July food news with Eat with Ellen
Summer’s here guys. It’s time for paddling pools and pop-ups, barbecues and booze, festivals and fizz and all that jazz. Like most of the people in the UK, the sun shining gets me all excited so I’ve dug out a load of rooftop bars, pop-ups, street food stuff and all the things we love to do when the blue skies come out to play.
As ever, tag us at @BelleAboutTown if you make it to one of these and send me suggestions for your July recommendations. Summer, we’re coming to get you!
The Glasshouse at the Gherkin
Searcys at the Gherkin has partnered with Perrier Jouet champagne to transform itself into what they’re calling a sky-high botanical glasshouse this summer. They’re basically turning the whole of the bar on level 40 into a luscious botanical glasshouse where you can sit and enjoy the sunset over the Thames with (of course) a glass of fizz or something from the botanical gin menu as well as a seasonal menu and live entertainment.
It’s on from July 15 to September 1 so go and check it out.
The Gherkin, 30 St Mary Axe, London EC3A 8BF. Nearest stations – Aldgate, Liverpool Street
The Art of Travel by Searcys
Another one from Searcys, this St Pancras-based pop-up promises to basically transport guests to 12 European destinations. From July 15 to September 9, the famed champagne bar will become a stylish pre-holiday destination with menus paying homage to 12 European cities and holiday spots from Paris to San Remo and Amsterdam to Porto. You can also try the travel-inspired Art of Travel Afternoon Tea, complete with French Opera gateau, Belgian white chocolate mousse and passion fruit Swiss meringue pie.
St Pancras Champagne Bar, St Pancras station. Nearest stations – King’s Cross, St Pancras
Summer at Sartoria with Acqua di Parma
Like food? Like perfume?
You can have both this summer at Sartoria on Savile Row, which is launching a new menu of cocktails and cicchetti celebrating the Blu Mediterraneo fragrance collection of Acqua di Parma.
Acqua di Parma’s Blu Mediterraneo line is apparently designed to evoke the charm of the Italian Mediterranean, something that will be echoed by the new cocktails and cicchetti at Sartoria.
For example, their Bergamotto di Calabria scent is mimicked in an aromatic and zesty cocktail that mixes Italicus bergamot liqueur with Sipsmith Gin, cucumber water, lemon and mint, while cicchetti will also complement the scents and cocktails, including Polpette di vitello ed erbe fini (veal and fine herb meatballs) and ‘Nduja roast scallops with fig compote.
Throughout June and July, Sartoria’s elegant Libare Bar and Terrace will be transformed into a summer retreat decorated with orange trees and fragrant candles from the Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo Home Collection.
Sartoria, 20 Savile Row, London W1S 3PR. Nearest stations – Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus
‘Solomons’ Yard’ @ Camden Market
This launched at the end of June and is on every Friday and Saturday until August 24, Camden Market will be staying up late to offer street food, guest night music takeovers and DJs.
The food offering includes 28 of London’s street food kings and queens offering food from across the globe, from Indian-inspired burgers from Baba G’s to fresh pasta from the Cheese Wheel or modern Columbian with Maize Blaze.
Solomons’ Yard harks back to pre-market days when the market’s Middle Yard played host to real-life Peaky Blinder Alfie Solomons’ underground operation of whisky smuggling and gambling. In honour of its heritage, organisers are encouraging a 1920s dress code but don’t worry if you don’t want to. Tickets are from £5.
Solomons’ Yard @ Camden Market, Middle & West Yard, Camden Market, NW1 8AF. Nearest stations – Camden Town, Camden Road.
Afternoon tea at No. Fifty Cheyne
It’s Wimbledon time so if you’re keen to join the world of Pimm’s and strawberries and cream but aren’t that fussed about tennis, head to Chelsea where No. Fifty Cheyne has launched an afternoon tea and Wimbledon menu. You’ll be able to enjoy all the quintessential English stuff like home-made scones with clotted cream and Pimm’s’n’strawberries jam, quaint sandwiches, a strawberries’n’cream Eton mess and tea or a glass of bubbles.
They’re showing Wimbledon on the screen so you can still get your tennis fix and maybe enjoy one of their ‘Earl of Champagne’ cocktails. To book, visit www.fiftycheyne.com/tea
50 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, London, SW3 5LR. Nearest station – Sloane Square
