Whole Foods Market Kensington, London W8
London’s Best Beer, Pubs and Bars updates
Central London: Kensington, Chelsea and Earls Court
Shop (Whole Foods Market)
63-97 Kensington High Street W8 5SE
T 020 7368 4500 w wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/kensington f WholeFoodsKensington tw WFM_Kensington
Open 0800 (1100 Sun)-2200 (1800 Sun). Children welcome.
Cask beer 1 (Redemption or local), Other beer 2 keg, 110 bottles, Also Wines.
Food Cheese, charcuterie and snacks, specialist groceries, food court elsewhere in store. Disabled toilet.
In the US, the numerous stores belonging to this Austin, Texas-based, green minded (and union hostile) supermarket chain are usually reliable sources of well priced craft beer, often from local producers. When the huge flagship London branch first opened in the prime site of the former Barkers department store in 2007, the beer choice was disappointing but clearly the management took note of the changing market and in 2011 it was expanded significantly.
Confusingly, it’s not all in one place. On the ground floor you can help yourself to a handful of draught beers in takeaway containers, including a London cask beer on handpump and changing kegs from Meantime or US brewers. Nearby is a chiller cabinet with a small selection of bottles, and a wine tasting bar where four changing bottled beers add variety alongside various snack plates.
In the basement is a much bigger selection of bottled beers, mainly better known brands but all solid stuff and at near-supermarket prices. There’s a good choice of Kernel and Meantime beers plus Anchor, BrewDog, Brooklyn, Flying Dog, Goose Island, St Peter’s, Schlenkerla, Schneider and the like. The odd more unusual supplier like Stroud from the UK or Fordham from the US might pop up too. Elsewhere is a vast range of specialist, deli and organic food and other groceries and an eclectic and keenly priced first floor food court in what has been described as “a Disney World of food”.
Underground High Street Kensington Cycling LCN+ 45, Walking Link to Jubilee Greenway, Princess Diana Memorial Walk
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