With the RHS Chelsea Flower Show taking place from 19-23 May, menus across the capital are coming up roses. If, like us, you prefer tipples in the garden to sowing seeds in the flowerbeds, read on for our hitlist of places to be a greedy gardener
Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, Mayfair (above)
Where: Park Lane, W1K 1QA
Potter away an afternoon at The Dorchester with Alain Ducasse’s Lunch Flower menu, including a blossoming vegetable tart, black olive chicken breast and the strawberry field dessert, constructed from pistachio mousse. Three courses and two glasses of wine are yours for £60.
Book here
Aqua Shard, South Bank (above)
Where: The Shard, 31 St Thomas Street, SE1 9RY
Eat in the company of the towering Shard’s equally towering flower installation this weekend, made up of the same flowers and scents as the one-off menu. Choose from the likes of jasmine tea-steamed artichoke and orange blossom panna cotta, £49 per person until Sunday.
Book here
Christopher’s, Covent Garden (above)
Where: 18 Wellington Street, WC2E 7DD
The area’s flower market is long gone, but this Covent Garden restaurant is paying tribute to topiary, offering a cucumber, elderflower and mint tipple with an edible pansy until 23 May for £6.
Coq D’Argent, City
Where: 1 Poultry, EC2R 8EJ
Head chef Damien Rigollet has created a flower-inspired menu called #BlossomCity, including this lavender and honey slow-cooked lamb shank (above). The menu will cost £28 for two courses or £32 for three.
Inspired by award-winning Chelsea Flower Show designer Arabella Lennox-Boyd (who also designed the rooftop garden at Coq D’Argent), McQueens Florist have designed terraniums to coincide with the menu, depicting scenes reflecting daily life and events at the restaurant (below).
Cross Keys, Chelsea (above)
Where: 1 Lawrence Street, SW3 5NB
Recently reopened following new ownership and a refurbishment, Chelsea’s oldest pub has created a 'flower infusion' menu for afternoon tea, including jasmine and mango macarons and chocolate and beetroot cake with hibiscus, served with edible flowers. The menu costs £30 per person or £35 with a glass of Prosecco or a rose water Bellini.
The Ivy Chelsea Garden, Chelsea (above)
Where: 197 King’s Road, SW3 5ED
Sure to be the dining room du jour for all things Flower Show this year, this Caprice Holdings beauty includes a conservatory and a huge terrace and garden.
Launceston Place, Kensington (above)
Where: 1a Launceston Place, W8 5RL
This Kensington belle is at the right end of town for the flower show and more importantly, home to this blooming tremendous dessert – that’s a honey ice-cream bumblebee, lounging upon an apple cheesecake with lily-hibiscus meringue petals for company.
Book here
London House, Battersea (above and below)
Where: Battersea Square, SW11 3RA
London House has devised beautiful, flower-sprinkled menu specials including this perky Verbena Julep and a mango and kaffir lime pannacotta with sorrel flowers and crystallised chocolate.
Book here
Manicomio, Chelsea
Where: 85 Duke of York Square, SW3 4LY
The bartenders at Manicomio will be pruning for all they’re worth next week with three limited-edition floral cocktails, including Amelia’s Aviator (£9.75) with Cointreau, lavender and lychee (above).
Mele e Pere, Soho
Where: 46 Brewer Street, W1F 9TF
Head to the West End for one of Mele e Pere’s petal-peppered plates of poached salmon, English asparagus and strawberry with a violet flower (above).
The Promenade at The Dorchester, Mayfair
Where: 53 Park Lane, W1K 1QA
The (flower) power coupling of Laurent-Perrier Champagne and The Dorchester has led to a Chelsea Flower Show-inspired event – a flower-themed Champagne high tea in the hotel’s grand, pillared Promenade room, available until 28 May for £59 per person (above).
Sketch, Mayfair (above)
Where: 9 Conduit Street, W1S 2XG
If you make a pit stop at Sketch’s bright pink Gallery for afternoon tea and an oggle (the walls are covered in David Shrigley’s eccentric scribblings) this weekend, you’ll be welcomed by a specially created garden, in honour of the show. Afternoon tea costs £39 per person or £51 with a glass of Pommery Champagne.
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is open all day Saturday at Royal Hospital Chelsea
Are you thinking of organising an event at the show? Piccadilly grand dame Fortnum & Mason has organised a range of options for groups of 10 to 110, incorporating spreads like the above (they clearly don’t do things by halves) and a visit from the Queen herself. Click here for to find out more.
This article was modified 22 May 2015