From flower-inspired cocktails to petal-packed menus, discover 11 delicious ways to celebrate Chelsea Flower Show in London
1 Dig into a Bloomin’ Brilliant Afternoon Tea at Royal Lancaster London
From 2 May until 30 June 2018, the pastry chefs will be switching the butter for buttercups with the flora-inspired afternoon tea.
Enjoy a beautifully botanical selection of sweet delicacies features a freshly-picked strawberry tart with lime curd and baby basil; Valhrona chocolate flower pots with budding crystallised violets; a Lemon and elderflower sable dome; and an Orange blossom and ginger macaron.
Savoury seedlings include Royal Lancaster home-smoked salmon roses, smoked in a Citrus-Chamomile tea; and Free-range Barradale Farm eggs with wild baby cresses. A Sunflower-seed choux bun filled with zesty Coronation chicken offers a rather exotic scent and more.
When: 2pm until 5.30pm, from 2 May until 30 June 2018.
Where: Royal Lancaster London, Lancaster Terrace, London W2 2TY
Wallet: £35 per person; £45 with a glass of Moët & Chandon Brut Champagne; and £55 with a glass of Moët & Chandon Impérial Rosé Champagne. Click here to book.
2 Enjoy gorgeous gelato at Gelupo
Gelupo, Jacob Kenedy’s highly regarded artisan gelateria in Soho, offers a collection of floral-inspired flavours running from mid-April to the end of May.
Flavours include Custard, Lemon Cake & Hibiscus, Ricotta & Lavender Stracciatella Gelato, Strawberry & Rose Pepper and an intriguing Avocado Sorbet.
When: Until the end of May
Where: 7 Archer St, Soho, London W1D 7AU
Wallet: Small £4, Medium £5, Large £6. Find out more here.
3 Bloom with Benares
Atul Kochhar’s Michelin-starred restaurant and bar Benares, in Mayfair, will be celebrating the iconic Chelsea Flower Show from 22nd – 26th May by offering guests the opportunity to enjoy three special botanical-inspired cocktails capturing the essence of the season.
These include:
1 Crushing Bloom
Beefeater 24 Gin shaken with Violet and Rose Liquer, fresh Bergamot Juice, Homemade Jasmine and Orange Blossom Syrup, topped up with Jasmin and Rose Petal Tea.
2 Lycee and Rose Bellini
Hendricks’s Gin mixed with Lychee Liqueur, Rose Petal Syrup and fresh Lemon Juice, Topping up with Drappier Champagne.
3 Hibiscus Pisco Sour
A refreshing blend of La Diablada Pisco infused Hibiscus, Peach Liqueur and Peach Puree shaken with Fresh Lime Juice, Garnished with Chocolate Bitters and Hibiscus Flower.
PLUS: Guests who purchase the limited edition Crushing Bloom cocktail, will also be able to take a small Tom Daxon perfume home with them at no extra cost.
When: Until 26th May
Where: 12a, Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London W1J
Wallet: Prices start from £14. Click here to book.
4 Sip on Zuma’s Floral Ciroc Cocktails
Internationally renowned modern Japanese restaurant and bar, Zuma Knightsbridge, have teamed up with French vodka brand, Ciroc, to create a modern cherry blossom installation. Guests can sit under the beautiful waterfall of cherry blossom and enjoya bespoke Sakura Ciroc Menu selection.
These include:
1 Sakura Martini
Made with Ciroc Vodka, sakura infused Vermouth and pickled sakura – the perfect pre or post dinner drink.
2 Hanami Sour
Ciroc Vodka, aloe vera, jasmine and rose yoghurt, almond syrup with yuzu and lemon juice is an unusual mix and stays true to the plant based flavours.
3 Yamazakura Martini
Contains Ciroc Vodka with poached peach in saffron and sake with a ginger and yuzu cordial.
When: Until 17th June
Where: 5 Raphael St, Knightsbridge, London SW7 1DL
Wallet: Visit here to book
5 Feast on floral flavours at aqua shard
Aqua shard, the contemporary British restaurant located on level 31 of The Shard, will be celebrating the iconic Chelsea Flower Show with a special dessert and cocktail inspired by the horticultural event.
Dessert includes:
• Strawberry parfait with a tempered white chocolate base
• Crispy meringue
• Lime and elderflower cheesecake cream
• Burnt butter and almond crumble
• Berries
• Ewe’s milk ice cream
• Elderflower/ Red vien sorrel
When: Until Saturday 27th May
Where: The Shard, 31 St Thomas St, London SE1 9RY
Wallet: From £9.50, click here to book
6 Bite into Balthazar x FLOWERBX Afternoon Tea
The Balthazar x FLOWERBX Afternoon Tea brings together the skill of Balthazar’s Head Pastry Chef Régis Beauregard, with the floral expertise of FLOWERBX CEO Whitney Hawkings.
They have collaborated on creating cakes in the shape of colourful seasonal blooms, in beautiful FLOWERBX hues, and expertly paired with flavours to complement the flowers.
These include:
• Apple and Blackberry Tulip
• Coconut and Yuzu Hydrangea
• Salted Caramel Anemone
• Lemon & Blueberry DahliaBalthazar Raspberry Rose
When: Served from 3pm to 5.30pm Monday to Friday; 3pm to 5pm on Saturday; and 3pm to 6.30pm on Sunday.
Where: 4-6 Russell St, London WC2B 5HZ
Wallet: From £29.95 per person. Click here to book
7 Relax at The Bailey’s Hotel
Located in the 141-year-old Bailey’s Hotel, Olives Restaurant & Bar is the ideal spot to take a break from the day and enjoy a specially-created Chelsea Flower Show cocktail.
Guests can choose from the Lavender Meadows – a floral mix of lavender infused vodka, vanilla vodka, hibiscus syrup, rose water, lime juice and egg white; or the Fuchsia – a gin-based cocktail made up of gin, Campari, lime juice, vanilla extract, blackcurrant jam and Prosecco.
Where: 140 Gloucester Rd, Kensington, London SW7 4QH
Wallet: £9.50
8 Sip in chic surroundings at The Chelsea Harbour Hotel
With stunning views over Chelsea Marina, Harbour Bar & Terrace at The Chelsea Harbour Hotel is the perfect alfresco setting to enjoy some floral cocktails.
For the duration of Chelsea Flower Show, the Harbour Bar & Terrace will be offering guests the Chelsea Bloom cocktail.
Think Sipsmith gin infused with dried rose, chambeurt, white peach puree, lemon juice, vanilla syrup, coconut syrup and egg white and garnished with vibrant, edible flowers.
Where: Chelsea Harbour Dr, Fulham, London SW10 0XG
Wallet: £15. Click here to book
9 Devour flower-inspired creations at Thomas’s Café
Enjoy a Chelsea Flower Show inspired menu at the fashionable Thomas’s Café in Burberry’s flagship store at 121 Regent Street. Take a front row seat in the heart of London while enjoying a quintessentially British two or three course lunch, brought to life by edible flowers in honour of the show.
The menu includes; a Wye Valley asparagus starter served with Berkswell cheese, savoury granola and edible flowers, a Cornish Wild brill main served with slow roasted courgettes, mint and lemon or an Isle of Wight tomato and basil tart served with bitter leaf salad and borage flowers.
To finish, Thomas’s Café at Burberry will be serving a show stopping floral ice bowl filled with elderflower sorbet and rose ice cream topped with shortbread and lemon curd.
When: Until Saturday 26th May
Where: 5 Vigo St, Mayfair, London W1S 3HA
Wallet: From £28 per person. Phone +44 (0)20 3159 1410 or click here to book
10 Enjoy a show-stealing package at The Lanesborough
The Lanesborough are offering guests the chance to visit the show in style, with tickets for two, a luxurious transfer in the hotel’s Rolls-Royce, breakfast, and a bottle of chilled Champagne upon arrival.
For those in London or with tickets to the event already, The Lanesborough Club & Spa is launching an experience for guests to create their own bespoke massage oil and body scrubs under the guidance of an expert from ‘beyond organic’ brand, ila.
The bespoke oil created during the session will then be used during a personalised 60-minute massage, after which, guests are invited to make use of the thermal and hydro facilities of the Club & Spa – one of London’s finest private members’ clubs.
When: Available until 26 May 2018.
Where: Hyde Park Corner, London SW1X 7TA
Wallet: From £965. Click here to book
11 Lunch in luxurious surroundings with Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester
Tuck into a delectable lunch inspired by the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester.Executive Chef Jean-Philippe Blondet and his talented team are treating guests to a number of tempting dishes, including:
• Hereford snails with wild mushrooms and parsley butter
• Lemon sole fillet with red and yellow beetroot a
• Floral puddings is made from a rose ganache covered in a thin layer of chocolate, moulded into the shape of a rose, with a filing of fresh strawberries, strawberry gel and fresh mint.
When: Until 26th May
Where: Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, The Dorchester, Park Lane, W1K 1QA
