What's New in London: Hotel Openings, New Best Restaurants and the Platinum Jubilee

What’s New in London: Hotel Openings, New Best
Restaurants and the Platinum Jubilee
In London, “Everything is hopping,” says Indagare Trip Designer Lionel Brown. He has
been living in the city on and off since July of 2021—a pleasant return after growing up
there as a child. “The tube is packed, and everyone is buzzing as the city prepares to
celebrate the Platinum Jubilee.” The first ever Platinum Jubilee. And as the world gears
up for what should be one of the most exciting (and thankfully, more normal) summer
seasons in a while, we’re diving into what’s new and noteworthy in the U.K.’s bustling
capital, from hit restaurants to exciting hotel openings coming to Mayfair and Hyde
Park, plus the cultural events you won’t want to miss.

Contact your Indagare Trip Designer or Indagare, if you are not yet a member,
to start planning a trip to London. Our team can match you with the
accommodations, reservations and activities that are right for you.

History in the Making: The Platinum Jubilee
There have been seven Jubilee’s since 1809, the first celebrated in honor of King George
III. Four of the others have been for Queen Elizabeth II. So, it comes as little surprise
that this first Platinum Jubilee in the history of the British Monarchy has London going
all out—both for the event itself, and for the numerous themed dinner and cocktail
menus on order for the summer.

The Jubilee Weekend

Photo by Sister London, courtesy Visit Britain

For those planning to be in London from Thursday, June 2 to Sunday, June 5, you won’t
be disappointed. The celebrations will begin with “Trooping of the Colour,” the Queen’s
annual birthday parade of 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians marching from
Buckingham Palace to the Mall. The rest of the weekend will be a blur of celebration,
with the Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral (June 3) the Derby at Epsom
Downs and the Platinum Party and live concert at Buckingham Palace (June 4). Perhaps
the most inviting event will be The Big Jubilee Lunch on Sunday June 5—people and
organizations around the country register to host, opening their yards, homes or
establishments to anyone for celebrations that range from street parties and barbecues
to tea and cake. Notable entries include The Connaught, which will be hosting a street
party complete with a brass band and artisan ice cream, along with Rosewood London
and The Stafford, hosting ticketed street parties set in the hotels’ courtyards. The final
event is the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, where artists are commissioned to interpret
different chapters of the Queen’s 70-year reign and London’s society in a four-part play.

A Jubilee Summer

Courtesy The Goring

Photo by Justin DeSouza, courtesy Claridge's

Photo by Justin DeSouza, courtesy Claridge's

Luckily, you don’t have to be in London over the Jubilee weekend to enjoy the
celebration. The spirit of the Jubilee is expected to be alive all summer long—The
Goring is recreating the menu served at the Queens’ Coronation with dishes like glazed
veal sweetbread and chicken consommé to be served throughout the season; Arch Bar
at InterContinental London Park Lane will be serving their Royal Cocktail Collection
inspired by the art displayed in the Royal Collection, which will bring back tastes
hundreds of years old; Conrad London St. James is now serving the award-winning
chef Sally Abé’s debut afternoon tea menu, paying tribute to the Queen ahead of the
Jubilee. And for the first time, Claridge’s will be putting on a special exhibition of their
never before seen footage of the Queen’s coronation, Claridge’s coronation day menu,
cocktail cards and more, available through the month of June. Plus, from May 30 to June
12, The Berkeley will be serving a Prêt-à-Portea with three delicious creations inspired
by the Queen’s signature fashion (notably one of her summery hats, interpreted as a
lime cheesecake with lemon compote, almond sponge and a flowery garnish). And from
June 1 to June 13, The Dorchester presents a Jubilee Afternoon Tea where guests can
munch on delicious pastries amidst the queen’s favorite flowers and take a special
Jubilee cake home to enjoy later.

Where to Eat: Sketch is Yellow! And Other Restaurant News
“Indagare favorites like Daphne’s, J. Sheekey and Sexy Fish are still regular crowd
pleasers,” says Lionel. But London’s restaurant scene has also seen a wave of new
additions and alterations.

Courtesy Caravel

Courtesy Carvel

This March, the sons of one of Sessions Art Club’s co-owners debuted Caravel, a
narrow, candlelit dining room on a Dutch barge serving cheekily crafted British cuisine
(like duck croquettes shaped like ducks) on Regent’s Canal in Islington. And if you
haven’t been yet, don’t miss the gorgeous Sessions Art Club, either. The relatively new
Clerkenwell restaurant, wine bar and gallery opened last summer inside a renovated
18th-century courthouse and recently earned a spot on Condé Nast Traveler’s Best New
Restaurants list.

Courtesy Lisboeta

Photo by Marcus Cobden, courtesy BiBi

Photo by Mark Scott, courtesy BiBi

Another March 2022 opening was Fitzrovia’s Lisboeta, helmed by Portuguese-born
chef Nuno Mendes, who has created a menu divided into snacks, small plates and
sharing pots. And earlier this year a brand new iteration of Rita’s has opened in Soho
after its unfortunate closure during Covid. Get ready for more of Rita’s classic
Americana cooking and cocktails in a slightly more toned-down setting. In Mayfair,
don’t miss BiBi, set inside an unassuming red-brick Georgian and from the same group
behind Gymkhana. This new Indian restaurant, done up in chic red tones, dark leather,
greenery and abstract art is at once glamorous and authentic, with cuisine created out
of familial influence and Indian traditions.

Photo by Joe Okpako, courtesy Carousel

Claire Menary, courtesy Kudu Grill

Meanwhile, in Peckham, Kudu Grill opened as the fourth neighborhood restaurant

South African Kudu Collective. The grill emphasizes braai cooking (meaning over coals),
resulting in dishes like crispy black sea bream and pork chops with melt-in-your-mouth
sauces like sweet treacle bordelaise. Plus, Carousel moved from Marylebone to
Fitzrovia, taking over three converted Georgian townhouses and resuming its tradition
of regular guest chefs and an ever-changing worldly menu, but with a new bonus: an all-
day wine bar that makes for a great hangout spot.

Another notable update: this year we said goodbye to the pastel pink walls and seating
of the ultra-Instagrammable restaurant Sketch, which has been redone in a sleek
yellow.

In Case You Missed It: Summer 2021 saw the opening of Sachi in Belgravia’s new
Japanese-Nordic emporium Pantechnicon. Like the store, the restaurant serves up an
intriguing fusion: Japanese-style sushi and sashimi made from fish caught in British
waters. You’ll find no salmon on this menu, but rather trout, tuna and sea bass, ideally
paired with a fabulous sake list. For more drinks, a den and bar area inspired by
Tokyo’s speakeasy scene serves Japanese cocktails.

Where to Stay: Hotel News

Courtesy The Twenty Two

Courtesy The Twenty Two

Photo by Simon Upton, courtesy NoMad London

The London hotel circuit has seen some exciting developments in the past year. This

March, La Reserve took over the romantic L’oscar in Holborn and is planning an 18-
month to two-year expansion project to add a gym, more treatment rooms and new
apartments to the property. Then, new hotel and member’s club The Twenty Two
opened in Mayfair in April, re-envisioning the traditional London club culture in a
townhome on Grosvenor Square with high ceilings and crimson velvet drapes.

Other notable openings include Beaverbrook Townhouse, a new boutique option in
Chelsea inspired by London’s theater scene and designed with a dash of Japanese
glamour. Spend an hour or two sampling the dishes at the decidedly chic Japanese
restaurant Fuji Grill, where the rich jewel tones of the bar are set against retro green
walls. And of course, since its opening a year ago, the NoMad London has fast become
a favorite of Londoners and New Yorkers alike (including celebrities) as it effortlessly
blends the two cultures through art and cocktails in this opulent art deco retreat.

Courtesy Broadwick Soho

Meanwhile, renovations continue at the beloved Indagare Index property Claridge’s.
According to Lionel, work seems to be nearly finished, and additions will include a new
spa and gallery as well as a restaurant experience where you can eat with the chef.
(Claridge’s is tight-lipped on when these renovations are expected to conclude, but
we’re hoping it’s soon!)

On the horizon: The Other House South Kensington, made up of Club Flats and 11
townhouses, opening July 4th; Raffles London at the Old War Office; Broadwick
Soho, designed by Martin Brudznizki (of The Beekman and Annabel’s fame);
Mandarin Oriental’s second London property (opening in Mayfair this winter) and
Peninsula London across from Buckingham Palace. And coming in 2023 or 2024:
Waldorf Astoria in the Admiralty Arch and Rosewood inside the former U.S. Embassy
on Grosvenor Square.

Related: In the Club: Inside London’s The Twenty Two with Managing Director
Darius Namdar

What to Do: Exhibits We’re Excited About

Courtesy the National Gallery London

The Royal Mews
Buckingham Palace’s Royal Mews—the stable responsible for the royal family’s
travel—has reopened its museum to the public this summer. Get up close to its
collection of gilded coaches, and, of course, horses. Open through October 2, 2022

“Picasso Ingres: Face to Face” at the National Gallery
Picasso’s 1932 work “Woman with a Book” was created in homage to Jean-Auguste-
Dominique Ingres’s 1856 “Madame Moitessier,” and for the first time, these two works

will be shown side by side at The National Gallery. This small show offers the chance to
see the continuity of art, a visual representation of how artists inspire each other
through the ages. From June 3 to October 2022

The Raphael Exhibition at the National Gallery
After a lengthy delay due to Covid, the exhibition “Raphael” has at last come to the
National Gallery, a tribute organized for the 500th anniversary of the artist’s birthday.
With 90 works from his drawings and letters to his legendary paintings, experience this
first ever comprehensive look at the Italian Renaissance artist’s mere two-decade
career. Through July 31, 2022

“Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear” at The Victoria and Albert
Museum
This exhibition at the world’s largest museum of applied arts and design offers a
reflection on ways designers and artists have interpreted masculinity through men’s
fashion. Expect to see a mix of old and new—from 18th-century coats to the gown Harry
Styles donned on the cover of Vogue. Through November 2022

Related: Spring (and Summer) Awakening: Global Arts Preview

What to See: London Theater’s Top Tickets

Photo by David Jensen & Feast Creative

The summer is chockfull of shows and stars that will make the trip well worth it.

For those heading across the pond early this season, be sure to catch Ralph Fiennes
starring in Straight Line Crazy, David Hare’s new play following the story of New York
City power broker; and Indian playwright Anapuma Chandrasekhar’s The Father and
The Assassin, tracing the life of Nathuram Godse who began a devoted follower of
Ghandi before becoming his murderer. Both will run through June 18.

Then June 29 to September 10, Game of Thrones stars Emilia Clarke and Indira Varna
reunite in an anticipated adaptation of the Chekhov classic The Seagull by Anya Reiss.
Meanwhile, Amy Adams is gracing the stage all summer long from in The Glass
Menagerie, Tennessee Williams’s searing autobiographical classic (through August 27).
And families especially won’t want to miss the new musical adaptation of 101
Dalmatians at Regents Park Open Air Theater, where a collection of puppeteered
puppies will tell the charming children’s story from July 12 to August 18.

It will be an exciting time for those traveling to London. Luckily the sun shines until
10:00 p.m. in a typical London summer, so travelers will have plenty of time to fit it all
in.

Contact your Indagare Trip Designer or Indagare, if you are not yet a member,
to start planning a trip to London. Our team can match you with the
accommodations, reservations and activities that are right for you.