Taking flight

Dove (Notting Hill)

RESTAURANTS • First Word

The Skinny: After five years of success with Orasay, Jackson Boxer closed his popular Notting Hill seafood spot on New Year’s Eve and reopened it as Dove in January. It’s the same cosy, candlelit space, but with a steer towards comfort food: Where Orasay served dainty oysters, Dove does deep-fried taleggio and truffle lasagne bites.

The Vibe: Friendly, familiar, with tightly squeezed tables lending a snug, chic vibe. People are here to see Boxer, who earned many fans at Orasay and whose culinary pedigree includes being grandson to esteemed cookbook author Arabella Boxer, son of Italo deli owner Charlie Boxer, and brother of Frank, with whom he opened the Peckham institution Frank’s Café in 2009. But despite Dove being one of the hottest new openings of 2025, it still feels like a neighbourhood restaurant.

The Food: Meaty, elegant, comforting, as in mortadella and burrata on a fried potato pizzette, or grilled bavette steak with smoked bone marrow and morels. The highlight is a light, zingy bowl of ricotta dumplings with lobster cream and lime leaf — a dish you could order on its own with some sourdough focaccia and a honey margarita on a solo lunch date. For the first time at any of his restaurants (including his flagship Brunswick House), Boxer has put a burger on the menu, but you’ll have to be fast: only 10 of the 50-day-aged gorgonzola burgers are available each day.

The Drink: There’s a short yet well-curated list of wines and outstanding cocktails, like the sapling martini, a perfect Negroni, and Botivo and tonic for the alcohol-free.

The Verdict: The locals have already called it: Judging by the customers waiting outside on the cold Tuesday night we visited, this intimate neighbourhood restaurant is a hit. –Laura Price

→ Dove (Notting Hill) • 31 Kensington Park Rd • Fri-Sun 12-4p, Tue-Sat 530-10p • Book.