Already a cult favourite in Soho, ZIMA has chosen Notting Hill for its second home, opening on Blenheim Crescent earlier this year. Just a few doors from the famous bookshop, the 45-cover restaurant brings a refined slice of Eastern European hospitality to one of London’s most characterful neighbourhoods.
I visit with a Polish friend, and with Lithuanian heritage myself, there’s an immediate sense of familiarity and comfort here. We begin with cocktails while we peruse the menu. Russian potato salad and ‘shuba’, the vibrant layered salad of herring, beetroot and vegetables so beloved across Eastern Europe, set the tone for a meal that is at once nostalgic and elevated, grounded in tradition, yet presented with a contemporary twist.
Mains prove equally compelling. If I see beef stroganoff on a menu, I have to order it. Rich and velvety, with tender slices of meat in a creamy sauce, it does not disappoint. Beside it, we try ‘draniki’, potato pancakes, golden-edged and crisp, served here with a lightness that belies their rustic roots. Signature ZIMA dishes from Soho also make their mark: Royal Siberian black caviar, salmon roe with blinis, Olivier salad with chicken and roe, and black pelmeni dumplings with salmon and cod. Desserts are a must, so save some room if you can. My friend insists we try the ‘medovic’, a honey-layered sponge cake, and a rustic cheesecake served with a strawberry sauce. Both are delicious, and yes we are defeated in the end as we can’t quite finish them, but what a finale!
The restaurant’s soul extends beyond the plate. On the walls, shelves of jewel-toned nastoyka vodka infusions glow beneath warm lighting, while a curated art programme charts a journey through Eastern Europe. As with the Soho restaurant, the art exhibitions will be regularly updated with works by Eastern European artists, Combined with the dark, elegant interiors, natural wood floors and marble bar, the atmosphere is intimate yet distinctive, pitched perfectly for Notting Hill’s discerning diners.
As Lukas Rackauskas, Director of ZIMA Group, notes: “We’re eager to introduce our culture and cuisine to a brand-new audience, adding to the rich tapestry of London’s hospitality scene.” On this evidence, ZIMA Notting Hill is set to do just that, a unique addition to W11 that marries heritage with contemporary flair.
