Cedric Grolet at The Berkeley: How to Do It in Summer
Few things in Knightsbridge draw a queue of phones quite like a Cedric Grolet dessert. The French pastry chef's London home at The Berkeley on Wilton Place was his first outpost outside France, as Hot Dinners' Knightsbridge guide notes, and it remains one of the neighbourhood's essential sweet stops. With the summer season in full swing and the hotel's terrace in use, now is a good moment to work out which way of experiencing it suits you best. There are three, and they are very different.
The Counter: Goûtea in front of the chefs
The most theatrical option is Goûtea at The Counter, also called the Chef's Counter, where desserts are piped and finished in front of you. Goûtea is Grolet's take on afternoon tea, blending British tradition with French technique: classic finger sandwiches and warm scones, followed by his signature desserts sculpted to look like fruit and flowers, plus pastries and cookies. It can be paired with Billecart-Salmon Champagne or a non-alcoholic pairing.
Sittings are on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 12pm, 2pm and 4pm only, so this is a weekend plan that needs booking well in advance. One important note: because of the ingredients involved, the kitchen cannot accommodate dietary requirements here, so check carefully before you book for a group.
The Café: breakfast and beyond
The Berkeley Café is the more relaxed way in, a light-filled room serving Goûtea alongside an all-day à la carte menu. It is also open for breakfast, Le Petit Déjeuner, where the croissant topped with smoked salmon and a poached egg is the dish to order. For a summer morning before the shops open, it is hard to think of a more Knightsbridge way to start the day.
The Bar and Terrace: the summer option
In warm weather, our pick is The Berkeley Bar and Terrace, which also serves breakfast, Goûtea and Grolet desserts. You get the same pastry with fresh air and a glass of something cold, and it suits a spontaneous visit better than the formal sittings at the Counter. If you are bringing children, or friends who would rather not commit to a full tea, this is the space where a single pastry and a coffee feels entirely natural, and where you can linger as long as the sun lasts.
Celebrations and booking
For birthdays and parties, the pâtisserie makes celebration cakes, including three reinterpretations of the Saint Honoré in vanilla or chocolate for gatherings of 70 or more. Cake orders are handled by a dedicated enquiries team, and gift vouchers are available too, which makes a Goûtea booking an easy present for someone who has everything. Reservations can be made online through the Cedric Grolet at The Berkeley page, which also lists prices and the current seasonal collection. Hyde Park Corner and Knightsbridge stations are both a short walk from Wilton Place. For more ideas nearby, browse our restaurant guide.
