by Kate Wills and Ayesha Shaikh
  • 4 minute read
  • July 06, 2019
London Special: Here’s Your Guide To 24 Hours Around Covent Garden

From Tom Ford to Tiffany & Co, Benjamin Pollock’s Toy Shop to Mulberry, Covent Garden Market boasts a unique blend of global and independent shops. Since its acquisition by Capital and Counties in 2006, a new wave of hotels, restaurants and shops has surfaced here, making it a covetable destination for the more than 40 million people who visit Covent Garden each year.

Start your day with a stop at Balthazar, one of the most Instagrammable restaurants sitting on the corner of Russell and Wellington Streets, just a stone’s throw from The Royal Opera House. Relish the extensive breakfast menu that’s in classic French brasserie style, available from 7:30-11:15am on weekdays.

A detail of Balthazar 

From Tom Ford to Tiffany & Co, Benjamin Pollock’s Toy Shop to Mulberry, Covent Garden Market boasts a unique blend of global and independent shops. Since its acquisition by Capital and Counties in 2006, a new wave of hotels, restaurants and shops has surfaced here, making it a covetable destination for the more than 40 million people who visit Covent Garden each year.

Start your day with a stop at Balthazar, one of the most Instagrammable restaurants sitting on the corner of Russell and Wellington Streets, just a stone’s throw from The Royal Opera House. Relish the extensive breakfast menu that’s in classic French brasserie style, available from 7:30-11:15am on weekdays.

An interior view of Penhaligon’s

Talk about the best of British retail and Penhaligon’s springs to mind. A visit to Covent Garden is incomplete without experiencing the nearly-150-year-old British perfumery that has two Royal Warrants. Located on Wellington Street, this should be your next stop. It houses a rich line of fragrances, each of which tells a story—from Princess Diana’s signature scent Bluebell to Vaara,  which represents His Highness Gaj Singh II’s passion for Jodhpur.

Next, stop over at The Shop at Bluebird at Carriage Hall on Floral Street. At once steeped in history and boasting a modern flair, the three-floored concept store opened in April 2017 and is housed in a 19th-century, Grade II-listed building. On offer is a wondrous edit of fashion, beauty, art and home décor pieces, including brands such as Chloé, Alexander McQueen, Fornasetti and Victoria Beckham.

Interior view of an apartment at the Floral Court

“For over 12 years, The Shop at Bluebird has been London’s best keep secret,” Clair Miles, Head of The Shop at Bluebird, had said in an earlier statement. “A place to shop for luxury fashion, contemporary art and industry-favorite beauty brands in a setting unlike anywhere else in our city.” It’s a ‘playground of wonders’ indeed.

Want to view a slice of real estate heaven? A brief walk down the cobblestone street and you’ll come across the Floral Court Collection, a luxurious new residential address that links King Street and Floral Street. Designed by American firm Kohn Pederson Fox, the building comprises window boxes stacked like asymmetric crates, giving a nod to the neighborhood’s rich market heritage. London-based interior designer Brady Williams has created two show apartments that you can view to please the aesthete in you.

An interior view of Shop at Bluebird 

For lunch, head to Cora Pearl on 30 Henrietta Street—just where you need to be for a soulful meal. Opened last June, the restaurant features dishes ranging from simple snacks such as Shrimp Newburg to decadent Brill and Deviled Crab. Round off your meal with a serving of cardamom cake and milk sorbet.

Covent Garden is also the heart of London’s theaterland, including The Theatre Royal, The Lyceum, The Adelphi and The Royal Opera House, all architectural marvels worth viewing even if you don’t have tickets to a show. And whether you’re a fan of trains or Titians, you can’t miss the National Museum of Transport and the National Gallery.

But some of the best performances happen out on the street. Even Samuel Pepys made note of a Punch and Judy show he saw in Covent Garden in 1662, and the tradition continues at the piazza, with buskers, mime artists and live shows of all sorts to soak up on the pavement.

A dish at The Petersham

Dinner awaits at The Petersham, a health enthusiast’s dream realized. The chic à la carte restaurant follows the slow food movement that prioritizes local produce and traditional cooking methods. A mellifluous blend of Italian and British cuisines, it uses seasonal produce and quality ingredients, sourced from the founding Boglione family’s Haye Farm.

As the day draws to a close, you would’ve experienced some of the best Covent Garden has to offer and how the neighborhood has elevated living to an art form, leaving you wanting to come back for more.


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