The Grain Shop Portobello Road is a bit of an institution, as it’s been at the same location since the 1970s. It is especially busy at lunchtimes, with queues stretching outside the door on Saturdays.

I first ate here in around 1992, and the shop has barely changed since then. When I head to Portobello Road, I always head here for lunch.

The way the system works is that you choose either a standard or large size container, and then choose which dishes you would like. Most of the dishes are vegan, so this is an excellent place to head to for a vegan lunch.

If you love cheese, you’ll be glad to know that there are usually 5 choices of hot food. The cheese dishes are always on the left hand side of the display, with the vegan choices being to the right, so it’s really obvious what’s vegetarian and what’s vegan.

Near the entrance to the shop you will see the cakes and the salads. You can add the salads to your container, along with the hot food. The food is really piled high, so this is excellent value for money.

The standard container costs £6.10 to take away or £6.50 to eat in. Seating is very limited, with space for around 8 people. Most people take the food away to eat in one of the two local parks, both just 1-2 minutes’ walk away.

The Grain Shop also has an impressive choice of cakes and desserts, with many being vegan. These are clearly marked, as you can see above. They are also very reasonably priced.

The Grain Shop Portobello Road Details

Address: 269a Portobello Road

Nearest Underground Stations: Notting Hill Gate, Ladbroke Grove

Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 10:00-18:00; Sun 10:00-17:00