The Ivy Chelsea Garden: A refreshing lunch

Address: 197 King’s Rd, London SW3 5EQ.

Official website: theivychelseagarden.com

Newly opened and sister restaurant of the IVY, I already had great expectations for this place. Happy to say, I wasn’t disappointed. I would however, recommend booking ahead as they are very busy. The dining room had 2 sections,the outdoor garden and indoor area. The garden looked like the perfect way to spend a weekend afternoon, but sadly the weather was not great and we had to sit inside. Seating inside was just as comfortable; walls adorned with vintage mirrors that gave a high-end yet casual feel. The server was very kind and handed me this very pretty menu right away.

Me and my friend started off with cocktails. I tried the six bells tea cup, which was very refreshing and a perfect summer drink. It was presented in a tea cup; quite original. Their selection of cocktails is not very big, but each was well thought out and had a good combination of ingredients. We then moved on to sharing a few starters. The crispy duck salad had a tangy dressing, almost a bit too much, but the duck was crispy. It was good, but the duck salad at the IVY  was better. The lobster cocktail was a bit pricey, but well worth it. The lobster was perfectly cooked and a great match to the watercress salad and dressing. The tuna carpaccio was also very tasty, thinly sliced and had just enough citrus and kick from the lime and avocado.

This was a very good light lunch and the menu was not too expensive, especially for the area the restaurant was in. Definitely worth a re-visit!