If The Luxe List July 2021 is anything to go on, you’d think life was completely back to normal! And it sort of will be on Monday! July is the month to finally hit a club again, think pink with rosé month and some awesome special menus at some of our fave restaurants, while there’s also the launch of a Gin Emporium at Avenue, a free chest fest and Wimbledon celebrations. Enjoy!
Alice in Wonderland Afternoon Tea & Cocktails at The Ivy Kensington Brasserie
Enjoy a whimsical Afternoon Tea and a selection of gorgeous new cocktails at The Ivy Kensington Brasserie which has just launched in celebration of The Victoria and Albert’s new exhibition ‘Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser’.
The awesome bar team have come up with a range of gorge new tipples like the ‘Queen of Hearts’ with Beefeater Gin, strawberry puree, lemon juice, egg white and agave syrup and the ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’ – a delicious concoction which includes Grey Goose Vanilla Vodka, lemon and cream! If you’re going all out with Alice in Wonderland style Afternoon Tea, then you’ll be on the receiving end of treats like salmon and cream cheese sandwiches and salted caramel chocolate cups. Book now, here.
Maggie’s Nightclub in Chelsea, Opening on July 19th at 12.01am!
Yessss we can’t wait to hit the D floor and what’s more Boris Johnson (or perhaps just someone who looks very much like him), will be throwing open the doors especially at 80’s inspired hangout Maggies Nightclub in Chelsea. Having had a super cool makeover and celebrating its 10th anniversary, the venue will open at 12.01am on the dot on Freedom Day (so that’s kinda Sunday late night right?!). The new drinks menu will be serving up ‘Flashdance Frozen Daiquiri’s’ made with Bacardi Carta Blanca Rum, while the ‘By the Power of Grayskull’ will give you He-Man superhero powers – perfect for busting those moves! What’s more, Maggie’s has been closed so long, they’ll be staying open for 7 nights in a row before they go back to their normal Thursday – Sunday opening hours, so that revellers can make up for lost time! Book for relaunch night here.
Juliette – London’s First Ever Rosé Bar is OPEN!
Here’s something to drink to before we get any further down the Luxe List! Juliette has opened on the ground floor of Harrods with a French Riviera feel which will transport you to the Côte d’Azur from that very first glass. With a picturesque lavender filled outdoor terrace and beautiful floral installations, there’ll be rosé in abundance, with stunning wines from vineyards Mirabeau, Ultimate Provence and Rumor. Featuring Idris Elba’s Porte Noir and a gorgeous selection of rosé champagnes (Dom Perignon, Ruinart and Laurent Perrier), the seasonal menu will include pithiviers filled with scrumptious native lobster, while the French patisserie in Juliette’s signature rosé pink will offer classic French deserts including Crème Brûlée and Mille-Feuille. Open all day every day, we can definitely see this becoming our new summer hangout. Drool over their Instagram page here and keep an eye out for details of their upcoming wine tasting sessions. Reserve a table via the Harrods website.
Copperhouse Chocolate Café in Islington
As the weather hots up, indulge in a delicious vegan ice cream at Copperhouse Chocolate, London’s first ever artisan vegan chocolate shop in Islington’s Chapel market. The ice creams are so creamy and luxurious you wouldn’t even know they’re vegan! Some flavour highlights include Raspberry Chocolate (made from their own Raspberry Dream hot chocolate) and Mint with vegan brownies chunks.
You can choose how you want your ice cream – a good ol’ fashioned scoop in a cone, between 2 cookies as an ice cream sandwich or go all out with their iconic Hot Chocolate Affogato – a scoop of ice cream with one of their delicious homemade hot chocolates poured over the top. As well as their hot chocolate and ice cream they have a range of vegan sweet treats and pastries, with chairs and tables both inside and out so you can enjoy come rain or shine! If you don’t have time to stop, pick up a box of their artisan chocolates as the perfect vegan gift.
The Polo Lounge Pop-Up at The Dorchester Rooftop
LA vibes are coming to The Dorchester Rooftop on the 1st July with the famed Polo Lounge at The Beverly Hills Hotel popping up with a Cali themed experience. Featuring the Polo Lounge’s iconic décor (think candy-stripes, banana leaf wallpaper and bougainvillea flowers), the famed restaurant which is well known for its celebrity clientele, will offer Dorchester diners the chance to sample its signature McCarthy Salad (named after famous polo player Neil MCarthy). Cocktails will include The Prickly Paloma made with tequila and prickly pear grapefruit, while the theme will continue at The Dorchester Terrace & Garden. There’ll also be a DJ and live band in partnership with Yamaha Music London & Molto Music Group! (Reservations only, min. spend £60pp).
Rosé Month at 28°- 50° Wine Workshop & Kitchen in Chelsea
July is the perfect month to drink and sink the pink stuff and at 28°- 50° Wine Workshop & Kitchen in Chelsea, rosé month is giving us the chance to enjoy a Garden Sharing Platter (to share), a choice of desserts and a glass of Aix Rosé, Côteaux d’Aix en Provence, 2020 and Bollinger Rosé. The special menu is priced at only £34.95 per person and will run throughout July. You can book here.
Rooftop Blush Brunch at The Rooftop at Trafalgar St. James
Also thinking pink this month is one of our fave London terraces. The Rooftop at Trafalgar St. James which offers incredible views of London (and a retractable roof in case it rains), have paired with award-winning rosé wine producers Maison Mirabeau for a brunch like no other. Available throughout summer on Saturdays and Sundays 11am – 3pm, choose from dishes like the pink beef burger, pink pancakes or beetroot salmon gravadlax. 2 courses are £35, while there’ll be range of pink drinks on offer including the Hibiscus Martini as well as still and sparkling rosé.
Hakkasan Celebrates 20 Years with a New Menu
Hakkasan is always a divine dining experience and we’re over the moon to hear they’re pulling out all the stops with a brand new menu to celebrate 20 years of their gorgeous restaurants. Celebrating their best loved dishes from the past two decades, the anniversary set menu (£110) will include Hakkasan’s signature Dim sum trio (Scallop shumai, langoustine har gau, abalone and chicken parcel), steamed hand dived scallops with browned butter black bean sauce and Oatmeal Dover sole, and then Stir-fry black pepper beef with merlot (served alongside Golden mixed vegetable yam ring with macadamia nut). The stand-out dish and one to definitely savour is the supreme stock braised lobster, nestled in egg noodle nests and served with lobster wontons. The feast will end with a delightful sake, vanilla and plum dessert. Available from 21st July.
Celebrate Wimbledon at The Ivy Cafe Wimbledon Village with PIMM’s
Wimbledon’s a great place to soak up the atmosphere over the next couple of weeks and The Ivy Cafe Wimbledon Village are pulling out all the stops by teaming up with everyone’s favourite summer drink – PIMM’s. There’s three gorgeous new cocktails to try (priced from £9.50) including the Sundowner Spritz, It’s All Love and the Sundowner on Centre Court made with Tanqueray 10 London Gin, lemon, sugar and mint. Fans of the signature Ivy Bombe will love its current twist (pictured), with the tennis ball style dessert featuring white chocolate, fresh strawberries and shortbread. As always, The Ivy Cafe have gone all out with their stunning eye-catching floral installation, meaning you won’t be able to walk past without popping in!
Afternoon Tea at Silverstone
It’s not just the guys who love a bit of F1 action! Glam up your F1 experience at Silverstone on Saturday 17th July with an Afternoon Tea package from Motorsport Tickets. The Heritage Club Hospitality package include inner track access and Woodcote Terrace views, super screen viewing, personal Silverstone Radio and a breakfast, lunch and Afternoon Tea menu priced at £366. Grab your tickets here.
…And Relax… At AIRE Ancient Baths
How relaxing does it look in here? London’s Covent Garden is the eight location for AIRE Ancient Baths who occupy relaxing spaces around the world, including in Barcelona and New York. Housed in an historial building, visitors will be able to enjoy thermal bathing in seven different bath with each illuminated by candlelight. With relaxing massages, signature and couples’ experiences, guests can choose from The Wine Ritual which sees them being emerged in a rich formulation of tempranillo grapes and The Holistic Ritual designed to calm the mind. Prices starts from £180pp for treatments including a tour of the baths.
Chess Fest at Trafalgar Square
Come on admit it, if you’re dying to unleash your inner chess geek since watching The Queen’s Gambit, then here’s your chance! Taking over Trafalgar Square from 16th – 18th July, Chess Fest is the first of its kind on this scale with human chess games and 100s of chess tables. The public event will offer free chess lessons and will even give you the opportunity to challenge a Grandmaster!
Launch of Gin Emporium at Avenue Restaurant
Gin is definitely our summer drink of choice and Avenue are spoiling you with their Gin Emporium in collaboration with Cambridge Distillery. Gorgeous cocktails which you can order until 31st August include the Cambridge Green with Cambridge Dry Gin, fresh kiwi and cucumber, pressed apple juice, elderflower cordial and fresh lime juice (£12) and the Truffle Martini made with Cambridge Truffle Gin and stirred with Ginjo Sake (£11).
Independence Day Brunch at M Victoria
You can always rely on M Victoria to come up with decent brunch offering and we are loving the sound of this one for Independence Day on 4th July. Of course it’s American themed and while we can’t pig out in the Meatpacking district just now, we can feast on a two course New York style brunch with the likes of ribeye steak, chips and hollandaise sauce and corn or zucchini fritters. There’s more… the £65 tickets include free flowing prosecco AND cocktails – Manhattans, Cosmos, Pornstars and Negroni are all on the list. Grab your mates and grab a ticket, here.
Watch Wimbledon with Big Screen London
You can watch Wimbledon in two awesome locations on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th July as Cannizaro Park in Dulwich and Cannizaro Park in Wimbledon both play host to Big Screen London offering up an all encompassing sports, film, comedy, and live music experience. Get your tickets here, priced from £25 upwards.
Summer Shopping and Dining Day – Marylebone Village
Shopping Spree alert! On Thursday 1st July, head to Marylebone Village where you can take advantage of exclusive discounts, gifts, promotions and cocktails at over 60 brands, restaurants, shops, cafes and bars! The area is going to be buzzing – plan your full day here.
ROH Unlocked in Covent Garden
Launching on the 10th July, Covent Garden and The Royal Opera House will be kicking off a whole month of outdoor entertainment with their festival of culture. Giving families the chance to immerse themselves in free pop up performances, live music and workshops, The Royal Opera Chorus will be performing, along with The Royal Ballet, plus there’ll be dancing from ZooNation Youth Company and tonnes more!
