So you’ve just been dragged kicking and screaming out of Diptyque and need some sort of addictive substance to calm your nerves. Your best bet is to turn the corner into Ledbury Road and pop into melt  – London’s coolest chocolatier according to Time Out. 

The shop itself is white and cool, with shelves and tables groaning with handmade chocolates.  At the back is a shiny stainless steel kitchen where the chocolates are actually made.

The flavours can be exotic – truffles filled with passionfruit, raspberry or mango coulis or flavoured with green tea or coconut – or traditional with caramel, mint, nuts or marzipan.  By way of research I found myself buying an assortment for the Husband’s birthday and can confirm that they are some of the most delicious chocolates I’ve ever tasted (and believe me that’s saying something).

 

 

After you’ve staggered out of melt, the next thing to do is cross the road to Ottolenghi, yet another newish deli – which specialises in the most delicious pre-prepared food, breads and cakes to take away.  There are also a couple of tables at the back where you can eat in, but they are almost impossible to get hold of. 

 

 

A bit of retail therapy will soothe your disappointment at not getting a table, so pop round the corner to Brissi on the north side of Westbourne Grove – for very  chic and very French interiors accessories.  It’s the sort of shop I’d love mirrormirror to be when it grows up and I’m a bit dismayed to see that it’s going online too.  Don’t make a note of the URL!

After pausing briefly to gaze at the gorgeous window display

in jewellers Dinny Hall,  the perfect choice for lunch is 202, designer Nicole Fahri’s concept store which houses a chic cafe, and still has plenty of room to show off her elegant clothing and homewares collections.  It’s also a great place for brunch, or just tea and cake, and has a very pretty little garden at the back which is a gorgeous place for a glass of rose on drowsy summer days.  Yet another inspirational shop for when mirrormirror grows up.

I thought we’d start our little trip round Notting Hill on the south side of Westbourne Grove, the beautiful street which winds through the heart of the area. It used to be full of antique shops and galleries, but now, while some of these remain, it has been overtaken by some very chi-chi shops indeed, including big designer brands such as Joseph, Mulberry, and Ted Baker.

However there are still some absolute gems to be found.

The first place to show you is Tavola – the Italian deli which is top chef Alastair Little’s (scroll down for biog) latest venture. Alastair runs a cookery school in Italy and clearly spends a lot of time out there sourcing wonderful products, though he can also often be seen in the deli preparing fabulous pre-cooked food to take away. It’s the deli I visit least as it’s furthest from my apartment, but, being half-Italian, the one I think I love most. The staff scrub up quite nicely too….

Just along from Tavola is the Tea Palace, another newish venture – a large and beautiful room dedicated to the great British tradition of afternoon tea (though you can get a light lunch there as well).

It feels like such a treat to go there – your cakes arrive on silver stands, the table linen is thick and luxurious and I love the wallpaper covered with cake doilies. The homemade crumpets with butter and honey are stratospherically good. The range of teas on the menu is quite breathtaking and are all for sale in elegant purple tea caddies, as well as a lot of other teamaking paraphernalia. The only downside is that they don’t take reservations, so sometimes it’s really difficult to get a table.

 

The final stop on our trip today is the Diptyque shop, which requires no introduction except to say that it’s scented candle heaven and they always have lovely window displays.