London is
springing back to life. Heathrow Airport reported that March 2022 was its
busiest month since the start of the pandemic, with passenger travel from North
America, in particular, increasing by more than 60 percent from January 2022.
اضافة اعلان
The uptick is
linked to the
British government’s recent elimination of coronavirus
restrictions, a welcome move for many travelers eager for their fill of British
culture, including once-in-a-lifetime Platinum Jubilee events and experiences
based on “Bridgerton,” the heady hit show from Netflix.
Some city stalwarts
closed their doors during the pandemic. Among them: Cafe de Paris, a cabaret
venue in the West End since 1924; Le Caprice in St James’s, once a favorite
spot of
Princess Diana; and the physical locations of Debenham’s, the
242-year-old department store. But throughout London, other cafes and shops
bustle, scads of new bars and restaurants have opened, and city squares teem
with everyday life. Many of the Royal Parks are ablaze in daffodils and
brimming with picnickers, while live theater is back in the West End.
The return of
in-person events lends to the buoyancy of the Platinum Jubilee “Central Weekend”
in June, when public celebrations will mark
Queen Elizabeth’s 70-year reign.
Here’s more on what
is new and noteworthy in London.
The latest in restaurants
It’s a testament to London’s vitality that new restaurants managed to open
and even thrive during the pandemic. One of the buzziest spots is Sessions Arts
Club in Clerkenwell, a reimagined 18th-century courthouse where artwork and
crumbling, dramatic décor lend a fanciful patina to fare from chef Florence
Knight. Dishes like sea bream with parsley and eel with creme fraiche are
delightfully British with whiffs of
France and Italy (entrees range from around
$13 to $32).
Another new hit is
KOL, Britain’s first Michelin-starred Mexican restaurant, where chef
Santiago Lastra turns out items like pork belly carnitas with cabbage purée. On the
ground level is The Mezcaleria, which serves kicky, mezcal-focused cocktails
(six- or nine-course tasting menus cost between $111 and $155, without wine or
mezcal pairings; cocktails at Mezclaria are around $20).
Vegans and
meat-eaters alike might be delighted with the restaurant Gauthier Soho’s pivot
from classic French gastronomy to plant-based fine dining. One dish, rice with
truffle “cream,” delivers the richness of dairy through a potato-and-lentil
starch combination (the tasting menu starts at around $60, without wine
pairings).
When Leroy in
Shoreditch adopted rotisserie chicken takeaway as a pandemic survival maneuver,
the Michelin-starred restaurant might not have imagined the side hustle would
evolve into a stand-alone eatery. Now, Royale sells whole or half cornfed Anjou
chicken, sides like leeks vinaigrette, and a hazelnut parfait dessert (whole
chickens cost around $37, sides about $12).
New cocktails
At his 1970s-inspired, Thames-facing bar Lyaness, bartender Ryan
Chetiyawardana crafts cocktails around offbeat ingredients. A spring drink
called the 21st Daisy blends vodka, passion fruit, and crystallized verbena
with a homemade “Green Sauce Liqueur”, but this
South Bank location also serves
a weekend “Spirited Tea”.
Brown’s clocks in
as the oldest hotel in London, opening its doors in 1837, but the bartender
Salvatore Calabrese devises fresh ways to revisit the property’s history
through cocktails. The First Call honors
Alexander Graham Bell (who famously
made the first phone call from Brown’s) with Elephant gin, pistachio pesto,
verjus, coconut syrup, egg white, and white port.
Another drink, the
Winston — as in Churchill — is whisky-based and spiked with coriander, lime
juice, and a swirl of smokiness.
New hotels and lodging
In Covent Garden, the New
York-based design company Roman and Williams has transformed a 19th-century
Magistrate’s Court into the first European Nomad Hotel. The selected art and
textured materials imbue spaces with a contemporary edge and the restaurant is
housed within a three-story glass atrium (rates from $505).
Two interconnected Georgian homes are now the
14-suite Beaverbrook Town House in Chelsea, where interiors designed by Nicola
Harding offer vibrant color combinations, lively prints, and tassel-fringed
upholstery inspired by London’s grand theaters (rates from $610). Hotel guests
can access the leafy, residents-only Cadogan Gardens as well as enjoy
“Bridgerton”-themed experiences with the sister property Beaverbrook Estate in
Surrey.
Kingsland Locke has unveiled 124 sleek
apartment-style rooms in
East London’s Dalston neighborhood, with a coffee
shop, microbrewery, and kebab restaurant on the ground floor (rates from $151).
West End offerings
Lights are back on in the
West End with blockbuster musicals like “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” and “Six,”
a modern chronicle of the fate of Henry VIII’s wives. For those seeking plays,
there is “Much Ado About Nothing” at The Shakespeare Globe (through October 23)
and the West End openings include “The Glass Menagerie” starring Amy Adams
(from May 23 to Aug. 27) and “Prima Facie” with Jodie Comer of “Killing Eve”
fame (through June 18).
Ticket prices range for various shows, from $6
(standing room only) to around $111, and may be sold out for popular shows.
Weeknight tickets and matinees are cheaper and the TKTS booth in Leicester
Square offers discounted day-of tickets. Note that some theaters have their own
vaccine requirements, so double check to see what documentation is required for
entry.
Museum exhibits
“Surrealism Beyond Borders” at the Tate Modern
explores the global reach of the surrealist movement with works by lesser-known
artists from
Osaka, Japan, and Bogotá, Colombia, juxtaposed with paintings by
Dali, Miro, and Magritte (free and ticketed admission to the museum and advance
bookings are recommended;
The Platinum Jubilee
and other live events
Britain is celebrating the
Platinum Jubilee, marking Queen Elizabeth II as the first British monarch to
spend 70 years on the throne, all year. But from June 2–5, events like
“Trooping the Color,” a ceremonial parade featuring 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses,
and 400 musicians, will be held. The parade will march from
Buckingham Palace
down the Mall with members of the royal family; among the other festivities
that weekend are a concert at Buckingham Palace and a series of street parties.
Hotels are also celebrating. The Jubilee edition of
the Berkeley’s “Prêt-à-Portea” features Her Majesty’s most iconic looks in
petit fours and other pastries (around $97 per person, available from May 30 to
June 12) and on June 5, the Connaught will throw a Jubilee street party, with
an English brass band, bunting and family-style tables offering tea sandwiches.
Other non-royal, high-profile events welcoming spectators
once again are the Chelsea Flower Show, (May 24–28); the Royal Ascot horse
racing (June 14–18), and Wimbledon (June 27–July 10).
Read more Travel
Jordan News