The 5-star Café Royal in London has opened the city’s first dedicated dessert restaurant, The Café on Regent Street. Launched this month, the new evening venue offers inventive dessert-tasting menus created by Executive Pastry Chef Sarah Barber.
Chef Barber’s tasting menus start with a selection of savory bites to awaken the palate before moving into a sequence of thoughtfully composed sweet dishes. Each menu follows a theme, showcasing playful flavors, refined techniques and nostalgic references delivered with contemporary presentation.
Signature menu options include:
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Sarah in Wonderland – a five-course tasting menu that blends whimsical concepts with refined pastry craft. Highlights include:
- Milky Way: goat cheese, wild honey and beetroot snow
- Chicken Foie: quince and brioche
- Queen of Hearts: raspberries, Champagne and roses
- Mad Hatter: kirsch and cherries
- Eat Me, Drink Me: Snickers and chocolate malt shake
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Childhood Memories – a three-course menu reimagining classic nostalgic treats. Examples include:
- Rhubarb and Custard
- Jaffa Cakes
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Pick n Mix – a four-course customizable menu that allows guests to mix and match plates. Possible selections include:
- White Rabbit: Acapella cheese, artichokes and black truffle
- Salmon Tart: silky avocado
- Jaffa Cake
- Eat Me, Drink Me
- Queen of Hearts
Each tasting menu can be paired with optional wines chosen to complement the flavors. Pairing suggestions range from a sparkling Prosecco di Valdobbiadene served with the Milky Way, to Henriques & Henriques Madeira paired with the Jaffa Cake, and classic dessert wines such as Château Roumieu Sauternes with the Eat Me, Drink Me.
The evening dessert restaurant complements new daytime offerings at The Café, where Chef Barber has also updated the daytime food and drink menus. From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, The Café serves expanded breakfast options, light lunches, traditional afternoon teas, hot beverages and a curated wine list. The dessert-tasting experience is served each evening from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
The Café on Regent Street brings a fresh concept to London’s dining scene by focusing on dessert as the centerpiece of a full tasting experience, combining savory interludes, inventive sweets and considered wine pairings for a memorable evening.