When Vogue describes you as ‘one of the most Instagrammable restaurants,’ you know you’re onto a good thing. The Dalloway Terrace, which sits nestled at the back of London’s Bloomsbury Hotel, delivers on wow factor interiors thanks to the seasonally changing decoration of blooms that line the walls and creep up over the ceiling of the cosy heated terrace. It’s like if Day of the Triffids was far less scary and a whole lot prettier.
The ever evolving space showcases the work of seriously talented (and considered London’s coolest) florist, Nikki Tibbles. This festive season Nikki has been inspired by the mountains of Gstaad, Switzerland. The ski destination of choice for everyone from Madonna to Princess Diana, Elizabeth Taylor to Sophia Loren – it’s basically Hollywood on snow.
Nikki has installed charming snow-drenched pine garlands, Swiss cow bells hidden amongst the foliage and frosted ferns lining the walls. Guests can cosy into faux furs draped on their chairs and warm up (don’t worry the terrace is covered and heated) with the new festive-inspired food and drinks menu.
Thaw out with one of Dalloway’s new winter warmers – as Instagrammable as they are tasty. Choose from the Alpine Toddy made with Nonino Grappa, Chamomile Flower, Supusawa and Organic Agave as an alternative to the classic tipple, or the Chocolat Chaud made with a heady mix of Nonino Williams Pear, White Chocolate, Crème de Menthe, Crème de Cacao.
But it’s the Winter Afternoon Tea that will really impress this Christmas. Taking inspiration from traditional Swiss dishes, expect to eat like A-listers of the slopes, with delights such as the pine and rosemary chocolate mousse, inspired by a gondola ride to the top of the Swiss mountain range to see the shrunken, snow-topped tress below.
Equally as pretty is the Edel Weiss cake inspired by the small white flower made famous by Christopher Plummer and that tear-jerking scene in The Sound of Music. As well as the decadent Mont Blanc tart – a classic patisserie often found in that region of the Alps and made from a rich chestnut and tart raspberry flavour. With a spiced tart shell and sweet frangipani, it tastes like Christmas.
But our favourite has to be The Toblerone-inspired treat. The pastry chefs at The Dalloway Terrace have created a whimsical take on everyone’s favourite Christmas confectionary with a mini (and rather posh) version. The Afternoon Tea treat is made of a blend of Alpine milk chocolate, hazelnut praline and toasted almonds moulded into the recognisable triangle shape. If only you could buy these ones in your local supermarket.
To make the experience even more authentic, guests can see images of the Gstaad mountains through retro ViewMasters placed on the tables. Ok, we know it’s not a patch on visiting Gstaad itself, but it’s a charming addition to the festive offerings. And like long-time Gstaad fan Dame Julie Andrews once said, it’s “the last paradise in a crazy world.” Dalloway is starting to look like a charming paradise in the middle of Central London.
The Dalloway Terrace, 16-22 Great Russell St, Fitzrovia, WC1B 3NN
To find out more or to book online visit www.dallowayterrace.com
