Covent Garden, the pedestrianised heart of London, welcomes back visitors from across the UK with the best of shopping, dining and culture. Opening with a six month cultural programme including public art installations, Piazza pop-ups and live performances, over 35 restaurants offering al-fresco dining and indoor hospitality from 17th May, a six-week-long street-food festival, five new store openings, a new botanical garden outdoor picnic area and a ‘Hello London’ installation to welcome everybody in; Covent Garden is the perfect place for a staycation as the UK reopens.
Families, couples and groups of friends will be able to enjoy the very best of dining with an unparalleled selection of eating and drinking options in Covent Garden. Global and independent restaurants such as Frenchie, The Oystermen, Laduree, Flat Iron, Da Henrietta, Aubaine and Din Tai Fung are amongst 35 restaurants offering over 800 al-fresco dining seats, with terraces all fitted with heaters, windbreak screens, large parasols and lighting. In the Market Building, visitors will be able to dine on international dishes from restaurants including Chez Antoinette, Buns & Buns and Pancs, with dishes to suit all budgets. Overflowing onto the Piazza and seven of the surrounding pedestrianised streets, and with the reopening of indoor dining from 17th May, Covent Garden is the perfect area for long lunching, quick aperitifs and everything in between.
At the epicentre of West End theatres and with a summer bursting with cultural activities, Covent Garden will be London’s home of culture for 2021. The area will host a six-month-long programme across the estate, featuring vibrant installations from well-known artists, live performances, foodie pop-ups and a series of Piazza bars. First in the series, and running from 13th April - 3rd May, The Tanqueray Terrace in partnership with Dirty Martini will surprise and delight guests with five exclusive cocktails served alongside a menu of signature Fever Tree G&T’s, and running from 22nd April - 16th May a Sticks N’ Sushi x Veuve Clicquot pop up will serve the ultimate sushi and bubbles experience within a historic setting.
For retail therapy, Covent Garden’s has a mix of one-of-a-kind and flagship stores across fashion, beauty and lifestyle in a pedestrianised open-air shopping environment. The area is home to an experiential Tiffany & Co. concept store, the UK’s only Dior Beauty Boutique, Charlotte Tilbury’s first and global flagship store, the UK’s only Tom Ford beauty store, as well as unique shops from Paul Smith, A.P.C, Apple, Chanel, Deciem, Ganni, Tom Davies, Free People and American Vintage amongst others. Joining the very best British and international brands, a double sized Bucherer has opened to shoppers in April, while Vashi, Arc’teryx, Strathberry and Sacred Gold will also open doors on the estate in the coming months.
Starting in April, Covent Garden will host a six-week-long street food festival in partnership with Feast It. An outdoor haven for foodies, the weekly changing roster of dining experiences will feature Mexican tacos, Brazilian steak, gelato and more. Visitors can expect indulgent dishes from British Street Food Award winners Utter Waffle serving savoury and sweet waffles, or discover other new concepts from Milktree Gelato, The Smoky Gaucho and Hermanos Tacos House with authentic smoky beef or chilli squash Mexican tacos as well as flavoursome burritos. Sundown tipples and lunchtime spritzes will be provided by The Little Orange Van, Beetle Juice and Bubble Bros, alongside Kuka Coffee’s famous espresso martinis.
Covent Garden’s Royal Opera House will take centre stage as it welcomes guests from 17th May with a series of world-class performances. A cultural corner of London that has played home to Charles Dickens, Jane Austen and more, ensures theatregoers and art enthusiasts are spoilt for choice with nearby galleries and museums, with the National Gallery, British Museum and Somerset House only a short walk away. Local theatres including the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Lyceum and Apollo will soon be opening their doors, while the Iris Theatre on St. Pauls Church courtyard, is one of the few open air theatres in London. Families can also make the most of Covent Garden’s London Transport Museum reopening, which will also launch a Thursday adults-only After Dark Series with interactive poetry sessions, drinks, quizzes and panel talks.
Further to all restaurants reopening on 17th May for indoor dining, plus 800 al fresco dining seats, a new botanical picnic garden provides additional seating for 70 visitors to sit, relax and dine outdoors in the heart of London on takeaway offerings including The Petersham Deli, Avobar, Deli By Darjeeling Express and more. Transforming into an open-air social hub, the pedestrianised heart of London will welcome guests from near and far.
An idyllic area for a city staycation, Covent Garden is home to a number of hotels from independent and boutique, with the hotly anticipated NoMad London hotel opening on 25th May. Other popular nearby hotels include the esteemed Savoy, the instagrammable Parisien Henrietta Hotel and budget friendly Z hotel, Covent Garden has hotels for every price range for visitors to explore London. Covent Garden and The Waldorf Hilton have partnered to reward guests that opt in for their newly launched Fashion Weekender Package with a Covent Garden Black Card. The exclusive card unlocks discounts, special offers and money off across restaurants, shops and experiences in and around Covent Garden.
Covent Garden has also opened a secure cycle storage facility in Long Acre in partnership with Spokesafe. Alongside a space; E-bike chargers, lockers, a repair station and multiple air pumps are available for visitors to use on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
For further information on dining and shopping options, offers and things to do in the area please visit www.coventgarden.london or visit @CoventGardenLDN
Feast It Street Food Pop Ups on rotation from Thursday 8th April - Sunday 16th May:
