Is This London’s Best Secret Garden?

There’s nothing like a really good English garden party when the weather delivers. The only thing getting in the way, for many of us in London, is a really good English garden. No matter, Home House is ready to play host this summer, with a tempting al fresco menu, weekend BBQ, and fresh summer spritzes.

Review: The Garden At Home House

First thing’s first: let’s set the scene. Spread across a grand Georgian townhouse in Portman Square, Home House is easily one of London’s most glamorous members’ clubs. The house was originally built in the 1700s as a pleasure dome for the Countess of Home, one of the capital’s richest women who was known for her ‘irascible behaviour and lavish parties’ – earning herself the nickname ‘the Queen of Hell’.

In 1996 the building was transformed into a private members’ venue, which set itself apart from the capital’s saturated club scene by rejecting the well-trodden stuffy formula and opting instead to channel the Countess’ hedonistic spirit. Since then, Home House has garnered a reputation for its decadent soirées, attracting everyone from Madonna to Paul McCartney over the years (the club’s motto is ‘what happens at Home House stays at Home House’).

Naturally, food and drink is a key part. An array of restaurants and bars are dotted around the house, all featuring their own eclectic aesthetic and suitably chic menu, but in the summer months the garden is the best spot. Filled with lush greenery and pretty pots of flowers, the space has a real secret hideaway feel. It’s centred around a cosy Raj tent, meaning you’ll be protected come rain or shine – although if it’s the latter, nab one of the al fresco tables set around it for maximum sun potential.

This is Home House, so of course there’s a buzzy vibe. When we visited, the weather was not on our side, but even a bout of torrential rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of the club’s Friday night crowd. Kick things off with a cocktail from the spritz menu, which features Home House’s very own gin, with drinks available in carafe form if you’re sharing (or just fancy a couple to yourself).

Alternatively, sample some of the club’s signatures: the Charlotte is a favourite, made with Belvedere Pure, Cointreau, watermelon cordial and lemon. There’s a great wine list too, with plenty of champagne available by the glass or bottle (club members get through an impressive 20,000 bottles a year), and friendly sommeliers on hand to help select pairings.

The food menu offers a selection of small plates, salads, burgers and grills – all centred around seasonal fare. Begin with some sharing starters of burrata with heritage tomatoes and peach, and tuna tartare with avocado and wasabi – or go all out with the seafood platter, a decadent feast piled high with Jersey rock oysters, Shetland mussels, Cornish crab and tiger prawns. 

For mains, highlights include whole baked sea bass with a fennel salad, grilled spatchcock poussin, and half grilled lobster with garlic butter, alongside club classics including beer battered cod and a vegetable Malaysian curry. On weekends, there’s also a BBQ menu featuring grills from the land, farm and sea: think miso aubergine, roasted leeks, monkfish skewers, lamb koftas and more. And if you have room for dessert (there’s always room), finish things off on a sweet note with the strawberry Eton Mess, or a light frozen melon granita. 

Although Home House is famous for its parties, that’s not to say you can’t pop by for a quiet drink or mid-morning breakfast meeting – during the day the garden is a tranquil oasis where you can enjoy a coffee away from the hustle and bustle of the city. But if you do fancy leaning into the club’s wild side, there’s always fun to be had within its vibrant walls.

BOOK IT:

20 Portman Square, London W1H 6LW, homehouse.co.uk