drinks are twice the price nearly of the West End Italian delis.
• i believe that a carluccios is due to open where the old footlights restaurant used to be that the alarm used to go off all the time at night when i used to rent a flat in bond street. top italian food.
• The Kebab shop next to the station does a wicked £1 lunchtime kebab BARGAIN!
• There are a variety of Takeaway Foodshops in nearby Acton High Street stretching up to Ealing Common,all along The Uxbridge Road,most are pretty dire though cheap serving the usual fayre of Chinese,Indian,and other fried foods.
• Euro Cafe in the Mall.Euro/Mediteranean mix. Best informal eat out in the borough.
• You do not seem to mention The Lantern Taverna, 5 Grosvenor Parade, Ealing Common, W5 3NN. Tel 020 8992 4267. Some Reviews of The Lantern from lammas.com As ever with a Greek restaurant, don't eat every last bit on those little plates they first bring out as part of a meze menu. You'll be full, and then amazed and horrified as first the meat, and then the fish appears and you've got very little space left for it. The Lantern has an attractive area at the front which is popular in summer, and if you go in hot weather, you'll be put in a holiday mood. The restaurant features live music 7 nights a week. The singer may be a throwback to the Seventies, or even Sixties, but it all adds to the evening's entertainment. Cool it isn't, fun it is. Your comments Peter L. writes (Oct 2000): Through 1990-93, we were very fortunate to have lived in Ealing, and during that short time, the Lantern was our favourite restaurant in all England. We took absolutely every visitor that we had, from both Canada, and from Germany, for supper there at least once. The food and the live entertainment made every evening that we visited an evening well remembered. We look forward to the day that we can again drop by. Ann K. writes (Sep 2000): Just by chance we went to The Lantern last Saturday. We had such a great time that I feel I have to write to you. The atmosphere was electric and the food was good. The Cypriot beer was very drinkable but what made the night was the singer. Don't know his name but he was a great Bob Dylan fan and played his songs really well. Next time I am over in London I will definitely go again. Kate W. writes (May 2000): You can't have a bad night at the Greek - they won't let you! Never had anything else but the Meze (and I've been a fair few times...). Why would you when you get everything on the menu and it just keeps on coming until you admit defeat? In all honesty though, its not the food that makes it great at all - its the buckets of beer, the tambourines and maracas, the greasy haired musician who churns out all your favourites that you can't help singing along to, and even the toilets are that little bit special... Nikki S. writes (Apr 2000): I went to the Lantern with some of my mates for my birthday and had a fantastic time... we booked a table for 7.30pm and didn't leave the restaurant until gone midnight - not because the service was slow - but we were having too much fun!! Paul B. writes (Mar 2000): Just has to be the best and most friendly Greek Cypriot restaurant in the U.K. Michael(the owner)can often be found at the bar. Millie writes (Jan 2000): The Lantern is a really friendly place to go for an evening out. Live music most nights, but you need to book for weekends. Greek food which is good value for money (try the "full catastrophe" an combination of various meats,greek salad,chips,onion rings, mushrooms for 2 people to share. Staff are always friendly and the owner is usually on hand to ensure you have a good night.
• Monty's Nepalese, Northfield Avenue W13 & South Ealing Road W5 The curries come in large portions, they are rich, well-spiced, plain white rice is very good, Kebabs marvelous.
• avoid the kebabs near the station - they're rank.
• The spanish tapas bar aint bad at lunch time a new sushi place next door has also opened all pretty good value...
• New Monty's in the Broadway Shopping Centre (near the Post office) is excellent. A sublime Chickjen Jalfrezi. The Parade Restaurant, owned the people who own Sunny's in Barnes is first rate as is The Clock in nearby Hanwell.
• Minsky's Diner worth a mention. American/Mexican food - very cheap lunchtime specials. Monty's for Indian, although I'd head for the one near the Post Office rather than the one near the station. New Leaf for Chinese - expensive but darn good! Pizza On The Green (Haven Green) for Italian. Bruschetta to die for.
• a few reasonable indians otherwise very poor choice for a big city
• Ginos in Ealing Broadway is worth a visit.
• WAFFLE WAGON in the broadway centre.
• For a FAB curry go to the Clay Oven near Ealing Broadway. (their advert for functions and parties is also quite amusing if you ahppen to see it at the local cinema!)
• some locals OK but nothing spectacular 2 huge Chinese hypermarkets over in Alperton eg Loo Hing Huge Indian one "Dadoos"recently shut due to lack of business.
• Nando's is definitely the best take-away bargain in the district.
• For absolutely the *best* brekkie (of the greasy spoon variety!) check out the Europa Cafe next to the Nat West bank on the Broadway. Absolutely yummy and definitely not dripping in fat. The prices are very reasonable and its always spotlessly clean. The staff are all really friendly too. Tis the best in all London!
• Must give Zayka Indian Restuarant a mention. It's just opposite St Marys Church in South Ealing. Admittedly, the decor is basic bu the food (and the prices) ar excellent as is the service.
• No contest when it comes to Chinese cuisine: (forget Maxims, it's too expensive) it has to be The North China, although this is cheating a bit, it's actually over the border in Acton, next to the old Acton tram garage on the Uxbridge Road. Although another one comes to mind, it's The New Peking, The Avenue, West Ealing. Near West Ealing Station.
• Toss up between the best Indian restaurants in Ealing... Gitanjli of Mayfair, situated opposite The Bell pub (Shortly to be the New Bell) Uxbridge Road. Ealing Broadway. Or The Haweli, Uxbridge Road, West Ealing, opposite Daniel's department store.
• Recommended restaurant on Ealing Common next door to The Grange Pub called "Charlotte's Place".
• In West Ealing is BB's restaurant, which I have always found enjoyable. His speciality is 'Crabback' - great Caribean food and not too expensive!
• Best Curry House is the Tandoori Villa in South Ealing. Cheap and very tasty. Handly located near the New Inn (St Mary's Road) which is a fine pub. After a curry you can drop into Kebab Delight for a spendid Kebab served up by the local Turks.
• Nandoes: This is billed as Portuguese chicken. It really is very decent. Try it instead of KFC!
• Mamma Amalfi: Surprisingly this is good too. Why is this surprising? Because it is a theme restaurant (probably owned by some brewing giant or Cafe Rouge/Flo/Dome. What is more, it is situated in an old Mazda garage, heavily covering up its heritage. Food is good, prices decent, but I wish the waitresses would not put smiley faces on the bottom of the receipt to make you want to tip them.
• Noughts and Crosses: This really is an excellent restaurant, to my mind the best in Ealing by a long way. It is not cheap and appeals to a rather older age group but it serves really wonderful food in a small, but very stylish setting (it is on The Grove). Book in advance for weekends because it is much in demand. The owner is nervy, attentive and deeply sensitive! Go there.
• There's a very friendly little cafe cum restaurant next to the fire station called Ragazzi's (new owners late '95... food not quite so hot), where you can bring your own wine (might be worth checking that point since change of owners).
• The delightful Curry House next to the People's Phone Shop has also changed hands recently, and has subsequently suffered from crap food, even crappier service and is generally full of people who are all complaining about the service. Pity, as the food is quite cheap, though.
• The New Leaf Chinese in Bond Street.
• The Pizza Express is a particularly nice one.
• A very good local restaurant is Lisa's in Pitshanger Lane.
• One of the best chinese restaurants outside of Chinatown is Maxim's in Northfields Avenue.
• Ealing is rich in restaurants of every type. Whether your tastes are American, Balti, British, Chinese, Dutch, French, Greek, Indian, Indonesian, Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Japanese, Persian, Spanish, Sri Lankan, Thai or Vegetarian.
• 7-Eleven nearby the depot for when you're skating.

Pubs

• North Star in Ealing Broadway. Nice quiet haven from the hideous/moron-filled/ear-shattering watering holes that pass for pubs in the rest of Ealing. Pity the guy who runs it is a miserable, officious tosser who's happy to flog you a pint at 11 and chuck you out five minutes later very very rudely.
• The New Inn and The Castle Inn on St Mary's Road sometimes have student types. Usually an old man's thing quite. Towards Grange off St Mary's Road the Rose and Crown is a nice quite pub
• During Football matches the pubs are packed out with yobs.
• I lived in Ealing, London in 1988-89. We all hung out in the Haven. (is it still there) Also the Feathers was popular. Would love to visit again soon.
• the new ealing park tavern has been renovated fantastically...used to be penny flyer. confused mix of middle aged - middle class and south ealing psychos
• for atruely fress faced crowd go to what once (long ago in my youth) muswells and is now warhouse cafe/bar. which is shut most of the week due to no one turning up and lack of staff but becomes 'alive' on weekends were angery young men listen to the sounds of their mates Djing the best/worst of house and garage. cheap pints in the week (when its open) and surprsingly cheap house doubles.
• Whilst other stand in huge queues outside the only other 2 late-night licensing bars in Ealing Broadway (Priory/Town House), why not visit Ealing BRoadways best kept secret, The Baracuda Bar. Cheap entry, reasonibly priced drinks, late license, and you can even get a table on weekend nights! What more do you need?
• yates in ealing great for cheap drinks and an all round good night out
• Get on a bus and get to Acton - the Red Lion and Pineapple is a Wetherspoons pub and thus has CHEAP DRINKS! A young lively crowd (usually people who are moving on to the Redback or the Shebeen (at the back of the George and Dragon) for extended drinking hours....)
• Finnegans is bad. No, look - it's bad. Really bad. Do you get it? It's BAD. Young-faced crowd (spot the euphamism), smoky, dark, loud (in a bad way), very fake irish atmosphere and all. does have a pool table (now) and a big screen, though. but overall the Haven, Better Half, and maybe Edwards are good bets. Or get to Acton for the RedBack Tavern.
• North Star - looks good but the Landlord has a tendancy to push you out very early which is annoying. King's Arms - easily the best pub in Ealing. Tucked away from the crowds on The Grove, as comfy as your own living room and has featured in Only Fools & Horses and Men Behaving Badly. Only pub in Ealing where you can get a seat on a Saturday night and served within 30 minutes! Yates's Wine Lodge if you're REALLY desperate...
• overall dangerous(recent serious assaults & murders) rip offy,filled with drunken morons
• Avoid the Rose and Crown in South Ealing It is a nice looking 'Quaint' pub but is packed with smokers. You will get lung cancer in under 30 minutes in that pub. The Foresters Northfields ave. is good for a quiet drink.
• very unsafe dirty boozy there have been vary many late night assaults and even murder is quite common(See Ealing Gazette) not recommonded comment "I wouldnt let my cat piss in there"
• The North Star is a great pub - situatated right on the Broadway next to Lloyds. Its a traditional English pub with no frills but plenty of atmosphere. A local's local!
• The Red Lion (St Mary's Road) is little gem of a pub. Small, cosy good beer, the only noise the hum of conversation with a pretty beer garden - also its not far from a good Indian called Zayka and the New Inn although this pub isn't as good as it used to be - its not too bad on weeknights.
• This is cheating somewhat but the White Horse in Brentford (E2 bus) is well worth a visit, friendly, never too crowded with a beautiful beer garden. It's also worth going to to stroll through the rather posh (and unexpected! Butts Estate).
• The Drayton Court (The Avenue) Good Fullers pub with a lovely, large garden. Ideal for summer drinking. Also a fringe theatre on the premises.
• The Hogshead brewery next to Mamma Amalfi's also deserves a mention for its 12+ real ales - but it gets busy later on.
• The Kings Head - next to Safeway in Acton is also a good one.
• In my opinion one of the best pubs is the Red Lion and Pineapple - corner of Uxbridge Road and Gunnersburry Lane (nearest tube - Acton Central, or take one of the frequent 207 buses down from the center of Ealing - towards Acton). It's a Weatherspoon so the prices are good - it has guest beers and its big - with nice windows.
• To watch footy on Sky check out the Queen Victoria Pub.
  [But] The Queen Victoria has since been turned into an Irish theme pub called Finnigan's Wake.
• Also see Dave Griffith's pub guide for Ealing
• Best places? The Red Lion pub in St Mary's Road, opposite the old Ealing Studios, and the Prince Arthur pub in Bond Street towards West Ealing...
• There's a pretty naff and extremely pretentious Polish Wine Bar at the back of the Shopping Centre (full of paintings and earnest meedyah types).
• The Feathers Pub has now been renovated and renamed The Town House; unfortunately it is still a particularly crap and uninspiring pub.
• Worst things about Ealing nightlife - without a shadow of doubt - the bloody awful Feathers Pub on the Broadway and the nasty northern Yates' Wine Lodge round the back of Bond Street.

Cafes and Coffee Shops

• Have to agree with Matt: stay away from the Renaissance caff. Miserable staff, manky atmosphere and COMPLETELY OUTRAGEOUS prices for mediocre (or worse) food and drink.
• DON'T go into the renaissance café (formerly known as 'oliver's'.. whoever he was)in the ealing broadway centre simply due to the extortionate prices of the ginger bread men. REEEEEEEDICULOUS!!! and the whole decor is extremely bad taste.. well, i think it is. - matt
• Starbucks, Seattle, Caffe Uno, plenty of small coffee shop/restauraunt jobbies, not bad at all
• All rubbish.No "fine pattisserie"to speak of sadly. Too many lazy ex Tories jus lazin round drinking coffee in Starbucks Costa etc doin nuthin I can see except waitin for house prices to go up again.
• all serving fatty stuff
• lots filled with unemployed yuppies waiting for house prices to go up and interest rates to come down living in 80s.
• The Seattle Coffee company has an excellent range of coffees and (importantly) cakes and cookies.

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Last updated: 2008-02-15