Last Updated on June 22, 2025
Ukrainian Dining in Notting Hill
4.5 out of 5.0 stars
Our Restaurant of the Month review highlights our selection of each month’s new openings. It always inspires excitement and debate at London Unattached Towers, and this month’s article is no exception.
It’s rare that there is a confluence of geopolitics and fine dining in our decision-making, but this month, that is just what happened. We were keen to support Sino, a new Ukrainian restaurant; food is an essential part of soft power and the country needs all the support it can get. But it was chef Eugene Korolev’s CV that also won us over. He hails from Dnipro in eastern Ukraine and has built an impressive career across Europe, working at the two-Michelin-starred Vendôme in Germany, the one-starred Atelier Amaro in Warsaw, and the one-starred Benoit in Paris.
Korolev has now opened Sino, a chic little Ukrainian bistrot in Notting Hill on the old ‘front line’ of the All Saints Road. In the 90s, I used to hang out just over the road from where Sino sits, as the management of a band I was working for resided there. There weren’t any chic things on the All Saints Road in those days, but it was handy for stocking up on weed and crack if that was your thing. These days, there is barely an echo of the edginess that the district was renowned for. Sino means “hay” in Ukraine, reflecting the country’s reputation as the breadbasket of Europe.
Sino is a visual treat and will undoubtedly soon be featured in the style magazines. There are roughly finished peach-coloured walls, ears of wheat hanging from the ceiling, handmade clay downlighters, and dark wood chairs, tables, and flooring. There are gorgeous mottled clay plates bearing the restaurant’s name, balanced by the elegance of posh Riedel glasses. Dance music throbs away at an acceptable level, and food writer Felicity Spector, who has just written a book on Ukrainian food, is in.
We chose some Ukrainian sparkling wine from the international wine list, but it turns out that they have run out. Our charming Colombian waiter suggests a Sukholimanskiy Ukrainian white made by Biologist craft wines. It has notes of honey, orange peel and dried herbs. I’ve not tasted wines made from Sukholimanskiy grapes before and would repeat the process.
We ordered some bread more out of curiosity than need. Borodinsky Rye bread is a traditional sourdough made from rye flour with caraway seeds. Served warm, it was rich, dark and crunchy and served with a wildflower butter, Maldon salt and a malt reduction that added a hint of sweetness.
A small plate of marinated aubergine came with a sprinkle of cottage cheese and parsley. Gently flavoured, it made for a pleasingly squishy mouthful, helped by the accompanying Kyyrma cheese bread, a soft Lavash bread with four cheeses melted on top. The piquancy of a red bell pepper dip gave it a slight kick. A bundle of lightly cooked crayfish in a cabbage wrap sat in a lightly spiced creamy tomato velouté, drizzled with fennel oil. It’s this sort of light dish that characterises the cooking at Sino, taking something that would be heavy in its natural state and creating something much more delicate and refined.
A main dish of tiny smoked potato balls was doused with a hay-infused cream, onion and mushroom sauce and came with a dollop of pike roe on top. This was a hearty, warming dish, but perhaps not the best choice for a hot summer’s day, with the cream needing a deeper hay flavour and swamping the welcome saltiness of the pike roe.
A fine-dining take on the traditional Chicken Kiyv is one of the restaurant’s signature dishes. Served with a soft bison grass mash, the tender, boneless flesh has been encased in a light, crispy breadcrumb with wild garlic butter and truffle, oozing shamelessly.
A side dish of pickled beetroot came with slivers of plum and was dressed with walnut oil. The lightly pickled beetroot was almost a tagliatelle, coming in long and surprisingly crisp strips.
A honey cake dessert was made out of multiple thin layers, with a topping of buckwheat chocolate and sitting in buckwheat tea. Light and warm, not too sweet and with subtle caramel notes, it was moreish in an understated way.
Eugene Korolev’s cooking at Sino is precise and technically proficient, but it also has a lot of heart and soul. The restaurant will do very well, but don’t leave it just to the Notting Hill yummy mummies, it’s worth more than that.
Sino
7 All Saints Road, Notting Hill, London, W11 1HA
Other new restaurants that have caught our eye this month include
Barbarella
The Big Mamma group, renowned for its maximalist approach to Italian food and décor, has opened Barbarella in Canary Wharf’s iconic YY Building. Inspired by the golden age of 70s Roman cinema, the two-floor trattoria features ‘vintage Ferragamo silks, glitzy mirrored ceilings, chromed lounge areas, and a showstopping open kitchen at its heart.’ There’s a waterside terrace and food including a caramelised Italian tomato tatin with Parmigiano cream, homemade pasta like the one-metre-long spaghettone and a 1.2kg T-bone for carnivores.
Barbarella
YY Building, 30 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, E14 5HX
Harry’s King’s Cross
In more Italian restaurant news, the fourth of Richard Caring’s Harry’s group has opened near King’s Cross station. Featuring a large terrace for al fresco shenanigans and situated in what was a Vinoteca, the all-day restaurant and bar is sure to spread la dolce vita across the capital with signature dishes like hand-stretched pizzas, indulgent pasta and the whimsical Toadstool dessert.
Harry’s King’s Cross
3 King’s Blvd, London N1C 4BU
Fulham Pier
West Londoners and football fans will be excited by the new riverside food hall next to Fulham’s football ground. With food traders, bars, alfresco river seating and over 10 kitchens including Tinie Tempah’s fried chicken Raps, Indian Giola Butter Chicken and rotis, Tacos El Ray, Fat Pickle Burgers, Local Greens, Slice & Dice – NYC-inspired pizza slices and Happy Endings – ice cream sandwiches, there’s something for everyone. For a more formal dining experience, Adam Byatt’s Brasserie Constance is located in the same building.
Fulham Pier, London SW6 6HH
