Where To Soak Up The Atmosphere Of The RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Tom’s Kitchen Chelsea
This newly refurbished restaurant will be transformed with floral decorations and an archway of peonies by FloJo Flowers, as well as offering guests two- and five-course floral set menus. Dishes will include cured and confit salmon with rose petals and grapefruit; and roast cod with cous cous, chorizo, squid, clams, mussels, saffron sauce and nasturtium flowers.
27 Cale Street, Chelsea, SW3 3QP; 21th-27th May
Visit TomsKitchen.co.uk
Ella Canta
As Ella Canta celebrates its first summer on Park Lane, Chef Patron Martha Ortiz is offering diners a taste of Mexico in bloom. The limited-edition Las Flores de México tasting menu delivers six courses of the modern Mexican cooking for which Ortiz is known, interlaced with floral flourishes. Dishes will include turbot with stuffed zucchini flower, and pink mole with stuffed chicken and a crown of flowers.
Park Lane, Mayfair, W1J 7QY; 18th May-27th July
Visit EllaCanta.com
Sofitel London St James
This month The Rose Lounge at Sofitel London St James has been transformed into a garden, complete with blooms and a grass floor. A one-off afternoon tea will be served within, which will include four new floral-flavoured cakes, such as white chocolate ganache with violet mousseline and blueberry compote; and pistachio sponge with jasmine mousse, pistachio crunch and cocoa soil. We like the sound of the Chelsea Flower Show cocktail, made up of Aperol, rose, crème de violette, lemon juice and egg white.
8 Pall Mall, St James's, SW1Y 5NG; 22th-26th May
Visit TheBalconLondon.com
Frida’s Parlour
Tying in the Chelsea Flower Show with the upcoming arrival of the V&A’s Frida Kahlo exhibition, Belgravia in Bloom is a series of floral installations and special Frida-inspired menus at restaurants across the neighbourhood. The centrepiece will be Frida’s Parlour, an interactive installation and workshop space inspired by the artist. Masterclasses will include flower arranging, paper flower making, cocktail shaking, self-portraiture and floral embroidery.
141 Ebury Street, Belgravia, SW1W 9QW; 19th May-16th June
Visit GrosvenorLondon.com
Bluebird Chelsea
The popular Chelsea restaurant has teamed up with Portobello Road bakers Pearl & Groove to create a floral-themed afternoon tea. In a nod towards the royal wedding, there’ll also be an elderflower and lemon-flavoured bake among the flower show-themed cakes. Bluebird has created a Royal Garden cocktail, made with rose-petal gin, maraschino and rhubarb liqueur, lemongrass cordial, fresh thyme, raspberries and rose aromatic, topped with sparkling wine.
350 King's Road, Chelsea, SW3 5UU; 23rd-27th May
Visit Bluebird-Restaurant.co.uk
The Dorchester
For the third year running, The Drawing Room at The Dorchester has created an afternoon tea especially for RHS Chelsea Flower Show. New for 2018, Morning Tea will also be served, providing a selection of home-made pastries, fruit, waffles and a delicious hot pot. Decorated with seasonal blooms by the hotel’s in-house florist Philip Hammond, The Drawing Room will be covered in colourful foliage and flowers. Overnight packages, which include tickets for the show, are also available.
53 Park Lane, Mayfair, W1K 1QA; 22nd-26th May
Visit DorchesterCollection.com
Gallery Mess
Around the corner from Royal Chelsea Hospital (where the Chelsea Flower Show is held) is Gallery Mess, the restaurant within the Saatchi Gallery. Its terrace is the ideal spot to soak up the atmosphere of Chelsea in Bloom and enjoy a post-show cocktail – we like the sound of Garden to Glass (vodka, Chambord, pineapple and raspberry). One-off two- and three-course menus include the likes of king prawns with Marie Rose sauce, gem lettuce, quail’s eggs and viola flowers; followed by Eton mess with Kentish strawberries and lavender yoghurt.
32 King's Road, Chelsea, SW3 4LY; 22nd-27th May
Visit SaatchiGallery.com
Thomas’s Café
From 21st May, Thomas’s Café will serve a quintessentially British two- or three-course lunch, brought to life by edible flowers. The menu will include Wye Valley asparagus served with Berkswell cheese, savoury granola and edible flowers; Cornish wild brill served with slow-roasted courgettes, mint and lemon; followed by elderflower sorbet and rose ice-cream topped with shortbread and lemon curd, served in a striking floral ice bowl.
5 Vigo Street, Mayfair, W1S 3HA; 21st-26th May
Visit UK.Burberry.com
The Happenstance
The Happenstance by Drake & Morgan on Paternoster Square will be in full bloom once it opens its pop-up botanical terrace. In partnership with Silent Pool Gin and London Essence, the alfresco terrace will be transformed by floral displays. Botanical cocktails will include the Brio, mixed with Gin Mare, grapefruit juice, wildflower honey syrup and grapefruit and rosemary tonic.
10 Paternoster Square, St Paul’s, EC4M 7DX; 22nd-26th May
Visit DrakeAndMorgan.co.uk
Lanes of London
Mayfair restaurant and bar, Lanes of London, has launched its Botanical Afternoon Tea, with free-flowing bubbles, floral cocktails, sandwiches and sweet treats inspired by spring. Cakes on the menu will include a boozy elderflower, gin and lime marshmallow; jasmine, apricot and nasturtium cones; and a rose, rhubarb and chocolate soil pot.
140 Park Lane, Mayfair, W1K 7AA; ongoing
Visit OxfordStreet.co.uk
ME London
ME London’s Radio Rooftop has created a special Chelsea Flower Show cocktail menu. The four one-off cocktails (all £14) will be concocted from a combination of edible flowers, pastel hues and floral flavours. Of the quartet, we like the sound of the Pisco Lavender Sour with Waqar pisco, lavender syrup and egg white; and the Radio Garden, made with Hendrick’s gin, St Germain, basil leaves, cucumber and elderflower.
Strand, Covent Garden, WC2R 1HA; 22nd-26th May
Visit MELondonHotel.com
Rabbit
The Kings Road restaurant is partnering with distilled non-alcoholic spirit Seedlip to launch its Peas & Love tasting menu and cocktail pairing. The floral menu will celebrate local and wild food with peas featuring in every dish. We’re intrigued by the starter Edible Pea Garden; a terracotta pot filled with a sprouting pea plant, enabling guests to secateur off as many or few peas as they wish to add to their meal.
172 King's Road, Chelsea SW3 4UP; ongoing
Visit Rabbit-Restaurant.com
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