MIKE'S CAFE (OR MJ's) ON BLENHEIM CRESCENT, IS THE BEST CAFE IN THE AREA NOW, [SINCE THE DEMISE OF THE 'FAVOURITE CAFE', WHICH WAS TURNED INTO A 'CAFE ROUGE' UGH! DON'T GO THERE!]. AVOID THE TATTOO PARLOUR TOO. THIS MAN AIN'T AN ARTIST! FIRST FLOOR RESTAURANT IS GREAT FOR STARING OUT OF THE WINDOW AT THE PASSING SCENERY. ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT PORTOBELLO IS THAT PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO VISIT: YOU GET AN INCREDIBLE MIXTURE OF RACES AND FACES.  THEY COME TO SEE THE PLACE WHERE THE NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL TAKES PLACE & WHERE THE FAMOUS DOOR FROM THE [ANNOYING] MOVIE 'NOTTING HILL' IS. THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEONE TAKING ITS PICTURE. [IT'S NEXT TO STARBUCKS ON WESTBOURNE PARK ROAD] & THE TRAVEL BOOKSHOP [WHICH IS OPPOSITE MIKE'S CAFE]

NB: STRANGE ATTRACTIONS IS ONE OF MANY SHOPS TO HAVE BEEN FORCED OUT OF THE AREA BY RENT HIKES. THE PORTOBELLO ROAD HAS LOST A LOT OF IT'S CHARACTER BUT IT STILL HAS A VILLAGE FEEL TO IT FOR LOCALS, WHO CAN WANDER THE LENGTH SAYING HELLO TO VARIOUS FACES. I'VE NEVER FOUND ANOTHER AREA OF LONDON THAT CAN CLAIM THIS, EXCEPT THE KING'S ROAD DURING THE PUNK ERA