Presented by 1664 Blanc, 2025’s London Fashion Week is about to explode between The Strand and Covent Garden. The five-day event sees fashion buyers, designers, students, journalists, fashionistas and hangers-on racing between shows and trying to catch up on the gossip. Presumably with time for suitable tributes to the late Giorgio Armani.
Whatever the latest styles, with many eyes on Hu Bing Selects Chinese showcase, much of the London Fashion Week scene, now into its fifth decade, is about being seen in the right company and the right places, from the invite-only evening parties to out and about, where eating at the right places is all part of the fun.
If you have the time for afternoon Tea, The Strand Palace is always welcoming of the fashion world, with the smallest and finest of sandwiches or wraps, all currently running with a Mamma Mia! theme. So, there’s a Chiquitita Wrap with chicken or tofu, The Winner Takes The Scone with regular or vegan scone, and plenty of cheeky cakes and macaroons.
The Greyhound Cafe near The British Museum is another popular small-plate destination for the fashion-set. Offering small plates, they are stacked with Thai flavour and delicate dressings. From Tataki Tuna Larb to Prawn Tempura salad, guests can pick and choose or aim higher for a Duck in Red Curry with pineapple and lychees.
Among the many gorgeous Covent Garden restaurants, places to be seen and enjoy a great lunch include Ave Mario, providing patrons with a visual feast thanks to the decor as much as a culinary one.
With its intense interiors that should go down well with the fashion crowd, plus neon signage and playful interior design, it is a magnet for the stylistics who will think nothing of ordering the Sex Bomb-ette, a skewered pork fillet stuffed with spinach and Parmigiano Reggiano and rolled in thin slices of crispy guanciale.
For a more refined experience, Frog by Adam Handling showcases modern British cuisine, ideal for foreign visitors who mock our food. The lunch menu offers crab with green chili and buckwheat; cod and courgette; or duck, apricot and cobnuts, all served with an innovative twist, using locally sourced ingredients and heavy on the artistic plating.
If your party likes to share, the tasting menu can get a party started, perfect for those who appreciate culinary storytelling as much as sartorial craftswork.
The French Connection
If you’ve headed into London Fashion Week with your significant other, than a visit to Clos Maggiore can do double duty as a great date, in what is billed as London’s most romantic restaurant, From the flower-filled conservatory to a flickering fireplace, Clos creates an intimate setting to get away from the fashion crowd. It offers a French-inspired menu and extensive wine list to appeal to those with a taste for the more refined dining experience.
Keeping up the French feel, ideal for our fashion cousins from over the Channel, Balthazar brings a dash of Parisian style and flair to London. Settle in for the bustling vibe on the red leather banquettes, and sip a midday martini with something from the brunch or all-day set menu.
From oysters to sea bass, or lobster mac and cheese, Balthazar hits all the right notes for the fashion-conscious. With heritage tomato risotto with basil, mascarpone and capers or grilled aubergine and quinoa if you fancy a lighter plate.
Finally, for the fashion brigade, Cora Pearl is the second restaurant from the team behind award-winning Kitty Fisher’s in Mayfair. Discreetly located in a historic townhouse on Henrietta Street, Cora Pearl offers comfortable surroundings and comfort food from almond gazpacho up to fire-roasted spatchcock poussin.
Delighting those with both nostalgic and modern sensibilities, Cora Pearl makes a great hidden gem for fashion week survivors who prefer to get away from the crowd and enjoy some understated luxury and intimate gatherings.
Food, Fashion and Covent Garden
London Fashion Week will bring a surge of energy and excitement across Covent Garden’s restaurant scene. As designers and the media descend on the area between shows, eateries are transformed into impromptu networking hubs and style showcases. Trending spots like Floral by LIMA (reopening just in time for Fashion Week) become magnets for the fashion crowd, offering vibrant interiors and menus that mirror the latest in culinary trends.
For restaurants at this time of year, the clientele provide an opportunity to impress and become a name-dropped location, far beyond just serving food. Creating a great experience that’s memorable is all part of the process, with refreshed menus, the finest customer service and people-to-be-seen-with all helping build memories and brand.
With Covent Garden’s proximity to key fashion venues and a reputation for culinary diversity, it’s no wonder the area has become a prime location for fashion reviews, spontaneous meetings, celebratory dinners, and influencer content creation.
