Hyde Park Garden at Mandarin Oriental Returns: Meat Fruit Al Fresco
Of all the outdoor tables in Knightsbridge, the one with the best view belongs to a hotel. Hyde Park Garden, the seasonal terrace at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, reopened this month and runs until September, looking straight out over the park. Its menu comes from the Heston Blumenthal team behind the hotel's flagship restaurant, which makes it the most relaxed way to taste that kitchen's cooking, and this year that matters more than usual.
Why this summer is different
In March, Heston Blumenthal confirmed that Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will close at the end of January 2027, roughly 15 years after it opened, as Hot Dinners reported. Nothing has yet been announced to replace it. That makes this the last summer, as things stand, in which the garden menu carries the Dinner team's signatures, and the dishes that made the restaurant famous are all here in the open air.
It is worth remembering what Dinner achieved. Opened with Ashley Palmer-Watts as its original head chef, it became one of the few London restaurants to hold two Michelin stars, and dishes such as Meat Fruit and Tipsy Cake became as recognisable as any in the city. The final month before closure is due to bring celebratory menus, but the garden is a gentler farewell.
What to order
The menu draws on the historical British recipes that defined Dinner. According to Knightsbridge London's preview of the season, highlights include:
- Meat Fruit, dating from around 1500, the famous mandarin that turns out to be chicken liver parfait.
- Joutes, from 1430, a savoury custard royale of bone marrow and cream with rarebit toast.
- Compost, a salad built on a preservation technique recorded around 1390.
- Chippy Tea, new this season: a sharing spread for two with triple-cooked chips, beer-battered haddock, pickled onions, quail eggs and a lemon posset.
In the afternoon, scones with clotted cream take over, which is a very good reason to linger after a walk in the park.
What to drink
The wine list leans pink, with a selection of rosé from Château d'Esclans, the Provence estate behind Whispering Angel. Spritz cocktails and non-alcoholic options round it out, so it works as well for a long lunch as for a single glass at the end of a working day.
When to go
Lunch is served daily from 12pm to 2.30pm, with drinks and light bites from 3pm to 8pm. Weekday lunch is the sweet spot: the park is quieter, the light is good, and you can be back on Sloane Street within minutes. On sunny weekends, expect it to be full well in advance.
Booking and getting there
Reservations are taken in advance through the hotel's online booking system, and the garden can also be hired privately for summer parties. Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park is at 66 Knightsbridge, a two minute walk from Knightsbridge station. Book early for July, when BST Hyde Park brings extra crowds to the park next door.
Lead image: heatheronhertravels via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.
