10 Places to Celebrate the Jubilee in London

Jubilee at Golden Union

By Claire Coleman

As you will undoubtedly have registered (if only because of the four-day weekend - whoop!), there's a Jubilee going on this weekend. And, Royalist or Republican, you probably won't object to scoffing your way through it. Here are some options. Cheers, Your Majesty!

Byron
If you haven't tasted it already (it launched earlier this month), hotfoot it to burger chainlet, Byron, which teamed up with fellow burger fanatic Fred Smith, head chef of the Admiral Codrington in Chelsea, to create the Chilli Queen. It's a limited-edition special consisting of a 6-oz. hamburger, green chilli, chipotle mayo, shredded iceberg lettuce and American cheese, all served on a glazed bun. Priced at £8.75, it's available in all branches until June 5.

Caravaggio
From May 28 to June 15, this City spot is mixing modern Italian dishes made from British ingredients with some of the best English wines in a celebratory Jubilee menu. Priced at £23.50 for two courses (£38.50 with wine pairings) or at £29.50 for three courses (£49.50 with wine pairings), you can expect, among other things, vodka-anddill-marinated salmon with samphire salad; beef carpaccio with celery-and-basil-infused olive oil; asparagus and Dorset blue risotto; and roasted breast of guinea fowl.

Clos Maggiore
It's reputed to be one of London's most romantic French places, but from June 2-5 this Covent Garden spot is getting the British bug, offering a menu showcasing quality meat and seasonal produce from the royal estate and farm shop in Windsor. We're talking English asparagus with pheasant egg; river trout; lamb fillet; and, natch, Eton Mess. The four-course menu is £38 per person or £62 with wine, and any couple who can prove that they walked down the aisle in 1952, the year of the Queen’s coronation, can enjoy the feast for free.


Golden Union
Ain't nuffink more British than a plate of fish 'n' chips, so where better than Soho's fave chippy for a street party? From June 2-6, expect bunting, balloons and Pimm’s aplenty as the Golden Union renames itself the Diamond Union and dishes out a free kid's meal with every adult meal bought. Cause for celebration indeed.

Le Café Anglais
You've got to love Rowley Leigh's sense of humour. From June 4-5, his Queensway restaurant will, in their own words, leave "no cliché left unturned" with a three-course lunch menu featuring Coronation chicken, oeufs pochés Elisabeth and Windsor Mess among other seasonal delights. Moreover, it's a right royal bargain at £25 for three courses and a glass of Kir Royale.

Tea at the Royal Garden Hotel

Royal Garden Hotel
If you can't wangle an invite for tea at Kensington Palace, then this literally is the next best thing, as it's right next door overlooking the gardens. Classic tea tastes will be on offer, including Victoria sandwich sponge, English rose cheesecake, Earl Grey opera, champagne and strawberry tart, Elizabethan trifle and Windsor nut mousse. Available from 2:30 PM-5:30 PM May 28-June 5, the Diamond Jubilee tea is priced at £22, or £32 with champagne.

Quaglino's
Sixty years ago this St James' spot celebrated the Queen’s coronation with a commemorative menu. Now they're doing a 2012 version of the same. As part of a five-course tasting menu, you'll find foie gras terrine and port jelly; Dover sole à la royale; and an assiette of strawberries with a gingerbread and liqueur biscuit. Available for lunch and dinner from May 28 until June 30, the dinner will be priced at £65 a head and includes a complimentary chocolate gift from Royal Warrant holders Charbonnel et Walker, plus a souvenir menu.

Roast
It's not really surprising that a British restaurant is going big on the whole Jubilee thing, but it has to be said that Marcus Verberne’s specials for the week sound delish, as do the pairings from Kent's Chapel Down Winery. To start there's Coronation chicken and gem-heart salad with crispy shallots (£9.75); then venison Wellington with McSween’s haggis and buttered hispi cabbage (£36.75); and, finally, what else but the Queen of Puddings (£7.50).

The Halkin
Chocolate fiends, get yourselves to The Halkin, because they've enlisted the help of master chocolatier William Curley to create a Couture Jubilee afternoon tea. Available June 1-10, from 3 PM to 6 PM, it costs £37.50 per person or £47.50 with rosé champagne. Brace yourselves for a variety of fancies, including apricot and ginger macaroon crown, Earl Grey chocolate casket, summer berry fruit tart, cherry Paris Brest and the usual sandwiches and housemade scones with clotted cream and jam. Phew.

Commemorative plates, Yo! Sushi style

Yo! Sushi
Trust the Japanese chain to go a bit crazy-kitsch. Basically they've made 2,000 commemorative plates that depict the Queen looking not quite like she usually does. You can nab one for just £3 or go the whole hog with a Jubilee package that comprises the plate, a glass of fizz (usually £4.40) and a specially designed ‘diamond’-encrusted red fruit Charlotte dessert topped with edible sugar diamonds and pearls (usually £4), all for only £7.50. Plates are available from June 1 while stocks last, and the dessert will be served until June 10.