This is Krokodilos, a lovely-looking room.
What can you tell us about Krokodilos?
This is a Greek restaurant that also happens to be the latest from the restaurant group that brought us Wild, Fantomas and Pinna. It opened late in 2024 when that group was unveiling a flurry of restaurants in quick succession. Most recently, we've already been impressed by both Fantomas and Pinna, with the group showing a lot of talent in launching restaurants that seem to get popular very quickly indeed. They've also shown themselves to be adept at creating a great atmosphere at those restaurants.
So the question is - can they pull it off again with Krokodilos?
Gazing in (there are two big windows into the restaurant) it really does look inviting, particularly on a cold, wet London day.
Where is it?
You'll find Krokodilos about a 5-minute walk from High Street Kensington station, just around the corner from Big Mamma's restaurant Jacuzzi. Like Pinna, which opened only a week before this, they've taken up a building that wasn't actually a restaurant beforehand, creating something that feels very much at home in the area. There's a real warmth to the room, thanks in part to the open fire that sits at the heart of it but also due to some very flattering lighting.
Plus, as with Pinna before it, despite there being very little initial coverage (we were the only publication to write about the opening although Grace Dent has already been in), it's clearly found a fanbase already as it was nearly full when we visited on a cold January evening. The vibe that they've managed to create in their other restaurants is certainly present and correct here, and like the room itself service is also warm.
Where should we meet for a drink first?
This isn't an area that's blessed with excellent bars (we just got a pint at the Prince of Wales, a perfectly decent pub just a few doors down). However, Krokodilos does have its own bar space:
The main bar counter at Krokodilos.
It's a lovely spot and if you're meeting someone here, a drink up at the bar is the perfect way to start. If you're just passing, you will need to order a dish from the menu to go with your drink, but there are plenty of small plates and dips that would be perfect to go with a cocktail or two.
As for the rest of the restaurant, where's a good place to sit?
The room is divided into three spaces. If you take a look back at the photo at the top of the page, you'll see the bar to the back and the main restaurant at the front. Prime positions are by the central fireplace or by the window, but there's a good distance between all the tables so there isn't a feeling of being cramped.
If you're thinking of bringing a crowd - this is a pretty good table too:
Just beside the pass, you'll find this large table, perfect for a big group.
Onto the food then - what can we expect?
We've seen Greek and Mediterranean food really make a splash in London of late, not least with the excellent double team of Oma and Agora at London Bridge. The food here, led by ex-Connaught chef Angelos Togias is the best Greek food we've personally had since Oma. A quick glance at the menu immediately shows that it's trying something a little different from the norm (like the "goat snow" on the flatbread below). The dishes are inventive, the portions are plentiful and everything we had, put simply, just tasted very good indeed.
Things are roughly split into starters and mains and it's easy to get carried away in both sections, somewhat overestimating how big your table is. Things kick off with their bread and olive oil experience (£3 per person) and we'd suggest ordering that immediately, before you even look at the menu. The dips arrive pretty quickly when you order them so you'll need the time to try out the below:
The olive oil experience lets you taste three oils (including their own) and if you're as picky about your olive oil as we are, this will be the best way to start your meal.
Then it's onto the dips. These are an absolute must-order. These certainly fit into the inventive and plentiful bracket and you'll need some more bread to mop these up.
Two of the dips. On the left, the Tyrokafteri Cream (6 month aged feta, smoked red chilli, £9) and on the right the Taramas Cream (bottarga from Messologgi, cured egg yolk which you mix into the dip, dill, £11). Both highly recommended.
At the time of visiting, they were yet to start baking their bread in-house but that's apparently coming very soon. If anything, that's where we could see room for improvement - the sourdough style is fine, but some more dip-friendly options would be a good addition.
That said, while it's clearly not for dipping, do not miss the potato flatbread:
The very, very good fermented potato flatbread with smoked tomato cream and goat snow (aka fine goat's cheese), oregano (£9)
And just before we move on from the starters, the following is also excellent if you want something a little lighter.
Stone Bass with blood orange, fennel, citrus dressing (£19)
Then, it's onto the mains. We got a little carried away here and if you end up going for the goat (spoiler - you NEED the goat), you really don't need another main course as there's a lot to that. But, that said, we'd easily recommend these two:
Prawns Saganaki, with tomatoes, pepper and 6-month-old feta cheese (£24) - this is finished with "sundried tomato petals" and you will absolutely need bread to go with it. You're encouraged to squeeze the heads into the sauce.
Dolmadakia (grape leaves filled with lamb mince mixed with rice, aromatic spices and lamb stock). It's served with a fantastic "augolemono" (egg lemon emulsion) sauce and chive oil, £18)
But really, you're going to want to get the goat.
The dish is cooked for 14 hours for that just-falling-apart result and at the table it's also covered in a sauce that's a reduction of the marinade it was cooked in. It comes with a past/semolina-like trahanas on the side and is just wonderful. It is absolutely not to be missed.
Wild goat from Greece (£25 per person). Phenomenally good.
This is barely scratching the surface of a menu which also includes steak, langoustine giouvetsi, rabbit stew and more. Based on what we had, we'd imagine there are some more bangers on the rest of the menu. As for vegetarians, you're best served by the starter side of the menu with only one vegetarian dish on the main side (something that they might have to adjust). And we'll also leave one last mention for the triple cooked fries (£8) which were notably good.
What about dessert?
If, like us, you've gone a bit mad in the first two parts of the menu, we'd suggest just going for the almond cake below. It's covered in flaming cognac at your table and is incredibly light - the perfect end.
‘Amigdalou’ Almond Cake, Metaxa Cognac (£14)
What about drink?
As you would imagine, there's a good showing of Greek wine on the list and we'd strongly recommend getting a recommendation from their excellent sommelier, Jessica. We can't resist Assyrtiko and there are several on the list, including the first natural orange Assyrtiko we've come across. That's from Gaia in Santorini and is £23 a glass (or £100 a bottle) so it's on the pricey side but was more than a match for the food. As for the entry-level wine, you could start with £45 for a Roditis from Corinth.
The cocktails are also worth a look, all priced at £16 and all featuring Greek elements or inspiration. The strawberry and tomato below was a near-perfect cocktail - something that's inventive but just works perfectly and one you can't really recreate at home.
On the left, Strawberry & Tomato (no.3 gin, fermented strawberry, tomato, olive oil, £16) and on the right the non-alcoholic Beetroot Fizz (beetroot, grapefruit, lime, soda, £9)
Overall thoughts
Krokodilos has been arguably the lowest-profile restaurant opening of this group in recent months. However, given the quality of the food on offer here, word seems very likely to get out that this is just as big a deal as recent openings Fantomas and Pinna.
The food is excellent, the room gorgeous and filled with welcoming staff and we love all the theatrical trappings (much of the sauces for the food are poured at the table). It is, simply put, a very good place to go and yet another big tick for this restaurant group. And if you do make a booking, whatever you do - make sure you order that goat.
More about Krokodilos
Where is it? Lancer Square, 28A Kensington Church Street, London W8 4EP
How to book: Book online or call 0208 191 2783.
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @krokodilos_kensington
Hot Dinners ate as guests of Krokodilos. Prices are correct at the time of writing.
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