Purveyor of artfully scuffed contemporary gastropubs, Public House unveils Cece’s, the latest addition to its portfolio of hot dining tickets, including The Pelican in Westbourne Park, The Hero in Maida Vale, Cotswold bolthole The Bull in Charlbury, and, most recently, The Hart in Marylebone. For their most garlanded opening to date, childhood friends James Gummer and Phil Winser, alongside hospitality veteran Olivier van Themsche, return to their roots to bet on something slightly different: an Italian restaurant with a hint of Hollywood in a quiet corner of Notting Hill.
Wallpaper* dines at Cece’s, London
The mood: a transportive portal
Less a hub for beer-sloshing conviviality, Cece’s is a refined, opulent haunt for a glamorous rendezvous. It might feel slightly out of place on the residential street it occupies, with its over-the-top biophilic façade and grand reflective copper entrance guarded by a sharply suited host – but that’s precisely the point.
‘We want people to feel like they have stepped into a different time. The interiors are like no others in Notting Hill. They are opulent and surreal, with low lighting creating something that feels almost cinematic. As soon as you step through the copper door, we want you to feel transported into a different world,’ van Themsche tells Wallpaper*. Inside, a two-level, somewhat mysterious restaurant unfolds like an eccentric members’ club, rich in character, where glossy finishes are juxtaposed with soft fabrics and a plethora of plants.
The food: Italian with a hint of Hollywood
White asparagus, bagna cauda
As with the rest of the Public House restaurants, the menu is deliberately ascetic, focused on seasonal simplicity and serious sourcing. Italian in spirit, it opens with stuzzichini – small, rich bites such as crab, tomato and aioli crostini – before moving into antipasti – bream carpaccio with cucumber, or a well-judged fritto misto are among the favourites. For primi, do not miss the comforting pappardelle with ragù bianco, or tagliatelle layered with scarlet prawn and lobster.
Tagliatelle with scarlet prawn and lobster
The veal Milanese is recommended as the go-to for the secondi, best accompanied by a side of olive oil potatoes. Elsewhere, desserts remain classic, from chocolate torte with crème fraîche to ricotta and honey gelato. The wine list leans Italian, with considered detours through Burgundy, Bordeaux, and further afield.
Cece’s is located at 123A Clarendon Rd, London W11 4JG, United Kingom