London restaurants have got creative cooking up menus or planning kooky events to celebrate the forthcoming nuptials of Kate Middleton and her prince. If you haven’t got plans yet but you want to get involved, here’s the lowdown on what’s going on in the capital – whether you’re after a budget-busting, once-in-a-lifetime experience, or a stream of regal cocktails.
What's in a name?
Are you called Will and Kate? If you are, you can celebrate the Royal Wedding for free at certain London venues. At Hush, any couples called Will and Kate will be offered a two-course meal and a royal passionata cocktail for free. Over at The Botanist and The Cadogan Arms (pictured, left), the first Kate and William to walk through the door on 29 April – whether a real-life couple of just good friends – will receive a free meal.
Even if you don’t share a moniker with the royal couple, there are freebies to be enjoyed. Turn up to any Wahaca dressed as a bride and groom and you’ll be given a free meal to celebrate the Royal Wedding. Or trot down to one of the Renaissance pubs with a piece of memorabilia from the last royal wedding, and staff will reward you with either a drink, bar snack, or meal. For something more luxurious, head to Café Luc, where everyone who orders a glass of Louis Roederer will be given a jewellery box containing a barcode – scan the barcode at Piaget, Bond Street, and be in with the chance to win a watch or necklace worth thousands of pounds.
Right Royal weekends
Thinking of making a weekend of the extra bank holiday? The Chester Grosvenor and Spa is offering a two-night luxury package that includes an eight-course tasting menu at the hotel’s Simon Radley restaurant, a Champagne afternoon tea for two, and access to the hotel’s cathedral. The package costs £762.50 per person.
If you’re a die-hard Royalist – and, crucially, have £11,300 to hand – you can take part in a five-day tour organised by Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park. The package includes meals with members of the Spencer family, tours of Westminster Abbey, Chartwell (Churchill’s family home), Althorp (Lady Diana’s ancestral home), and Kensington Palace. You’ll watch the wedding parade from the roof terrace at the Institute of Contemporary Art, which has unrestricted views of the Mall. What’s more, you can bag a table for dinner at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal (pictured, right) while staying at the hotel.
Street parties and toasts to the bride and groom
For a celebration that’s right up your street, shoot over to The Gun (pictured, left), where they’ll be serving Pimm’s and punch, spit-roast venison and Eton mess from 10am-10pm. Tickets cost £25.
Alternatively, head west to Battersea High Street – from 10am you’ll find fire-eaters, stilt-walkers, donkey rides, a clairvoyant’s tent and an outdoor screen from which to broadcast the action. BBC Radio London will be broadcasting live from the street, and French restaurant Chez Manny will be open all day and joining in the fun.
For Kate-and-Wills-themed cocktails, look no further than the Be@One chain, where lookalikes of the royal couple will be doing the rounds behind the bar, and royal bellinis will be on offer at £5 each.
Or try a Royal tipple at The Bingham, which is offering three wedding-themed cocktails for the big day, including the rhubarb royale, a mixture of vodka, Velvet Falernum (Caribbean spiced liqueur) and fresh rhubarb, topped with Champagne.
Banquets fit for royalty
If you’re looking for a meal fit for a king and queen, here’s Square Meal’s pick of the best brunches and banquets in town:
Afternoon tea with a twist at Sketch
Celebratory meal at Altitude (view pictured, right)
Cinnamon Club Royal Wedding Banquet
Historical dinner and dance at Quaglino’s
L’Etranger’s seven-course Royal Wedding meal with wines
Royal Wedding brunch at the Ritz
Spicy feast at Moti Mahal
And finally, Yo! Sushi is producing limited-edition commemorative plates (pictured, top) that portray the soon-to-be Royal couple as crown-bearing lucky kittens – yours for just £2.50.