A modern British bistro in Notting Hill, London, co-owned and helmed by Chef Max Coen, which quickly earned a Michelin star and a high ranking in the UK's National Restaurant Awards.
Max Coen is the chef and co-owner of the Michelin-starred modern British bistro, Dorian, located in Notting Hill, London. His culinary style is characterized by a blend of global influences, precise execution, and a...
Insights
SteakhouseFrenchSeafoodVegetarian Vegan FocusVegan-friendlyFine diningLunchDinnerFine DiningWine Bar
Last updated: 7/11/2026, 3:58:52 AM
Key Information
Dorian is an energisingly busy neighbourhood brasserie in Notting Hill, London, known for its focus on excellent primary ingredients and a lively atmosphere. It aims to be a bistro for locals, offering a high-quality dining experience with terse menu descriptions that belie the quality of the cooking.
Customer Perception
Customer perception is mixed but leans positive, with many praising the excellent food, particularly the steak, and the lively atmosphere and great service. Some reviewers describe it as one of the best restaurants they've visited, despite lower Google ratings. However, negative feedback includes concerns about high prices, cramped seating, slow service, and occasionally over-seasoned or bland dishes like tough squid and duck.
Additional Details
Located in Notting Hill, Dorian emphasizes a local bistro feel. The restaurant has a significant social media presence with a large following on Instagram.
Dorian is open for both lunch and dinner, Monday through Sunday. It's a popular spot, so reservations are recommended. They also offer 50% off for hospitality industry professionals on Mondays.
A perfect meal. So many brilliant dishes, standouts were the lobster with gazpacho, wild mushroom salad and chicken liver parfait toast. Interesting flavour combinations without being fiddly. Staff were really friendly and helpful (big shout out to Mo for guiding us through the menu), and the barman was happy to talk us through cocktails, wine and show us what we were drinking. Great design, tunes and atmosphere. Perfect place for a treaty dinner.
Went on a solo lunch, very spontaneous booked it in the morning. Place was nearly empty and was greeted well, very accommodating staff. First of all, been recommended this place few times already yet since it was on the pricier side couldnt get anyone to come with me so just decided to go solo. Everything they recommended was amazing, burst of flavours and well executed. Ordered the truffle rosti which was my favourite!! £35 but worth it! It was topped with so much truffle yet it wasnt too overpowering I can still remember closing my eyes while eating this and was so happy after hahah, melon crudo was interesting but would’ve ordered the other rostis they had in my opinion, the “french toast” was crazy good. It was what they recommended to me and it was hands down was a work of art.. the chicken was so tender melts in your mouth with all of the sauces inside. Highly recommend. Now with the mains I ordered seabass as I thought I would be full from all the starters. It was alright well grilled but nothing surprising its a sea bass which was £36… maybe next time if I was dining alone couldve ordered starters and snacks only as they were the most interesting and if going with the group couldve tried their famous steak! Bill was £160 for one person dining. There was a bit of a wait for the food but definitely would go back
5
We visited the restaurant as a group of three and decided to sit at the bar. It was such a lovely experience. We enjoyed some excellent drinks and delicious snacks while taking in the atmosphere.
The restaurant is beautiful, and the staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming. Sitting at the bar was especially enjoyable because you can relax, watch what’s happening around you, and really take your time.
The food was absolutely fantastic everything we tried was beautifully prepared and full of flavour. We had a wonderful time and really enjoyed the whole experience. I would definitely come back again!
5
The best lunch we have had in ages and we eat out a lot. I don’t ever do Google reviews but given how low the general scores are I felt I had to. The food was incredible, the atmosphere is relaxed, the service was amazing, rob & alberto looked after us, thank you. I actually managed to book the wrong dates and they still accommodated us. Yes it’s expensive, the bad reviews are from people that don’t understand that it’s not a cheap restaurant. You get what you pay for honestly. Our bill for a few starters, 800g of steak without the bone and two sides: two deserts and a £180 bottle of wine and two glasses of champagne was £480. It’s not cheap but you get what you pay for, 100/10 will be back. Don’t let the bad reviews put you off. It’s amazing
1
I’m afraid this was a rather disappointing dining experience.
The restaurant is extremely cramped. Tables and seating are placed so close together that we had to move our table twice just to allow neighbouring guests to sit down. Considering the pricing, the paper tablecloths also felt somewhat underwhelming.
Unfortunately, the food was excessively salty — every dish we tried was heavily over-seasoned to the point that it became difficult to enjoy.
Despite there being many staff walking around the floor, the service felt slow and disorganised. Our order was taken incorrectly, and overall the attention to the table was surprisingly limited.
The music was also played at a very high volume, which made it difficult to have a proper conversation during dinner.
Drinks by the glass were quite limited, and overall the food felt significantly overpriced for the quality and experience offered.
All in all, the restaurant feels rather overrated and not really worth making a special trip for. Definitely does not deserve a star