Caia

The story

Caia London – Modern European Bistro in Notting Hill | Michelin Recommended

An intimate modern bistro on Golborne Road

Caia describes itself as an intimate modern bistro, and the description fits. Tucked away on Golborne Road in Notting Hill, the restaurant brings together the best bits of a European bistro and reinterprets them through a lens of Asian ingredients. The space shifts naturally from lunch into the evening, carrying the buzz of the neighbourhood with it.

The kitchen is led by John Javier, whose cooking draws on a global perspective shaped in Australia. His menu takes bistro-style dishes and gives them an Asian twist. You might find crispy sweetbread saltimbocca with guanciale and sage, or beef tartare with bagna cauda, horseradish and artichoke. Cacio e pepe cheung fun sits alongside ube, and the dessert list includes a matcha and white chocolate tiramisu. The approach is precise, playful, and rooted in depth and balance.

The bar matches the kitchen’s ambition. Cocktails and wine are poured with the same attention to detail, and the atmosphere stays lively and unpretentious. Music is part of the identity here — the restaurant curates its own playlists, and late-night sessions extend the energy well past dinner.

Caia’s approach has earned it a Michelin Recommended award, a recognition that aligns with the careful, layered cooking on offer. It’s a place where European contemporary cuisine meets Asian flavours, and where a shared plate and a well-made cocktail feel like the natural way to spend an evening.