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.
Marugame Udon
The Liverpool Street branch of Marugame Udon has gone pink for sakura season and is home to the city’s first co-created cherry blossom tree – diners are given a DIY origami blossom which they can write a message on and then add to the tree, helping grow throughout the season. Once you’ve added your petal and slurped your noodles, hit up the soft serve machine to try the limited edition cherry blossom flavour.
Until Tues 26th April 2022
114 Middlesex St, London E1 7JH
marugame.co.uk
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 Japanese menu featuring the likes of prawn maki, beef tataki, deep fried squid, miso grilled aubergines, wagyu beef gyoza, tori yaki udon and salmon donburi. You can pair that with the spesh Sakura-yu cocktail made with vermouth, vodka and sparkling sake.
Mon 14th March – Fri 29th April 2022
Four Seasons at Ten Trinity Square 10 Trinity Square, London , EC3N 4AJ
meiume.com
Mariage Frères
Luxury French tea emporium Mariage Frères is bringing cherry blossom to Covent Garden with a sakura menu in the Salon de Thé. Both dishes on the two-course menu make use of their Sakura, Sakura! green tea blend with cherry blossom fragrance, so you can tuck into seared cod infused with green tea and served with white asparagus & amarena cherry, and an almond mousse infused with green tea and cherry, sat on a white almond dragée base, alongside a cocktail made with champagne and sakura blue tea.
Mon 21st March – Sun 3rd April 2022
38 King Street, London WC2E 8JS
mariagefreres.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.
April & May 2022
Brogdale Road, Faversham, Kent, ME13 8XZ
brogdalecollections.org
