Every neighbourhood should be so lucky to have a local like this: fun, atmospheric, and absolutely delicious. Located in The Hoxton, Shepherd’s Bush, Chet’s is a Thai-Americana restaurant that combines both cultures in cuisine and décor. We love all of their menus, but what’s especially interesting here is the spice – dishes have chillis ranging from 1-4; the combinations (a NY bodega sandwich, or breakfast bap in the UK, has sai uah sausage and umami ketchup); and the fun – the Thaiami Vice is a drink that serves 2-4 and comes in a ‘full moon bucket’. Come for brunch and stay ‘til lunch. The dining room looks great at night too, with candles and low lighting. Chet’s is open seven days a week, from 7AM until late.

Bush Hall has had quite the history: a soup hall during WWII, a bingo hall in the 50s/60s, a social club in the 80s/90s, and restored as a music hall by its present owners, Charlie Raworth and Emma Hutchinson, in 2001. And now, like so many other music venues, they are facing closure due to rising costs and declining spending. 

A long-time Shepherd’s Bush resident, Lara Coker, Bush Hall’s Commercial Director, tells us about some of her favourite local things and we hear details of the crowdfunding campaign they are running to save Bush Hall and their non-profit music school, Music House for Children.

Tucked away just behind Notting HiIl Gate, there’s a foodie hub brewing. Joining the likes of the excellent Greek siblings, Mazi and Suzi Tros, as well as Eggbreak, who have frequent menu collabs and a new look, are three great new-ish spots to note.

Kuro

Kuro is starting a bit of an empire. There’s Kuro Coffee, with their much-loved specialty coffee, matchas and teas, Kuro Bakery for designer baked goods like sea salt focaccia, honey, spelt and sesame sourdough, and vanilla sakuro croissants, and Kuro Eatery, which becomes Kuro Wine on Thursday-Saturday nights (5-11PM), with wines and small plates.

Juno

First came Los Mochis, the Pan-Pacific, Mexican-Japanese two-floor emporium, with a restaurant and Agaveria lounge, on Farmer Street. Then came their subterranean sister bar around the corner, Viajante87, with a bar menu, low lighting, and great cocktails. And now, there’s a hidden six-seater omakase, Juno, inside Los Mochis, that has immediately garnered rave reviews. Find it if you can!

Recognising the power of a book and the positive role that reading has on children’s development, the Children’s Book Project charity aims to combat book poverty by redistributing books in good condition that are no longer being used to families who need them. Founded by West London resident Liberty Venn, the charity will gift over 350,000 books this year to children through generous donations. If you’re an individual, publisher, company, or anyone else who is able to donate, visit their page to see drop-off details; they also need volunteers and accept financial contributions, too.

Exciting news: another great name is coming to Olympia…

Olympia welcomes the world’s leading provider of flexible workspace operators, IWG, to One Olympia.

Opening mid-2025, IWG will offer a dynamic flexible office space with bespoke, forward-thinking offerings such as recording studios, multimedia content creation hubs and podcast rooms. The new opening will raise industry standards and allow creative talent and entrepreneurial spirit to flourish. Another great addition to the neighbourhood.

Click to hear more about the vision and design at One Olympia.

Easter is always a special time – the first hint of spring! If you’re staying in London, it’s also a great time to explore our fair city, with so many people away. For walks, one of our favourites is along the canal from Little Venice to Camden, and if you’re feeling energetic, you can keep going to King’s Cross, and even onto Columbia Road Flower Market. If you like to wander with people, the West London Ramblers is an Ealing-based group that has organised both local walks and some further afield. Here’s a list of their highlighted local walks for inspiration, and visit their website for a schedule of upcoming rambler walks.

A building from 1903 – an ex Edwardian car showroom and assembly plant – Ladbroke Hall has recently been re-imagined by two artists and gallery owners, Loïc Gaillard and Julien Lombrail, into a living community for the arts. 

We speak to Ladbroke Hall’s Executive Director, Laurie Field, about their programming and how you can get involved.

Now we’re taking you back, way back… to 1911, when Olympia London hosted the Aero and Motor Boat show. The show ran from 1909-1914 at Olympia London, and as Orville and Wilbur Wright had just made the first sustained flight in 1903, these really were the first years of aviation.

You know what March means: spring cleaning time. If you’ve been meaning to do a home cleanse, the British Heart Foundation will pick up furniture and electrics, making it easy for you – just schedule a collection online. Clothes, books and other smaller items can be dropped off at a shop near you. The re-sale of your donations will contribute to the £100 million that the BHF donates annually to research for heart and circulatory diseases.

A West London institution, Belvedere is an oasis of calm. Pass through the gates into the leafy garden, and enter the restaurant’s elegant dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows and great views. They have a new head Italian chef, Antonio ‘Lello’ Favuzzi, and to celebrate, they’re giving one Love Olympia reader dinner for two (value up to £300, available Tuesday-Thursday). For details on how to enter, view the Belvedere competition post on our Instagram.

Just under the Westway resides one of the best skate parks in London, BAYSIXTY6. You must be a member to use the park, but it’s free to join, and after you do, you can book sessions (which start at a very reasonable £6), lessons, birthday parties, special nights and more. If you need equipment, you can rent a board for £5, and helmet and pads for £5, too, and they also have a shop, should you want to buy. Lessons start for kids from age four, and on the first Friday of every month, they have a girls’ night from 7-10PM – as well as an ‘old man’s’ night’ on the last Friday of every month, which sounds fun.

Save the date! Here are a couple of events for your spring calendar.