the ivy chelsea garden

i went to the ivy garden for sunday brunch. the modern british menu includes international dishes and has a comprehensive all-day dining selection ranging from breakfasts and weekend brunches to afternoon tea, vegetarian, healthy and some tempting deserts. for brunch, i had the ivy breakfast with truffled scrambled eggs instead of fried. i also had a side of arancini. my meal was exceptional, as was the friendly service and relaxed atmosphere. the interiors are beautiful and the garden and orangery is charming. i would love to make this a regular if not for the 3 month wait list for a table. reserve now - it's well worth it!

life lately: i can't believe how quickly this year has gone and that we were celebrating our first wedding anniversary in rome this month; it's been a really great year!. summer is beginning to kick in, and with the weather getting warmer, i'm starting to forgo my usual black tights and leave the coat at home too! with summer coming we're also welcoming a slew of weddings and christening giving mr s and i the opportunity to see lots of friends who we don't often see.

like it's sister restaurants in covent garden, the original ivy and the newer ivy market grill, the menu is a mixture of hearty british comfort food and a healthier options. the choices on the menu looked awesome and kelly and i agreed we could have easily eaten our way through the whole menu!

we both wanted two courses, and as i prefer savoury i chose to have a starter while kelly chose to save herself for dessert. my scallops were cooked just right and were served with grapefruit, fennel salad and citrus dressing. the combination of grapefruit and citrus dressing meant the dish was very acidic and i would warn you against it if you don't like bitter flavours. however, i loved the flavour combination and i happily munched on it whilst chatting to kelly and sneakily scanning the other patrons for made in chelsea cast members.

excellent restaurant! beautiful venue - especially the terrace. delicious food. we tried the roasted butternut squash with grains as starter and the crispy duck salad and the chicken quinoa salad as main. everything was exquisite. i would definitely recommend all three. the service also was impeccable which really made the experience that much better. really enjoyed my visit.

the vibe

a place with a terrace, an orangery and an ambience described as “approachable sophistication” fits perfectly into this spacious spot on chelsea’s most lauded street. an institution so sure of itself that even evening standard journalists couldn’t name drop their way in, this place is the epitome of discretion and feels truly grown up.

the order

breakfast here feels a little like a five star hotel, without the hefty price tag and egg station. if you’re pre-work, go for a city slick egg white omelette or scrambled eggs with smoked salmon – alongside juices of every colour and a double shot espresso to set you off. those keen to linger longer or possibly luxuriate post night before can enjoy a full english in this most quintessential of establishments.

the game

we went for breakfast but the menu is all day and the garden is a true delight on warm afternoons and evenings. book ahead – no one in chelsea likes to cook for themselves so the tables turn quicker than the sports cars outside. evening wise, eat first (for fear of missing your spot) then squeeze in at the bar afterwards or cosy up on a sofa. if the weather’s playing ball, a walk to the river after will guarantee delight with the sight of albert bridge all lit up.

the faults

it’s chelsea. very chelsea.

sex factor

4. pure class.

amazing place in london. i love the food. can’t wait to come back here again. congratulations to the staff.

the tea service was slightly underwhelming considering this was the ivy. however it was decent and surprisingly affordable in comparison to other tea places in greater london. the seafood tasted fresh and the service was earnest and efficient.

visited this place too many times and always great experience amazing food. meat tartar / lemon cake / fish cake / fish and chips. great taste. very romantic place for a date. very class. waiters and staff are very friendly nice and professional.

awesome environment, great for pictures and a really good food :)
i would certainly come back again! loved it 😍
the bread is awesome too
the curry came with jasmine rice and coconut yogurt by the side

an absolute must visit when in london. i loved the setup, perfect place to enjoy the afternoon tea either with your partner or group of friends. they have a beautiful warm setting indoor and also open garden sitting. i went to this place on a saturday to celebrate my husband birthday and enjoyed the entire experience. book the place well in advance to avoid any waiting.

beautiful warm setting. an absolute must when in london. staff was very welcoming and kind. service was great. the food a delicacy. definitely a repeatable experience.

truly my favourite restaurant i've ever been to so far. the decor is amazing and the atmosphere feels light and breezy. it's like you're in the middle of nature without the 'hassles' of it (read: bugs). the food was amazing and the service was professional. the waiting times are long but the staff at the bar eases the wait and even makes it bearable. pro tip: try to go for lunch or an early dinner to score a table in the garden.

excellent service, friendly and professional staff, great food, and a pleasant atmosphere. the ivy is one of the best places i’ve been to in london and sates one’s thirst to be in nature without having to deal with all its drawbacks!

thank you for a wonderful experience!

we visited the ivy during the “chelsea in bloom” week and all of it was covered in a bed of flowers.

this place was packed with people but luckily we didn’t have to wait too long to be seated.

we ordered:
summer berry cooler
green juice
truffle arancini with hollandaise sauce
duck liver parfait
roast squash
sweet potato side

the berry cooler was nice specially since it was a very sunny day. the green juice was befitting for the diet conscious.
the duck liver stayed on the plate, not very appetising.
the vegetarian dishes were good but i just had one complain.. they all tasted similar in terms of the condiments used. the coriander in them made it single toned .
the arancini was ok but very greasy.

the service was rather slow and we had a long wait between dishes. the sides took longer than the mains but apart from that the service was ok.

what a beautiful spot for a long lunch or lazy brunch with the girls. sunday brunch was very reasonably priced, the food was very tasty and the service was good. the only thing stopping from being five stars was we had several drinks forgotten and towards the end the service had all but stopped when we needed to get the bill. if you can get a table in the garden, it looks lush.