The secret treats surrounding Launceston Place

Launceston Place is a Kensington institution known for fine dining. Home to several respected chefs over the years, the current chef-patron is Ben Murphy, a protégé of Pierre Koffmann at The Berkeley. Murphy also spent several years cooking at Michelin-starred restaurants in France and was more recently awarded Chef of the Year by the Craft Guild of Chefs. He is responsible for a menu of original, thoughtful and beautifully presented dishes. Meanwhile, the restaurant’s interiors are calm and the quality of the cooking is superb.

Just next door you will find a popular new artisan coffee shop called Hjem (pronounced ‘gem’). They offer Danish rye bread in open sandwiches, as well as pastries, breakfast options, and a range of baked goods – along with coffee sourced from Climpson & Son. The Scandi-influenced interiors are also beautiful to behold, with a bustling front room and a calmer space at the back where you can work or meet friends

On the opposite side of the green lies the green façade of Kensington Flowers. This shop is family-owned and sources many of their blooms direct from British flower farms, as well as fresh foliage and plants from New Covent Garden each morning. The beautiful front room has large windows looking out on the green, various vases and flowerpots for sale, and a numerous vintage objects that decorate the place. They also offer online orders and same-day deliveries, as well as a service installing flowers.

Launceston Place has become home to a growing number of art galleries. This includes the contemporary gallery Marie Jose, as well as nearby Thackeray Gallery, which has been representing British artists for more than fifty-five years. Perhaps the most interesting is HackelBury Fine Art, which was initially founded to showcase 20th-century photography, but now sells conceptual artwork from a mix of emerging and established artists. They have recently opened a second space in Hampshire and also offer studio visits to collectors.

For many years, the busy thoroughfare of Gloucester Road has been a less chic side of South Kensington. However, the street has recently become smarter with restaurants like Coco Momo moving in, and Chelsea favourite Patridges opening a second store here. Of course, one local eatery has been here since 1972: the Italian trattoria Da Mario. Fun, flavourful and informal, this restaurant is loved for its traditional menu and flower-strewn façade. Famous fans include Madonna, Dustin Hoffman, Renée Zellweger and the late Princess Diana.