Department Store Dining: 8 Luxury Spots For Food & Fashion
The time for Christmas shopping is well on its way, and where better to get a head start on festive shopping than the best department stores in London?
But when all that shopping works up an appetite? These luxury London department stores are home to some top-notch restaurants, too. From giant Damien Hirst statues and rooftop gardens, to succulent steaks and foraged feasts, here’s where to get your foodie fix at the most famous department stores in London.
Department Stores In London: The Best In-Store Restaurants
45 Jermyn Street at Fortnum & Mason
Fronting cosy burnt orange booths, oak parquet flooring and Edwardian features designed by Martin Brudnizki, 45 Jermyn Street promises a truly glamorous meal at one of the best department stores in London.
And it’s not just the interiors that are beautiful, as they serve up a menu filled with familiar favourites and modern surprises, made with ingredients from Fortnum & Mason’s famous food hall. Highlights include steak tartare, Dover sole, and caviar from a roaming trolley to have alongside any of your dishes.
Where: 45 Jermyn St, St. James’s, London SW1Y 6DN
Website: www.45jermynst.com
Zelman Meats, Harvey Nichols
While the fifth floor of Harvey Nichols is brimming with options for hungry shoppers, Zelman Meats has to be our favourite. If you’re on the hunt for a meaty feast, this place should be high on your list, rustling up a selection of the very finest steaks from around the world.
Drool-worthy plates include the Zelman wagyu burger with sriracha burger sauce, cheddar, crispy onions, pickles and triple cooked chips; U.S. short ribs with barbecue sauce; or go all out with The Zelman Plate, a selection of the very best steaks to share, served on a giant platter. The ultimate indulgence after a day’s shopping.
Where: 5th Floor, 109-125 Knightsbridge Harvey Nichols, London SW1X 7RJ
Website: www.zelmanmeats.com
Native at Browns
Located in Browns department store, Native is the powerhouse restaurant that champions sustainable cooking, foraging and natural ingredients through an ethical menu of small plates, natural wines and foraged cocktails. Think Native Fish Fillet with brown crab rarebit and seaweed tartar sauce; and ‘Marrowmel’, a white chocolate and bone marrow caramel dessert.
The space itself is sustainable too, created by London-based architecture and design studio Red Deer, celebrating craftsmanship from its furniture to its floral displays.
Where: Browns 39, Brook St, London W1K 4JE
Website: www.nativerestaurant.co.uk
The Libertine at The Royal Exchange
Work up an appetite in luxury boutiques like Hermès and Tiffany & Co, before heading down to The Libertine, set in the immense vaults beneath The Royal Exchange. Sitting on the same site where the very first royal alcohol licence in Britain was granted, this space is steeped in hedonism – where merchants and rogues from across the city took part in boisterous ‘tippling’.
A modern revival of those mischievous times, the brand new venue is made up of lively drinking and dining corners to unwind post-shop, and the menu focuses on wholesome seasonal fare served from lunch till late – think seafood dishes, dry-aged steaks and snacks for sharing.
Where: 1 Royal Exchange, London EC3V 3LL
Website: www.libertinelondon.co.uk
Brasserie of Light at Selfridges
The glitziest brasserie you’ll find in the capital, Selfridge’s Brasserie of Light brings unadulterated glamour to the famous department store. Take a table at the floor to ceiling windows for ultimate people watching, pull up a pew at the bar, or take a seat beneath the epic Damien Hirst-designed crystal Pegasus.
As department store restaurants go, the food is excellent. Highlights include the tuna tacos and lobster linguine, and you can’t go wrong with their 21 day dry-aged sirloin steak for a refuel between shopping trips.
Where: 400 Oxford St, Duke St, London W1A 1AB
Website: www.brasserie-of-light.co.uk
Willows On The Roof at John Lewis
Winter or summer, there’s no stopping shoppers dining out in the open air at Willows On The Roof, the rooftop bar and terrace atop Oxford Street’s John Lewis. The current summer menu includes some delightful sharing plates that pair perfectly with an Aperol Spritz, including burrata with spring tomatoes; sweet potato fritters with a coconut and lime leaf sauce; and sticky beef brisket bites with a sweet and spicy pickle.
There are cute little cabin houses available to book for chillier days, and in winter, the space transforms into a winter wonderland, decked out with magical winter domes to get cosy in.
Where: 300 Oxford St, London W1C 1DX
Website: www.willowsontheroof.co.uk
Studio Frantzén at Harrods
If you’re on the hunt for an elevated lunch time pit stop in one of the most famous department stores in London, look no further than Studio Frantzén at Harrods. Not only does it boast a rooftop terrace, intimate boots and a private dining room for special occasions, there’s also counter seating, promising a front row seat to watch the chefs in action.
From lobster with coriander, curry and brown-butter hollandaise, to a whole chicken for two with Kyoto miso beurre blanc and burnt hay oil, the relaxed à la carte menu is classy and full of flavour.
Where: 87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge Fifth Floor, Harrods, London SW1X 7XL
Website: www.studiofrantzenlondon.com
Arthur’s at Liberty London
Liberty is the London department store famed for its prints, its wooden interiors and, in our opinion, its restaurant, Arthur’s. Named after the store’s creator, Arthur Liberty, the art deco inspired restaurant uses artisanal produce to create the modern British menu.
Sink into plush teal banquettes and take a break from browsing the curated collections of eclectic homeware and cult beauty buys.
Where: Little Marlborough St, London W1B 5AH
Website: www.libertylondon.com
