Beyond snapping pics of your nearest bloom, here’s how to mark cherry blossom season in London
Florals for spring? When it’s cherry blossom, we’re all over it. Hanami, where people gather under the blossoms to eat, drink and appreciate the flowers, is a huge tradition in Japan but if you can’t jet off, there are plenty of places in London where you can celebrate cherry blossom season with beautiful blooming installations, spesh Japanese dishes and cocktails to match.
Mei Ume
Mei Ume at Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square is celebrating cherry blossom season covering the restaurant entrance and bar with the blooms. The kitchen is also serving up a seasonal six-course tasting menu featuring the likes of sushi moriawase and Wagyu beef donburi with sake pairings provided by Masumi.
Until Sat 15th April 2023
Four Seasons at Ten Trinity Square 10 Trinity Square, London EC3N 4AJ
meiume.com
Tattu
Contemporary Chinese spot Tattu has been decked out with cherry blossom trees for sakura season and that, paired with the view from the top of the Now Building, means that this will make for a very picturesque dinner. Tuck into Tattu’s new spring menu – featuring the likes of shiitake bao buns with truffle & kimchi and king oyster satay with crispy leeks and pak choi – while you sip on the limited-time Cherry Blossom Negroni and take in the sights.
From Tues 9th April 2024
The Now Building Rooftop, Outernet, Denmark Place, London WC2H 0LA
tattu.co.uk
Aqua Kyoto
Rooftop sushi spot Aqua Kyoto is welcoming a selection of sakura-inspired dishes to the menu to mark the season, including maki, Wagyu sirloin and cherry pana cotta. To get the full sakura experience, sip on one of the three limited-time cocktails: the ‘Sour Cherry’, ‘Sakura Highball’ and Blossom Paloma Spritz.
Available until Tues 30th April 2024
5th Floor, 240 Regent Street (entrance 30 Argyll Street), London W1B 3BR
aquakyoto.co.uk
Outernet
Outernet London (AKA those screens that you see as you’re leaving Tottenham Court Road Station) has teamed up with the National Trust to launch an exhibition in honour of cherry blossom season. Titled Nature’s Confetti, the immersive show sees videos of cherry blossom trees spread across giant floor-to-ceiling wraparound screens and is designed to make visitors feel as though they’ve been transported to a blossom scape. As with all of Outernet’s displays, this one’s free and open to the public from 10am to late.
From Thurs 4th – Sun 28th April 2024
Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 8LH
@outernetglobal
KOYN
From the mind behind MiMi Mei Fair, Jamavar and Bombay Bustle, Samyukta Nair, luxe Mayfair restaurant KOYN will once again host an exhibition to celebrate Sakura season. HANAMI, by photographer Rohan Shrestha, will see infrared images of cherry blossoms displayed in KOYN’s restaurant while Hanami Hako (Kyoto-style treasure chests of food) will be served to guests. Expect your treasure chest to be stuffed with the likes of sea bream, kombujime, irazake & daikon cress; mazaro di vallo shrimp tartare, rhubarb ponzu & daikon shiso pickle; and squid salad, ikura, arima sansho dressing & watermelon radish. For dessert, there’ll be a Sakura Pavlova filled with white chocolate, sakura whipped ganache, mochi and strawberry jus. Finally, for drinks, there’ll be a selection of gin cocktails made using The Botanist.
Available until Sun 31st March 2024
38 Grosvenor Street, London W1K 4AQ
koynrestaurants.com
Brogdale Collections
You can get a real Hanami experience if you’re willing to head out of town (you only need to go as far as Kent though, not Japan). Brogdale Collections, a huge 150-acre orchard, is hosting spring blossom tours so you can see their collection of blossoming fruit trees, including cherry (obvs), apple, pear, plum and quince. Plus, they’ll be hosting a special Hanami Blossom Day on Sat 13th April event where you can immerse yourself in Japanese art and culture and join in on sushi making, origami and calligraphy workshops.
April & May 2024
Brogdale Road, Faversham, Kent, ME13 8XZ
brogdalecollections.org
Ginza St James’s
At Ginza St James’s, dine on a limited-time menu of sakura-themed dishes devised by head chef Alex Furusawa Cadoni underneath a canopy of pink, blue and green flowering cherry blossoms. Kick your meal off with Ikura chawanmushi, then dive into sashimi, lobster tempura and miso black cod. For dessert, there’ll be sakura mochi and, in the Hiroo bar upstairs, you can sip on a special seasonal cocktail, made with Roku gin, St Germain, lychee liqueur, Lillet rose, Peychaud’s bitters and cherry bitters.
Available from Mon 18th March 2024
15 Bury Street, St James’s, London SW1Y 6AL
ginza-stjames.com