The scent that you wear is one of the first things people notice about you, so it’s important to select a fragrance which suits your personality. Of course, here at SquareMeal, we are in the business of restaurants, and where someone likes to eat can tell us just as much about their personality as their fragrance of choice. That being said, we’ve teamed up with luxury fragrance house, Creed, to match our readers’ favourite restaurants to four of its signature scents. Read on to find out how your restaurant of choice should influence your next fragrance purchase.
A royal romance
The restaurant: Jamavar
The fragrance: Original Santal is a fragrance which revels in the romance and opulence of India, the home of the signature Mysore Sandalwood so loved by Olivier Creed. Its majestic allure allows the wearer to make a distinctive entrance and leave a captivating memory.
Perfect for: Those who enjoy a touch of opulence
Described by SquareMeal readers as “magnificent cooking in elegant old-colonial surroundings”, Michelin-starred Jamavar is a Mayfair revelation that reminds diners just how good Indian cuisine can be in the right hands. Top shouts from culinary director Surender Mohan include peppery soft-shell crab perked up with damson chutney, and delicate scallops on a mound of puffed rice. Although the food here hogs the limelight, it is infinitely complemented by the restaurant’s old world interiors, featuring a wood-panelled dining room which is decorated with glorious Indian artwork and subtle splashes of colour.
Jamavar’s knowing nods to India’s rich history is what makes it a perfect match for Original Santal. This high-calibre restaurant seeks to make a statement, but backs up its stunning exterior with a menu that has real substance. Just like the Original Santal scent, Jamavar is a restaurant that is guaranteed to make a statement and turn heads.
8 Mount Street, W1K 3NF
Something old, something new…
The restaurant: The Ivy Chelsea Garden
The fragrance: Love In White for Summer is for the flirtatious and fun loving. Inspired by a passionate summer romance, it boasts top notes of Bulgarian rose, while heart notes of Florentine iris, rice and Virginian cedar wood create a slightly powdery and woody perfume.
Perfect for: Blushing brides to be
The Ivy is a restaurant that has stood the test of time, but the birth of The Ivy Collection in 2014 helped to give it a new lease of life, and also meant that fans no longer had to travel to Covent Garden to enjoy its please-all international menu. The Ivy Collection is synonymous with elegance and its Chelsea outpost (which was the first to boast the ‘garden’ moniker) is a truly gorgeous space, perfect for weekend brunches, leisurely afternoons in the sun and occasion dining.
Floral and feminine, The Ivy Chelsea Garden is an ideal spot for catching up with friends or holding an alfresco celebration. The restaurant is sweet, floral and summery, just like Love in White for Summer, so why not host your next girl’s day out brunch there? You won’t be able to resist falling for the charming setting, plus the wall-to-wall florals make for a rather eye-catching Instagram background, not that we care about stuff like that of course.
197 King's Road, Chelsea, SW3 5ED
Summer loving
The restaurant: 34 Mayfair
The fragrance: Millésime Imperial is a fresh and stylish blend of marine accord and iris with sparkling hesperidic (citrus) top notes. The base is warm and richly layered with amber, musk and sandalwood.
Perfect for: Lovers of the summer sunshine
34 Mayfair is an institution and is often frequented by celebrities and the upper echelons of London society. This summer, the restaurant has collaborated with Creed to launch both a cocktail and a dessert inspired by the fragrance houses’ classic Millésime Impérial scent.
Guests can choose to sip on a sherry-based Millésime cocktail (£14), which is garnished with a lemon dusted with gold and a sprig of rosemary, a nod to the perfume’s more savoury notes. Alternatively, they can indulge in the ‘Sicilian Garden’ dessert (£12.50) which is a refreshing mandarin mousse with lemon jelly, placed upon a sweet Italian meringue and sprinkled with crushed biscotti. Millésime Imperial is the perfect scent for those who want a touch of summer to follow them around all year long, and each guest who enjoys the collaboration at 34 Mayfair will receive a sample of the fragrance.
34 Grosvenor Square (Entrance on South Audley Street), Mayfair, W1K 2HD
Life in the big city
The restaurant: Lutyens Grill at The Ned
The fragrance: A nod to Creed’s equestrian tailoring roots, Green Irish Tweed is a classical, masculine scent which evokes the lush greenery of the Emerald Isle: cut grass, spring meadows, summer wild flowers and herbs warmed by a gentle sea breeze.
Perfect for: Young professionals looking to make their mark
At The Ned, the gargantuan art-deco City hotel from Soho House, there’s something for everyone thanks to its selection of restaurants and bars on the ground floor. This is a fast-paced, buzzy space that is perfect for post-work drinks to help get to know your clients better…or convince them to sign on the dotted line!
The masculine air of Lutyens Grill, The Ned’s intimate grill restaurant, with its high ceilings and architectural wonder, is perfectly suited to Creed’s Green Irish Tweed, a classic fragrance which will never go out of style. The rich scent conjures up images of Ireland’s gorgeous coastline, and the countryside pastimes which are at the forefront of male bonding. Although The Ned is in the middle of the City, its cosy vintage interiors will have you hankering for a countryside retreat.
27 Poultry, City of London, EC2R 8AJ
To learn more about Creed and to shop the fragrances, click here.