Harrods Food Hall: What to Eat, What to Buy and How to Do It
The Harrods Food Hall is really a run of connected halls on the ground floor of Harrods, 87 to 135 Brompton Road, SW1X 7XL, a minute's walk from Knightsbridge station. You can shop for fresh produce, chocolate, bread, tea and coffee, sit down to eat in the Dining Hall, then head downstairs to the Wine Shop. This guide takes each part in turn, with what to look for and how to plan your visit around the opening hours.
Fresh Market Hall
The busiest of the halls is where Harrods sells its fresh food: seasonal fruit and vegetables, day boat seafood, butchery, artisan cheese, charcuterie and truffles. The traiteur counter is the one to know about if you are entertaining, since every dish on it is made by the in-house chefs, from beef Wellington and salmon en croûte to salads. There is also a food to go range for a picnic in Hyde Park, including a signature prawn cocktail sub in a brioche roll.
Roastery and Bake Hall
Shelves of freshly baked bread fill the Roastery and Bake Hall, along with the store's own teas and coffees. This is the place for sourdough, pastries and a tin of Harrods tea to take home, and it is also where to find The Coffee Bar, an Art Deco style counter that serves coffee and baked goods by day and espresso martinis in the evening. It takes walk-ins only, so it works well as a quick stop before you tackle the rest of the store. Tea drinkers should also look for Harrods' own matcha, made with ceremonial grade tea from Shizuoka in Japan and sold in a classic blend alongside raspberry, caramel and spiced versions.
Chocolate Hall
The Chocolate Hall is home to Harrods' in-house chocolatiers, and the displays run from handmade truffles to boxed gifts. It is the obvious stop for a present that travels well, and Harrods' Christmas chocolate gift guides draw on this hall each year.
The Dining Hall
Within the historic halls, the Harrods Dining Hall brings together six restaurant counters under one roof, with live music. The line-up has included Dim Sum by China Tang, the Em Sherif Hummus Bar, The Grill for steaks and rotisserie chicken, Kinoya Ramen Bar, Kinoya Sushi Bar and Pasta Evangelists by Perbellini. It is on the ground floor with its own street level entrance by Door 8 on Brompton Road, so you can come in for dinner after the shop floors close. Check the Dining Hall page for current hours, as they run later than the store on most evenings.
Fine Wines and Spirits
Downstairs on the lower ground floor, the Wine Shop holds more than 2,000 bottles in store, from age-worthy Bordeaux to small batch spirits. The best reason to visit is the enomatic tasting system: four machines pour up to 32 wines at a time in 25ml measures, often including rare bottles, paid for with a tasting card. Staff also offer complimentary private tastings if you are choosing wine for an occasion. You can contact the shop on TheWineShop@harrods.com before a visit.
Planning your visit
The Food Halls open from 10am to 9pm Monday to Saturday. On Sundays the store opens at 11.30am for browsing only, with sales from noon until 6pm, so arrive at midday if you plan to buy. If the halls are packed, Harrods Roast and Bake on Basil Street, opposite the back of the store, is a grab and go option for coffee, a lunchtime sandwich or a pastry. Weekday mornings are the quietest time; Saturday afternoons and the weeks before Christmas are the busiest. The full list of counters and seasonal ranges is on the Food Halls page.
Good to know: Harrods has no formal dress code for its restaurants, but it reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone not deemed appropriately dressed. If you want a proper sit down tea rather than a counter meal, The Georgian on the fourth floor is the store's afternoon tea room. Many of the Harrods restaurants take walk-ins, which makes the Food Halls an easy lunch stop on a shopping day.
