Notting Hill Diary

Cuisine: Thai
Value for money: excellent
Atmosphere: good
Service: very good

No 1 Café is so named, because of it’s address, 1 Dalgarno Gardens. Why such an innocuous address for one of the best Thai restaurants in town? We’ll because up until 8 or 9 years ago it was something of a greasy spoon by day and a small Thai restaurant in the evening.

Back then it occupied the tiny centre part of the building with only 6 or 7 tables. It was always packed and did a huge trade in takeaways to hungry diners, who would flock from miles around to sample - did I say “one of the best”? Make that “the best” Thai food in town.

I’ve never heard a bad report of this place and most say it’s the best and most authentic Thai they’ve ever had outside of Thailand. So perhaps it’s not a surprise, although no less impressive, to see that they’ve expanded year on year so that by now they occupy one room to the right and two to the left of the original building and, in the summer months, have tables in the adjacent garden just on the edge of Little Wormwood Scrubs.

Even more impressive is the fact that it has become this popular despite being completely off the beaten track. Situated in a commercial no man”s land between Ladbroke Grove and Scrubs Lane it has no passing trade and has built its reputation almost entirely by word of mouth.

And the food? The food is to die for. I’ve been there many times and almost never been disappointed (there was a brief period a couple of years back when the soups went a bit to salty, but they seem to have overcome that now).

The menu is both extensive and well balanced and, because they offer vegetarian versions of most of their dishes (sometimes TWO vegetarian versions), I’ve been able to try something different every time.

Prices are extremely reasonable and you get to bring your own booze, further driving down the cost of a meal. There’s a corner shop next door that sells drinks, the only other business in an otherwise residential street.

Service is polite, efficient and friendly.

Go to Number One. You will not be disappointed. Even if you have never tasted Thai food before, or you have, but weren’t that keen on it, try Number One.

1 Dalgarno Gardens
London W10 5LL
020 8968 0558