the Design Kitchen in Kensington and Chelsea

Sadly this lovely location with good food, great views and friendly service is spoiled by the addition of trashy music. This used to be one of the few places you could come and have a quiet coffee. If they insist on having background music could it sound less like the music for a greasy cafe, and more in harmony with its nice environment?

Rude. I just popped by to see the menu due to my dietary requirements. I said I was looking, the guy stood in front of me, over me, right in my face. It's like he was trying to intimidate me. Not the place I want to stay in

The Design Kitchen has a nice atmosphere and beautifully presented dishes, but the wait time was extremely long. The food itself was decent, but nothing exceptional, and the slow service made the experience less enjoyable. If you’re in no rush, it might be worth a visit, but be prepared to wait quite a while for your meal.

We pre-booked the Tim Burton Afternoon Tea. We each got 3 small double slices of bread, one scone, and 5 small cakes. (And I got some chewy bits of chicken in one of my slices of bread, unfortunately). All three of us didn't think it tasted much, unfortunately. We expected much more flavour in total! I had a hot chocolate to drink, and it was bland/plain. When we had the cakes on top rack left, they removed the racks, and put the plates on the table! We think that was a bit rude, as servings from the rack is a nice part of the experience! We expected much more than this for £36 per person! We can't recommend this, sorry!

They pretend to be polite, but everything is unbelievably slow

staff were so kind and offered us a free glass of prosecco when they ran out of vodka for cocktails. such delicious food and gorgeous atmosphere!

Banoffee pie is too tiny for 9£. Americano is good even for 4+£, but make sure to specify if you want to have it hot with food otherwise staff is not wise enough to take care of it.

A place with potential, but disappointing service This café could be pleasant if the service wasn’t so slow. Tables are not cleared promptly, and many remain dirty. Of course, the tables near the windows are the most sought-after, but the staff act like prison wardens. When you ask for a window table, even if it becomes free, they prevent you from moving. It’s not right, and it makes the experience uncomfortable. Once, we dared to move to another table without asking, and their reaction was as if we were trespassing in their own home. In a café, customers should be able to sit freely without being restricted by a big sign saying "please wait" as if it’s a five-star establishment. And even in a five-star establishment, guests are seated where they prefer. It’s such a shame because this could be a much better place if the atmosphere was more welcoming. A little smile would go a long way, and if you can’t handle working in hospitality, perhaps it’s time for a career change.

I’ve been here a few times with my NCT/mothers group as there’s a comfy lounge space that fits a bunch of strollers, and serves great coffee and cake in a relaxed environment. The last few times we’ve been served by Prathyusha and I have to say, she is always so friendly and kind. So nice to be welcomed back by a familiar face with a warm smile every time. We love it here!

The food was very very basic. I got a smashed avo with poached egg which was TINY just one slice of bread and they don’t have any gluten free options which just seems weird in this day and age I got a portion of the kids pasta which seemed to be made with fresh ingredients but the pasta was so overcooked it disintegrated on the fork. Try mixing red tomato sauce, sloppy pasta that falls apart on the fork and toddlers. Nightmare. At least learn how to cook pasta surely…. And the prices felt like a lot for what it was

They can’t cook pasta was basically soup my kids couldn’t get it on the fork. Overpriced. Nice setting but over zealous staff clearing plates before we finished without asking….. very pricey for bang average food

I visited the Design Kitchen over the weekend and I have to say, it was absolutely incredible! From the moment we arrived, the service was impeccable—everyone was so friendly and attentive, going above and beyond! The menus were clean and well-organised, which was a nice touch, and made ordering easy. But let me tell you, the real highlight was the afternoon tea. It was exceptional—every single item was delicious, from the scones to the cakes. You can really tell they put thought and care into every detail. Honestly, it was worth the trip just for that alone! If I could give this place more than 5 stars, I absolutely would. Highly recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable dining experience. Can't wait to go back!

Food is not as good as a famous restaurant. However, this is not an expensive kitchen that you can have a meal after walk around the museum. Staff are nice and friendly.

The restaurant's interior was nice. Quiet and comfortale atmosphere. We can rest for a while🫖☕️

Nonexistent service. Looooooooong wait. Average food for above average prices. Better eat elsewhere :-)

Super nice staff, great service and the food was yummy.

Lovely quiet place for lunch. Beautiful dishes and nicely decorated.

Promises far more than delivers. Great staff willing and keen nice decor. However let down dramatically by the chef. Cold food. Tasteless and basic at best. Glutenous and worthy of being returned and walking out fast. Sorry must do better.

Was not expecting a lot, but had a nice meal of classic poached eggs on sourdough. Lovely music, beautiful interior design, unusual that you need to order all the food and drinks at the bar, but the staff was lovely and accommodating. Would certainly come again.

The drinks were fine, but we had to wait a very long time. It took almost an hour before we received all three drinks.

Really bad service, we waited 30 minutes for our coffee 😩

After seeing and visiting the museum, it is worth resting, and in this restaurant it is possible. The atmosphere doesn't come from the museum, the restaurant fits into the whole and it looks wonderful and calming at the same time.

Looked up the restaurant online beforehand and looked great so headed for a late lunch at around 2:45pm today. There were two very appealing food menus at the door with nothing to suggest they weren’t serving food. We sat down and only them it became apparent that the kitchen was closed. Coffee and cake was all that was available but we couldn’t order at the table, we had to queue up at the bar. I explained to the server that they need to update the website with clear information on when food and service is available, and when only coffee and cake is on offer. The menus should also not be on display at the entrance when the kitchen is closed.

Very nice and quiet place, ideal for work and long stays. Very good cuisine and attention to dressing and colors on the plate. Very nice and attentive service personnel.

A really lovely new hangout within the Design Museum. Overlooking Holland Park, this (at least right now) is a very quiet and cozy café where you can sit down and unwind after exploring the exhibits. It's still very new, and I expect it to get much busier soon, but overall a very solid new place to enjoy a quiet morning or afternoon.