The Connaught Patisserie

Chocoholics rejoice! Super swanky London hotel The Connaught has opened a pretty patisserie with pink sandstone and walnut wood interiors selling dreamy desserts. Housed at the side of the hotel, the sugar-filled space boasts its own entrance, making it easy to pop in for a croissant.

Offering both an eat in and takeaway service, the patisserie will serve a rotating selection of 10 seasonal treats whipped up by executive pastry chef Nicolas Rouzaud, which at the moment include: Paris-brest, apple tatin, St Honoré, yuzu and honeycomb éclair, mango and passion fruit mousse cake and a chocolate tonka tart, all of which can be enjoyed with tea, coffee, or Champagne if you’re feeling particularly plush.

Stealing the limelight is a £14 chocolate hazelnut cake crafted into the shape of a dog. We’re not entirely sure of its breed, but the ‘Connaughty Hound’, which costs £11 to take away, looks like a greyhound to us. The venue will also be serving The River Café’s legendary chocolate nemesis pud, which is hand delivered daily to Mount Street from across town in Hammersmith.

 

Hideaway

Looking to give The Connaught Patisserie competition is Hideaway, chef Ollie Dabbous’ permanent site of his Parisian-inspired café pop-up, which is due to open on Mount Street this winter, with loose leaf tea coming courtesy of Mariage Freres.

Having started life as a peripatetic pop-up, selling sweet treats everywhere from the Burlington Arcade to the Chelsea Barracks, Hide’s sister site has found a fix abode on 100 Mount Street close to the flagship venue on Piccadilly. The venue will serve coffee, croissants and pastries during the day, and oysters and Champagne in the evening, alongside an array of wines from Hedonism.

For those seeking something savoury, the menu, devised by Hide sous chef Andrew Alu, will also include a selection of sarnies and salads, decadent lobster rolls and tempting truffle-filled croquet monsieurs, alongside a range of jams, chutneys and pickles to go.

 

Galvin Bistrot & Bar

Brothers Chris and Jeff Galvin are back with brio with Galvin Bistrot & Bar, which opened in Spitalfields this week 15 years after their first London venue, Galvin Bistrot de Luxe, opened its doors on Baker Street.

Located in Bishops Square beside the duo’s Michelin-starred Galvin La Chapelle, the venue is inspired by the bistrots dotted around Paris and Lyon, so expect seasonally-inspired French classics like steak tartare, duck cassoulet, cod and lobster brandade, and slow-cooked beer braised pork cheeks on the menu, along with rum baba served by the inch.

Offering guests a more casual and affordable dining experience than the special occasion La Chapelle, the bistrot’s wine list, curated by La Chapelle’s head sommelier Stephen Nisbet, comes courtesy of East London-based Unchartered Wines, with wines on tap starting at £6 a glass. Beer lovers can enjoy pints of Czech pilsner from copper tanks suspended above the bar.