Where To Eat and Drink During Chelsea Flower Show

Flowers don’t just inspire gardeners and florists, but chefs and mixologists too. As Chelsea Flower Show kicks off soon (23 – 27 May 2023), we round up the best places in London for a floral feast – think botanical-inspired cocktails and summertime dishes. Many Chelsea restaurants get involved with Chelsea in Bloom, too, by creating special floristry installations to tie in with this year’s theme, which is Flowers on Film. Read on to find out where to eat during Chelsea Flower Show.

Visit The C&TH Chelsea Flower Show Hub

Where to Eat and Drink During Chelsea Flower Show 2023

Smokey Kudu at RIXO

Inside the uber-cool new RIXO flagship on the King’s Road you’ll find cocktail bar Smokey Kudu. Pop in to check out the pretty floral display and special Kudu Blossom cocktail, made with Pisco, apricot brandy, Campari and passion fruit, garnished with rose petals. While you’re there, you may as well have a little browse round too…

133 Queen’s Rd, London SE15 2ND, kuducollective.com

Sticks & Sushi

The King’s Road branch of Sticks & Sushi always puts on a great show for Chelsea in Bloom, winning gold medals for its displays in both 2021 and 2022. This year, the restaurant is paying homage to the Flowers on Film theme with a display focused around samurais, a regular symbol in Japanese film. Created by the florists at In Water Flowers with a mix of dried and fresh flowers, the installation will feature a 4.8m tall floral samurai warrior standing proudly on the restaurant’s façade, appearing to smash through the window. Inside, there will be an installation of Japanese and Danish floral flags – a nod to the restaurant’s dual heritage. 

113-115, King’s Rd, London SW3 4NT, sticksnsushi.com

The Sloane Club and Sloane Place

Pop into boutique Chelsea hotel Sloane Place, or its members’ club The Sloane Club, to sip floral-inspired cocktails created especially for Chelsea Flower Show. Drinks on offer include the Honey Moon Sour, a nod to bees made with Monkey 47 gin, St Germain, lemon juice and honey water; and the Sloane Flower G&T – a gin cocktail with a violet, floral twist. 

60 Lower Sloane St, London SW1W 8BP, sloaneplace.com

Rabbit

The Gladwin brothers’ Chelsea outpost is a cosy, rustic spot on the King’s Road, showcasing their signature ‘local and wild’ ethos with a focus on foraged ingredients, seasonality and zero-waste cooking. This May, the restaurant is getting involved with the Chelsea in Bloom celebrations with a special floral arrangement and menu. Nods to Ridley Scott’s film A Good Year are seen throughout, with a floral display from Amanda Austin Flowers and a special Pink Floyd cocktail shaped like a wellington boot, made with blood orange gin and rose syrup. A special four-course menu features floral-inspired dishes like tempura courgette flower with goat’s cheese and harissa mayonnaise, and pork tenderloin with rainbow cauliflower broad bean salsa. 

172 King’s Rd, London SW3 4UP, rabbit-restaurant.com

Stanley’s

With its olive-tree bedecked courtyard inspired by a quintessential English garden, Stanley’s makes the perfect pitstop after a day at the flower show. Amid this pretty setting, you can enjoy fresh seasonal dishes from young chef Olivia Burt, who previously worked at Claridge’s and appeared on Masterchef: The Professionals. Current highlights on the menu include aubergine with burnt onion and apricot harissa, spring lamb with asparagus, and British burrata with peas and mint pesto.

151 Sydney St, London SW3 6NT, stanleyschelsea.co.uk

Spring Garden at Chelsea Flower Show

Within the show itself, visitors can enjoy fine dining from Skye Gyngell, who heads up the esteemed Spring restaurant at Somerset House. Amid a horticultural oasis of plants, flowers and herbs will sit a special culinary experience, where guests are invited to forage for ingredients to personalise their meal and drinks before sitting down to bespoke menus from Skye, created alongside luxury caterer AP&Co.

Find out more at springgarden.eventist.group

Daphne’s

A neighbourhood stalwart, Daphne’s has been on the Chelsea scene for over 55 years now. With its marble-topped bar and Venetian glass chandeliers, the restaurant has always been a beautiful spot – but even more so during Chelsea Flower Show. This year, its conservatory is being transformed into an Italian countryside setting featuring baroque statues and jasmine flowers, with special dishes on the menu alongside a cocktail menu running in partnership with Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto.

112 Draycott Ave, London SW3 3AE, daphnes-restaurant.co.uk

The Ivy Chelsea Garden

With its flower-festooned facade and glorious outdoor area, The Ivy Chelsea Garden fits in perfectly with the flower show aesthetic. It always pulls out all the stops for its themed installation: this year’s theme is ‘Wisteria Wonderland’, with a beautiful installation featuring woodland creatures and seasonal flowers. Inside you’ll be able to enjoy summer cocktails made in collaboration with Lillet, plus a limited-edition dessert.

195 197 King’s Rd, London SW3 5EQ, ivycollection.com

No. Fifty Cheyne

You can’t miss this riverside oasis, with its striking blue façade covered in flowers. Inside is equally stylish, with a private country house feel, plus a menu serving British pub classics with a twist. Jason Atherton protégé Iain Smith helms the kitchen, with a mix of seafood dishes, salads and grills on offer, alongside an excellent brunch offering. Upstairs, there’s a whimsical-inspired bar overlooking Cheyne Gardens and the River Thames, which makes a lovely spot for a cocktail after the flower show.

50 Cheyne Walk, London SW3 5LR, fiftycheyne.com

The Surprise

With its peach walls, grand fireplaces and chintzy wallpaper, The Surprise is now a strong contender for the most chic pub in Chelsea. Visit to soak up its lively atmosphere and enjoy a beer or glass of vino from the extensive wine list – or stay for a meal, with an array of elevated pub classics on offer alongside small plates and bar snacks.

6 Christchurch Terrace, London SW3 4AJ, thesurprise-chelsea.co.uk

Vardo

Bang in the middle of Duke of York Square sits Vardo, Caravan’s West London outpost housed inside a state-of-the-art glass pavilion. The restaurant offers a ‘no boundaries’ concept inspired by the Romani travelling wagons of the 1800s, which would travel around the world collecting flavours along the way. It’s a great spot for brunch, with everything from smoothie bowls to French toast on offer, alongside small plates, pizzas, mezze boards and more. Pop in any time of day during Chelsea Flower Show for a coffee (or cocktail) and a bite to eat.

9 Duke Of York Square, London SW3 4LY, caravanandco.com