Finding wonderful restaurants with gardens in the British capital it is not complicated. After all, we all know how much everything green is appreciated in UK.
The big botanic and gardening festivals and events originated in London, and it’s here that future gardeners come to study, and still here new restaurants, dedicated to the love of the English people for flowers and nature, open daily.
We selected 5 that stand out for their beautiful interiors and high quality among the many the capital has to offer.
Petersham Nurseries – To eat in the atmosphere of an elegant British garden centre
A step away from the verdant Richmond Park, in the gardens of Petersham House stately home is Petersham Nurseries (photo above). Here you can find a teahouse and a café within a charming and well-finished greenhouse. Earth floor, rare plants, country-chic furniture, and a menu with the best seasonal food. In 2011 the restaurant, that follows the principles of slow food and uses zero-food-miles ingredients, has been awarded a Michelin star. The wine list is entirely Italian, just like the family that has been running the place for years.
Fenchurch, Darwin e Sky Pod –Two restaurants and a bar in a green skyscraper
Green architecture with panoramic view of almost the entire city within the Sky Garden (photo below), the project by Uruguayan Rafael Viñoly Beceiro that added 3 floors to the 34-storey Walkie Talkie building.
Its 160 m, which make it the fifth tallest skyscraper in the city district, can house a public space on three floors with two big stairways at either end of the areas skirting the botanical gardens, which allow visitors to move between floors.
A floor down from the gardens is the Sky Pod bar, the other levels house Fenchurch, a British restaurant, and Darwin, a brasserie. The fresh and modern interiors are maintained by 01Creative.
Winter Garden – Among exotic palm trees at Landmark London
In one of the most iconic hotels in London, dating back to the late eighteenth century, is the Winter Garden (photo below), a restaurant with a continental menu and interiors evoking the atmosphere of a Las Vegas hotel from the 1950s. Among palm trees, flowers, exotic plants, light wood tables, and chairs, and art nouveau lamps, the restaurant offers a menu ranging from breakfast to dinner. Not to be missed is their multi-award-winning afternoon tea, or the brunch featuring fish and champagne.
Clos Maggiore – The most romantic hotel in the world
A haven of peace in the heart of Covent Garden, with interiors inspired by hotels in Tuscany or Provence, and an absolutely unique atmosphere that earned the Clos Maggiore (photo below) the title of “Most romantic restaurant in the world” twice last year. A cherry tree gives to the main room an amazing atmosphere, even when it is not springtime. In the kitchen, chef Marcellin Marc, delights guests with his French cuisine. In the cellar, over 2500 wines provide a selection of inestimable value.
The Ivy Chelsea Garden – The favourite of VIPs and stars
It is located in the Chelsea neighbourhood, precisely in the busy King's Road, among high-end shops and showrooms. You can easily recognise the Ivy Chelsea Garden (photo below) from its façade covered by ivy and the flowering plants. The interiors, recently renovated by designer Martin Brudnizki, feature an outdoor garden and a room for private dinners. The atmosphere has a retro touch and the leitmotiv is flora – several rare plants decorate the space together with a series of vintage botanic prints hanging on the walls. Menu offers revisited British food, with the addition of some French and international dishes.
Opening photo: THE PETERSHAM NURSERIES TEAHOUSE IN LONDON