London Area Guides #2: Chelsea

Originally this guide was solely dedicated to Chelsea's beating heart, The King's Road. However with so many noteworthy spots just off this great thoroughfare it felt only right to branch out to the further reaches of London's bougiest neighbourhood. Chelsea is home to an abundance of interesting boutiques and mid-high range brands (with the odd high street favourite thrown in), as well as plenty of great restaurants and (largely overpriced) pubs. There's nightlife, if you can afford it, with many a sophisticated bar (which are largely lacking on this list, unfortunately I am not sophisticated). An honourable mention also goes out to the people watching - amongst the parade of Sloaney Ponies with perfect hair and Pradas, you may well just spot a Made in Chelsea Star or Premier League footballer.

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Soak up some Culture

The eponymous Saatchi Gallery (opened by art collector and Young British Artist advocate Charles Saatchi) is an impressive space to view a range of temporary art exhibitions spread out over three floors. Most of the art is contemporary, so no having to pretend to be interested in oil paintings of rich people who died 400 years ago. You may however find yourself asking if something is a piece of art, or just the bin, but hey, that's part of the fun! You'll be haemorrhaging money elsewhere on King's Road, but luckily Saatchi is free to visit.

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Anoushka Probyn AnthropologieUK London Fashion Blogger Chelsea Kings Road Area Guide Eating Drinking Food

Hit the Shops

The Kings Road is home to both high street heavyweights and one off boutiques, making it a fun place for a shopping trip. If you're looking for the latest trends look no further than & Other Stories or Zara, or if you're a colour lover check out one of Boden's few bricks and mortar stores. For the youthful, there's Brandy Melville for cheap but oh so cool clothing. My personal favourite (and old employer!) Anthropologie also have a gorgeous store selling womenswear and home accessories on the road, and their sister brand Free People host a next door pop up of bohemian clothing.

Anoushka Probyn UK London Fashion Blogger Chelsea Kings Road Guide The Ivy Garden Instagram Locations Pastel London
Anoushka Probyn UK London Fashion Blogger Chelsea Kings Road Guide Bywater Street Instagram Locations Pastel London

Get the Gram

The elegance redbrick and white pillar townhouses that line the streets of Chelsea make for very picturesque facades to snap a pic or two, but there are a couple of locations that stand out if you're looking to get that quintessential Chelsea gram. Bywater Street is a quaint spot lined with pretty pastel houses, though you may find yourself elbowing fashion bloggers to get the shot. And the previously mentioned The Ivy is another blogger favourite - it's seasonal floral displays cover the front entrance and make for an impressive sight.

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Anoushka Probyn UK London Fashion Blogger Maitre Choux Eclairs Chelsea Kings Road Review Guide Instagram

Grab a Sweet Treat

Take a bit of 'me time' at French patisserie Maitre Choux, who stock delicious eclairs alongside hot drinks in a cosy floral spot (yep, you guessed it, great for the gram!). The staff are really friendly (and didn't mind us moving their furniture around for the gram, much appreciated!). I wish I could recommend you a flavour, but honestly, they're all great (I definitely don't recommend trying them all at once though, that seems unhealthy...). If you're really extra, coordinate your choice to your outfit for that perfect Instagram moment. Even if you're not looking for a photo opp, it's just a lovely spot for a sweet snack and a yummy hot chocolate, where you can catch up with a book, or watch the world go by outside.

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Refresh your Look

If you're having a bit of a hair mare, duck (gettit?) into Duck & Dry to refresh your style at their chic salon, which specialised in blow drys and up dos. But it's not just a gorgeous spot to get your hair done - there's also a prosecco bar (aka, the key to my heart), which paired with an ace girl power playlist makes it feel like the place to be, even at 10am in the morning. I popped in for a blow dry before a shoot day, and left with gorgeous floaty curls that stayed well in place despite the wind trying it's best to wreck havoc.

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Time to Dine

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Rabbit

Whenever I used to walk down King's Road I always passed Rabbit and thought "one day, I'll try it". It's a little pricier than I would normally consider for a meal, however the restaurant looks so quaint and inviting from the outside. One day the temptation became too much and I decided to try their brunch, and I was not disappointed. It's a farm to table affair with produce direct from the owner's family farm, offering a range of freshly cooked small plates. We tried the smoked pink fir potato hash and chorizo with crispy kale (both pictured), but the real showstopper was the lamb chips, two hunks of coated slow-cooked lamb with a harissa dip. So, so good. They also do a delicious sounding taster menu, perfect for a special occasion (I'm already plotting reasons to return!).

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The Ivy Chelsea Kings Road London Dinner Lunch Restaurant Dining Veal Rib Eye
The Ivy Chelsea Kings Road London Dinner Lunch Restaurant Dining Salted Caramel Chocolate Bomb Dessert

The Ivy Chelsea Garden

The Ivy has become pretty well known around the UK as an accessible mid-tier with pretensions of fine dining, and the King's Road outpost is one of it's most famous. In Instagram circles, it's best known for it's decadent seasonal displays, which when in place turn the exterior into quite the circus of grammers (and their reluctant instagram boyfriends/friends/relatives, delete as appropriate).

A lavish space decked out in the group's usual "18th century bird enthusiast meets abstract art gallery" decor, the main room is typically sumptuous and always abuzz with the gossip of Chelsea's well-heeled. However it's the garden space that is the real showstopper, liberally bedecked in all sorts of greenery that makes it feel a little as if you're dining in the rainforest, were it transported to Amalfi, or at least somewhere more exotic than London.

The food is again, the usual Ivy fare - British classics and a few international stalwarts, with a vast menu to choose from spanning breakfast and brunch to the full dinner service. I've worked my way through a fair amount of the menu in my time, and dishes I regularly find myself coming back to are the scallops (self explanatory, scallops are delicious), the tempura prawns (again, prawns, delicious), and the veal-rib eye and steaks for main. I rarely make it to dessert, but I have yet to be disappointed when I have. The chocolate bomb is extremely rich, oozing with hot salted caramel sauce, and the cheesecake (a special during my visit) was the perfect light, fresh antidote to a heavy meal. Price wise it is certainly not cheap but not astronomical, with mains averaging around £16 to £20.

Kahani Indian Fine Dining Restaurant Sloane Square Chelsea Guide Review Travel Blogger
Kahani Indian Fine Dining Restaurant Sloane Square Chelsea Guide Review Travel Blogger

Kahani

Tucked away behind Cadogan Hall off Sloane Square is a truly special dining experience. Kahani (meaning 'Story' in Urdu) is a fine dining Indian restaurant helmed by ex-Tamarind Michelin-starred Peter Joseph, serving up a selection of small plates and chargrilled kebabs designed for sharing.

Unsurprisingly for a restaurant with such pedigree, everything is done to the highest standard at Kahani, from the cocktails (my boyfriend, a bartender in a past life, heaped praise on his "perfect" Old Fashioned) to every morsel of perfectly cooked and delicately flavoured food. The standout dishes include the selection of chargrilled kebabs, including the outrageously juicy Malabar prawns and lightly spiced Somerset lamb chops. Try the spiced chickpeas in sweetened yoghurt, a surprising revelation with complex flavours and textures, and the authentic fish curry, which had me reminiscing about my Keralan grandma's cooking.

What Kahani manages to master is creating food that works for a British palate (the heat is definitely turned down a notch) whilst retaining the rich, complex flavours of Indian cuisine. It's by no means cheap - the appetisers average around £10 with the Indian menu staple, butter chicken, coming in at an eye-watering £22 (and don't even ask about the lobster). But this is not your standard Friday night takeaway. It's a big claim, but the food is worth it.

Anoushka Probyn UK London Fashion Travel Blogger Pizza Express Kings Road Chelsea
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Pizza Express

I know what you're thinking: Pizza Express, really Anoushka? But hear me out on this one. Firstly, The King's Road branch is one of the pizza chain's most gorgeous venues, set in a historic building with a beautiful entryway and outdoor garden area. Second, it does live music. But honestly, I don't know why I'm trying to justify myself because I love Pizza Express!

Everyone has their favourite dishes, but if you're somehow a newbie, I'd recommend La Reine (Prosciutto, olives and mushrooms), Barbacoa (pulled beef and salsa), and Padana (goats cheese and onion). And pretty much all the other pizzas too... Oh, and dough balls, obviously! Make sure you check their website/app for offers, such as two for one mains, or deals on multiple courses.

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I'd love to know if you have any other Chelsea suggestions! Looking for more ideas? The lovely Supal, blogger extraordinaire and friend, has a guide on her blog featuring her favourite Chelsea spots. If you'd like to see guides on any specific London areas, just leave a comment or drop me an email at anoushka.probyn@gmail.com.

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