It’s rocked up all over the world since opening its now-famous doors in London back in the seventies, but the Hard Rock brand has finally come full circle, thanks to its brand new Piccadilly Circus branch. Vibrant, loud, and full of unique music memorabilia, it’s as rock and roll as any of its other branches, and then a bit more.
With features including curved TV screen tiles that blare out music videos, London Underground-themed booths, and a digital ceiling that flows over the staircase, tourists might just find the enormous video display and neon signs of the Circus outside disappointing by comparison. The collectables that adorn the walls have been given an update at this shiny new branch too, with items once belonging to icons such as Freddie Mercury and David Bowie displayed alongside those of current pop stars Ed Sheeran and Ellie Goulding.
Food-wise, it’s the same as it always has been: homage to classic fast food. Bring your appetite for the likes of spicy shrimp, sliders and nachos ahead of its ‘legendary’ (its adjective, not ours) burgers, which come with all sorts of toppings and sides including, if you can stomach the idea, 24-karat edible gold leaf (for ‘true rock stars’, apparently).
After that, garish desserts beckon – from boozy milkshakes covered in sprinkles, to cheesecake and apple cobbler. Kids, fuelled by noise and E numbers, will revel in the opportunity to run riot, but there’s plenty of good stuff on the beer and cocktail list to keep grown-ups energised or pacified - depending on the circumstances.
The new café's 7,500-square-metre 'Rock Shop' claims to be the largest in the world, meaning diners can buy all manner of souvenirs, or simply make use of the space for a much-needed post-meal walk.