Chez Lui

You know Kensington Park Road—it's the kind of street where you actually want to sit at the pavement tables without feeling like you're paying London prices for the privilege. Chez Lui slots in perfectly here: a genuine French bistro that feels like it's been doing this for decades (even if it hasn't). The dining room is intimate without being cramped, with that lovely worn-in French café aesthetic—think café-au-lait walls, simple wooden chairs, and the kind of lighting that makes everyone look good. The kitchen takes proper care with classics: think duck confit, sole meunière, proper steak frites—the kind of food that doesn't need reinventing. Service strikes that balance between warm and professional that's harder to find than it should be.