Speck Delicatessen

Specks is Notting Hill/Bayswater/Kensington's best kept secret. Amazing authentic fresh Italian ingredients for taking home and cooking or re-heating. The place is so Italian they close for weeks on end in the Summer and boot you out at closing time if you are dithering.

For starters they have all the usual meats (sliced while you wait), mozzeralla, tomoatoe, marinated artichokes, bread sticks and things.

For pastas they have fresh made lasagna (vegetarian and meat) that you reheat in the oven, as well as a range of fresh pasta and sauces for reheating on the stove. Please don't waste them on the microwave!

They also have escalopes (chicken - I avoid the veal) and various salads all made fresh and different every time I go in. Good collection of vegetarian dishes.

This is a great place to go if you don't really cook but want to impress people who do with a gourmet "home cooked" meal. Just get all the supplies and have it in the oven or simmering when people arrive. The perfect crime!

Of course this deception doesn't come cheap. Every time I've catered from Specks it's come out at least £15 per head, which is a lot for a home cooked meal but the same quality food in a London restaurant would set you back at least £35.

Make sure you get the shell shaped chocolate pastries for desert.

Speck looks pretty tatty from the outside - which is a good thing as it keeps any unsuspecting potential customers away.

Inside, it's not tatty, but it's not much more than one ordinary room filled with specialty Italian goods and prepared foods. On close inspection (and ok, after going back a couple of times), you realize that the food is authentic, wonderful, homemade Italian made daily - fresh pumpkin ravioli, lasagna, pesto, tiramisu etc, plus made-from-scratch soups, broths and sauces. Perfect for that homecooked meal that you don't actually want to cook start-to-finish.

They also have shelves of fine Italian wines, vinegars, pastas, flours, olive oils, biscuits.... mmmm.

LOVE it! Owned by an Italian family and they are so helpful. I bought fresh pasta and a bolognese sauce. Both were excellent and I will become a regular here!

I would love to have Speck around the corner from me for the rest of my life. Their sauces are amazing, as are their soups, prepared mains, and salads. Really, just perfect seasonings and texture. Stuffed peppers are the best I have ever had, even a simple red sauce is transcendent . Wine selection is good, and there is always a lot of treats around for my daughter. They are incredibly friendly and I have never had to wait for service (it's a full service kind of place). I like that they close rather early and aren't open on Sundays, a family kind of place. This was my go-to places for an antipasti meal to bring home.

Best hand selected Italian dry cured meats I have ever had!!!! Must try if you are a west London local!!!