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.
Shochu Lounge at ROKA
The Charlotte Street branch of ROKA always does cherry blossom season well with a pop-up installation in the Shochu Lounge, and 2019 is no different, except this time the canopy of pink blooms will stay there permanently. The lounge will also be serving up House of Suntory Sakura cocktails and a new Sakura Sunday brunch menu, featuring a selection of ROKA faves, robata grilled cobia, Korean spiced lamb cutlets and brunch cocktails.
From Tues 26th March 2019
37 Charlotte Street, London, W1T 1RR
rokarestaurant.com
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 special Japanese menu featuring the likes of golden dragon roll with unagi, hot stone sea urchin and scallop fried rice, and snow flake matcha cake with salted caramel ice cream, and you can pair that with a cherry blossom cocktail complete with its very own cloud.
Until Mon 22nd April 2019
Four Seasons at Ten Trinity Square 10 Trinity Square, London , EC3N 4AJ
meiume.com
Sexy Fish
Sakura gets a sexy twist at Sexy Fish. Not only has multimedia artist Aphra Shemza designed an infinity mirror installation for the restaurant entrance but Sebastian Wild Cakes has also created a neon pink, blossom-adorned fish-shaped cake made from kirsch sponge and yuzu meringue buttercream. Of course, the bar is also shaking up spesh House of Suntory cherry blossom cocktails, including the Blossom Highball and the Skinny Sakura.
Until Sun 14th April 2019
Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, London W1J 6BR
sexyfish.com
Nobu Hotel Shoreditch
The House of Suntory is also teaming up with Nobu Hotel Shoreditch for Sakura season with their own Hanami celebrations. The hotel’s terrace will be transformed with pink blossoms, with aromatic scent diffusers adding that immersive touch. The bar will be shaking up seven bespoke cocktails using Japanese teas and infusions as well as Suntory spirits, and there’ll also be a Sakura-inpsired afternoon tea on offer, featuring the likes of sushi rice pudding, samurai California rolls and yuzu tarts.
Fri 5th April – Sun 2nd June 2019
10-50 Willow Street, London, EC2A 4BH
nobuhotelshoreditch.com
Zuma
Are you doing Sakura season properly if you don’t install a blossom installation in your bar? Zuma is going a step further with its canopy of cherry blossoms by using real tree trunks and branches in the bar. And you can admire the blooms whilst sipping on one of the specially created Bombay Sapphire and Grey Goose cocktails.
Sun 31st March – Sun 23rd June 2019
5 Raphael St, London, SW7 1DL
zumarestaurant.com
Chotto Matte
It’s all pink everything at Chotto Matte for Sakura Season. In celebration of the cherry blossom, the kitchen has added a floral pink twist to a selection of dishes, including pink ebi blossom tempura; spring maki with chu torro, shiso, picked cherry blossom; pan fried diver scallop with cherry ponzu; an and a rain drop jelly dessert with flowers inside and cherry ripple ice cream.
From Mon 1st April 2019
11-13 Frith Street, London, W1D 4RB
chotto-matte.com
Sakagura
Sakagura is of course transforming its interiors with a swathe of pink petals, with a menu of Sakura-themed cocktails to match. Theirs will be made with House of Suntory spirits and Gekkeikan sake, and for the first time in the UK, Gekkeikan will be showcasing its debut non-alcoholic sake, so you can get in on the action even if you’re off the booze.
Mon 1st – Sun 28th April 2019
8 Heddon Street, London W1B 4BU
sakaguralondon.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 Hanami picnics underneath its cherry trees as well as a Hanami Festival complete with tea ceremonies, sword displays and Japanese drumming.
April 2019
Brogdale Road, Faversham, Kent, ME13 8XZ
brogdalecollections.org
