Two long years after a devastating fire, one of the Royal borough’s most beloved restaurants is preparing to welcome diners once again.

Tucked away in a little cul-de-sac off Kensington Church Street, Maggie Jones’s – named after its most famous patron, Princess Margaret – was always a place where time stood still, as evidenced by the creak of wooden floorboards.

Now, as contractors hammered and drilled in the background ahead of reopening, manager Tim Frankel looked relieved and told The Chelsea Citizen: ‘It’s been a long time, but we’re keeping the restaurant just as it was before the fire – and hopefully everyone will appreciate that.’

Surprisingly, many of Maggie Jones’s trademark features survived the blaze – the scrubbed pine tables, the soft lighting, and a jumble of curios that might have once come from stalls along Portobello Road.

The only visible change? ‘We’ve improved the staircase and added a bit of new wallpaper – Sanderson, Morris & Co. The idea is that when people walk in, they’ll think: Wow, it looks exactly the same as before the fire!’ Frankel beamed.

Cosy, rustic, informal and incurably romantic, Maggie Jones’s has been a Kensington legend since it opened in 1964. Originally called Nan’s Kitchen, it was renamed when Princess Margaret used the alias to make secret reservations for herself, her husband Anthony Armstrong-Jones, and later, her companions.

‘Princess Margaret loved our chicken and artichoke pie, which is still on the menu,’ smiled Frankel. ‘She came here with the likes of Roddy Llewellyn – her visits were very private, very discreet.’

The menu was always a nostalgic nod to British comfort food: roast rump of lamb, calf’s liver with bacon and onions, Maggie’s famous fish pie, and, of course, apple crumble with custard.

‘Seventy per cent of the items on the menu in the 1960s are still there,’ Frankel said, proudly. ‘We haven’t changed a thing. Even our chefs are returning – the whole brigade.’

The blaze, in August 2023, was caused by a faulty fuse box and few imagined Maggie Jones’s would rise again from the ashes. Frankel – whose family also own the equally revered La Poule au Pot, in Belgravia – added: ‘A fireman rang me at 5am on a Saturday morning and asked, “Is that Tim Frankel?” I said yes. He said, “Your building’s on fire.” That was a bit of a shock! Fortunately, no one was hurt.’

Before the fire, Maggie Jones’s was a stalwart of the Kensington dining scene – a place where proposals were whispered over candlelight, and locals lingered for hours. Frankel puts its enduring appeal down to one thing: heart.

‘It’s a family-run business,’ he said ‘It’s had a lot of love – and a lot of heartache after Covid. We’ve put in a huge commitment. It’s an institution.’

Now, as the finishing touches are made for the re-opening, that familiar warmth looks set to return – like an old friend.

Maggie Jones’s re-opens on 10th November. For reservations call 020 7937 6462 or visit www.maggie-jones.co.uk  

All photos © John Cookson

Editor’s Note: This is John Cookson’s first contribution to The Citizen. He has been a journalist for 40 years, having worked on the Southend Evening Echo and Basildon Recorder, before moving on to Fleet Street newspapers and major international broadcasters, such as Fox News and Al Jazeera. He has lived in Kensington for 35 years.