Palate’s Guide to Chiswick

Chiswick is a low-key, affluent neighbourhood that sits on six miles of the River Thames in west London, in the district of Hounslow.

In the 1100s, it was “Old Chiswick”, a Middlesex county that thrived through farming and fishing. Thanks to its proximity to central London, it became wildly popular among the wealthy – close to the city, but far from rambunctious city living. When Chiswick finally joined London, it turned into a hot slab of real estate.

Shops, cafés and restaurants blossomed along Chiswick High Road, Turnham Green Terrace and Devonshire Road, and not only can you slip into central London, you can easily slip right out – straight to Heathrow airport – in less than an hour.

Honestly, I get it. After moving to London, viewing flats all over town – from south-east in Bromley to northwest in Wembley, Chiswick is basically a gold mine. Hell, even Vincent Van Gogh vouched for it, and lived there in his twenties.

It’s quiet, but not boring. Affluent, without the snobbery. Loaded with food, and filled with enough greenery (and locals who actually greet you), you’ll be questioning whether you’ve wandered into a village all its own. After all, it used to be.

 

Where to eat and drink

Fine dining

A celebration of British produce, mixed with Scandinavian cooking methods and bursts of new flavour, The Silver Birch sits ever so modestly on Chiswick High Road for a restaurant that’s just won three AA Rosettes for culinary excellence, and is recommended by the Michelin Guide. Chef Nathan Cornwell works meticulously to create a Michelin-star-worthy experience, from the chalk stream trout and seaweed tart starter to the brown butter chocolate delice dessert, served with milk sorbet and a crazy-cool sheet of caramelised white chocolate.

For fine and authentic Italian, Villa di Geggiano is a spectacle of a space with flavour to match. Staff will welcome you first to the bar, where you can either get sat at your table, or first, kick back in the lounge, with cushioned couches and walls of framed art that pile up to the ceiling like Tetris. Open your appetite with cocktails and nibbles, then start with the giant burrata with sun-dried tomatoes, balsamic reduction and delicious, salty kale crisps. And while I agree that the truffle fad may have reached its limit, I can’t help but recommend the tagliolini with winter black truffle.

Chef patron Malcolm John runs the kitchen at Le Vacherin on South Parade, a two AA Rosette French bistro recognised for its culinary excellence. Traditional French dishes like escargots de Bourgogne, Gressingham duck and foie gras terrine and stone bass tartare can all be found, as well as a Valrhona chocolate bavarois with Morello cherry ice cream and praline.

Over at La Trompette (the sister restaurant of Chez Bruce in Wandsworth), Chef Greg Wellman uses British produce to create modern French fare with his own twists. Lemon yellow booths and contemporary art wrap around the restaurant walls in this bright dining room where guests can order dishes like rabbit raviolo with white onion velouté, wild garlic, trompettes and pancetta; venison loin served with creamed potatoes, roasted beets, pancetta, cavolo nero and peppercorn sauce; and a roasted poussin with chorizo croustillant, Jerusalem artichoke, trompettes, spelt and roasting juices. End on a sweet note with an apple tarte tatin with calvados ice cream or alternatively a selection of cheeses from La Fromagerie.

Casual

Avanti, near Turnham Green Station, has all the classic Spanish tapas like sizzling prawns, gooey croquettes and a bubbling hot aubergine parmesan plate that must be ordered for the table, along with a bottle of wine or pitcher of sangria. Just leave room for paella.

Italian? Chiswick’s got plenty. Napoli on the Road’s chef Michele Pascarella may have won best pizza maker of the year by the World 50 Top Pizza Awards, but Tarantella won my heart for best Italian. Chill Since ‘93 offers crisp pizzas and subs, and as for delis, Chiswick is spoilt for choice with Mari Deli & Dining near the Thames, Laurents off Turnham Green Terrace and The Italians, near the west end of High Road.

Sushi Bar Makoto stands nonchalantly on Turnham Green Terrace, minding its business as busy locals walk past, but they’re all missing out. Find generous sashimi cuts, teriyaki, donburi, karaage and more within a friendly, relaxed atmosphere.

Local fishmonger and seafood bar, The Whistling Oyster serves up freshly caught oysters, prawn, squid and more in its 32-seater space that includes a small outdoor area and standing bar. Feast at the bar or get your fishy goods delivered if you’re staying nearby.

Think of My Place Chiswick as your neighbourhood diner. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, this friendly, casual restaurant serves tasty food and cocktails, and throws local events for the community to enjoy. Always looking out for his guests, My Place owner Toni greets every table, sincerely asking how they’re doing and what he could do to make their experience better.

Visitors rushing to and from the Tube overlook this Chiswick staple, but Foubert’s has been slingin’ diner-style dishes and gelati since 1978 on its little corner on Turnham Green Terrace and Chiswick High Road. Owners Maria and Luciano Lo Dico have been running Foubert’s for 46 years, starting as a small diner, then expanding into a café and hotel with a few rooms upstairs, but you won’t find them online – you have to call Foubert’s to book.

Further west on the high road, No197 Chiswick Fire Station has a menu that’s as impressive as its interior. What was once Chiswick’s actual fire station is now a sleek, bright space with a vast oval bar greeting you on arrival. Behind it is the equally spacious dining room and an outdoor dining area surrounded by foliage. Despite the large space, you will normally find it packed on weekends for breakfast and brunch, where you can find everything from your typical English breakfast to a sweetcorn and courgette hash. After 4pm, order up Shetland mussels, chicken schnitzel, pappardelle and a myriad of burgers and sandwiches. And yes, there is a bottomless drink option.

 

Cafés and bakeries

For a coffee break, Chiswick has caffeine on almost every block. Early birds rush to Tamp Coffee or Urban Pantry on Devonshire Road before the queues pour out the door. Laurent’s Deli doubles as your neighbourly French-Italian grocer and café, with good coffee and pastries, and outdoor seating along Turnham Green Terrace.

Easy-to-miss, but Chief Coffee is a café turned pinball lounge and Japanese arcade, where you can finish your emails on the first floor, then kick someone’s ass in Mario Cart in the basement.

Heisenberg Coffee Co. is a small café near Turnham Green station, where space is limited, but the coffee is strong. Grab a cup to take away before riding the Tube or strolling along Chiswick or Turnham Green Common.

MaMa Boutique Bakery serves coffee and gluten-free bakes while Parle Pantry, just a few blocks west on Chiswick High Road offers an all-plant-based menu and lots of outdoor, pastel pink seating.

Rhythm and Brews is a popular choice for locals and vinyl lovers looking for good coffee, good pancakes and catchy tunes.

On sunnier days, The Post Room’s outdoor area is bright and floral – ideal for reading or studying with a handy iced coffee, or if you can, snag one of the two outdoor tables at Angie’s, on Chiswick High Road. Then, praise the sun over one of the many fresh salads, juices or pastries on the menu.

 

Pubs and drinks

Like choosing football clubs, every neighbourhood has its pubs and every local has their favourite. I stand behind The Roebuck, humbly sitting on the corner of Chiswick High Road and Thornton Avenue, and has been a Chiswick go-to since 1732. Spacious, with lots of light and comfortable seating, the pub and dining room has a changing seasonal menu, wood-fired oven pizzas, après ski-themed garden and a hell of a Sunday roast.

The George IV sits on the High Road, near all the action of Chiswick’s Sunday markets, and hosts variety of eclectic events from intellectual talks to live music to the occasional wine and cheese tasting where all is right with the world.

Few pubs can say they provide dinner and a show but The Tabard is one of them. Around the corner from Turnham Green Station on Bath Road, The Tabard is a historical pub and garden with a 96-seat theatre on its first floor. The theatre is run separately, but it’s the perfect spot for traditional pub fare and pre-theatre. It might not have the flashing lights of the West End, but it’s a more local, intimate and fun night out.

With a pint in one hand and the view of the Thames, The Bell & Crown is a Chiswick slice of summertime. Soak up the sun while watching rowers on the river or runners along the path, feeling thankful that you’re relaxing with a brew instead. Rumour has it that there’s a ghost on the property past midnight, running wild and turning on beer pumps.

Hidden on Cranbrook Road, the Sipsmith Gin Distillery holds its head high as one of London’s first distilleries of the “modern-day gin-aissance”. Thanks to founders Sam Galsworthy, Fairfax Hall and Jared Brown, who filed a petition against an 1823 law that forbade small stills from obtaining a licence, the law was revoked in 2008. Now, guests can visit the distillery, where they’re treated to a tour of the space, complimentary tastings, a mini gin history lesson and a gift bag to take home.

If you’d rather stick with a brew, Fuller’s Brewery near the Thames Path has provided London with pints since the 1600s. Passed down for generations, Fuller’s offers a full tour of the brewery and of course, tasting samples – from fresh pints to lighter ciders from Fuller’s sister breweries.

When you’re ready to watch the next match, Connolly’s is an Irish pub with a lively atmosphere, friendly staff, live music and TVs ready for any sport. Order a pint and enjoy a game of pool inside, or relax outdoors on their bright green benches.

Vinoteca doubles as a wine shop and restaurant, serving modern British and European dishes and a hell of a wine selection. Check the Vinoteca website for local events, from wine tastings to neighbourhood lunches, where you can ask your server for the best pairing and even snag a bottle to take home on your way out.

For cocktails, Rock & Rose brings tropical glamour to Chiswick High Road with vibrant wallpaper, plants surrounding its gold-accented dining room and innovative twists to popular drinks.

 

Markets

For Chiswick locals, Sundays are reserved for markets – each with a different theme. The flower market is on the first Sunday, vintage and antiques on the second, and the last two Sundays are dedicated to food. The Food Street Market, on the fourth Sunday, is Chiswick’s latest addition, and brings food trucks and stalls from across London to W4. Aromas of Mexican, Italian, Japanese and halal cuisine fill the air as wanderers follow their nose and through each stall, like Masa Tacos, a food truck of Mexican street tacos that, for London, comes as close to authentic Mexican as you can get it.

But the crème de la crème (and so sorry to non-dairy consumers) is the Chiswick Cheese Market. Every third Sunday, this parade of fromageries marches to the beat of Chiswick’s historic drum (the area was known as “Ceswican”, or “cheese farm” in Old English). Blues, whites, yellows, cheddars, stiltons, pecorinos, cow, sheep, goat – all to your liking and tasting. Drunk Cheese offers incredible alcohol-infused varieties like the creamy, beer-infused rabiola alla birria or the classico ubracio with Raboso red wine. Pair that with some jamon iberico from the Finer Things Deli and fresh bread from The French Lady or Mother’s Bakehouse, Isle of Wight tomatoes from The Tomato Stall and you’ve got yourself the perfect Sunday afternoon charcuterie.

Cheesy food stalls set up shop, too, like Grate & Grill’s cheese toasties, The Mac Factory’s mac’n’cheese, halloumi cheese rolls from The Halloumi Press, Sicilian Brothers’ arancinis, La Maritxu’s creamy Basque cheesecakes and even The Roebuck making an appearance with its melting, hot-and ready raclette.

Where to stay

Stylish, sustainable and a short walk from Turnham Green Terrace station, Room2 “hometels” offer colourful studios for maximum comfort and privacy. Each space has its own kitchenette and bathroom, and there’s a café and bar on site for early morning coffee or after-work cocktails. There’s also a gym with Peleton bikes, laundry facilities and an on-site coworking space for an additional cost.

Further west on Chiswick High Road, the Clayton Hotel has all the basic needs and amenities to keep you content throughout your stay, including a small bar and restaurant, meeting spaces and a fitness suite on the first floor. The rooms are spacious, with comfortable beds, and if you ask nicely, the staff may go along with ridiculously great requests, like maybe leaving a welcoming Barry Keoghan photo from Saltburn on your bed, with mini chocolates for extra romance. (Yes, this is based on real events.)

 

What to see

Despite its distance from London’s central buzz, Chiswick has its own sights that are well worth visiting and add to the neighbourhood’s charm.

Chiswick and Acton Common are right across from Turnham Green Station, and are great for people watching as they hurry to the Tube, run their errands, walk their dogs or just enjoy some fresh air.

Chiswick House & Gardens is an astonishing greenspace with massive trees, a pond, a serene cascade and the 18th century Chiswick House designed by architect William Kent. This spectacle of a home was built between 1725 and 1738. When British Baroque-style homes were in fashion, Kent went rogue and was inspired by Italian architecture, instead. The Chiswick gardens were also a gorgeous rebellion against the picture-perfect symmetrical garden, and became the inspiration for the English Landscape Movement.

Also going against the grain, Chiswick’s Mosaic House is an incredible piece of work by artist Carrie Reichardt. Vibrant tiles cover this multi-story home, as well as the two cars parked out front, with funky patterns and words of wisdom written all over the property. It’s a colourful reminder of the beauty of individuality and that perfection can be something totally imperfect.

Along Chiswick’s southern border, the Thames Path snakes along, dividing the boroughs of Richmond and Hounslow, making for an effortlessly scenic view. Wake up early enough and you’ll find rowers training within the fog, runners catching their breaths or the curious wanderer, enjoying a coffee.

London gained a green gem when it acquired Chiswick. Its lush location, agricultural benefits, cheesy history and mixture of old and new makes this neighbourhood a unique space all its own – one that’s rare to find in busy, metropolitan London and well worth the Tube ride west to explore it.

 

This guide was published and last updated in April 2024. The places recommended in this article are entirely the writer’s choices. We have not been incentivised to mention any particular place and there are no affiliate links. 

Cover photo of Chiswick House licensed by Adobe. All other photos by Daniela Toporek.