London's not short of 'secret' bars, but the now-defunct The Little Yellow Door was a real gem. The Notting Hill venue closed a couple of years ago, plugging the gap with sister bar The Little Blue Door, in Fulham.
But now, The Little Yellow Door is back... for good. It's found a permanent new home near Ladbroke Grove, not far from the original venue, and reopens its... er, door, in April. That's right — the flatmates are back, and their new home sounds epic.
For the uninitiated, The Little Yellow Door was a cosy bar based on the premise of a fictional group of flatmates. Visitors were able to hang out at their flat — the bar — as if it were a real home, playing board games and staying for supper clubs or house parties. So far, so millennial, but rather than being a gimmick, the cocktails were decent, and the bar built up quite a following that left it much lamented when it closed.
The reincarnated The Little Yellow Door is split across two floors with open-plan living room and kitchen. The decor stays true to the original with mismatched furniture and colourful homewares. It functions as both a bar and restaurant, with inventive cocktails served in cosy corners, and dinner at the kitchen counter.
Comfort food is the name of the culinary game, with a menu that changes monthly. Example dishes include salt and pepper squid, woodfired bavette steak, and pork belly and peanut bao buns. Saturday is bottomless brunch day, and it's all about the roast dinner on Sunday, all served up in the kitchen and living room.
Once you've lined your stomach head downstairs to the The Flatmates' Den, a secret hideaway bar with backgammon and poker tables, retro games, vinyl players, musical instruments and a live DJ. The cocktail list is presented in photo albums, with drinks named after the flat's DVD collection — think Coffee and Cigarettes, and Kill Bill.
If you like what you see and become a regular at The Little Yellow Door, you might even get your own mug-shot mug, and a secret key to guarantee you entry to the flat any day of the week.
And as for the yellow door that gave the bar its name? That'll be on permanent display in the flatmates' new home.
The Little Yellow Door opens on 10 April 2019 at 6-8 All Saints Road, Notting Hill, W11 1HH. You need to book — bookings are open now via email and WhatsApp, and we've been tipped off that the latter is a way to get to know the flatmates better before you arrive. The Little Blue Door is still open at 871-873 Fulham Road, SW6 5HP. Here's hoping they open a whole rainbow of bars across the capital.
