After a seven-year renovation, Kensington Palace’s beloved Orangery will open its doors once again. The refurbed restaurant, which dates back hundreds of years and comes with its own spectacular gardens and sweeping views of the palace, will retake its rightful place as one of London’s most elegant dining spots.
The Orangery closed in 2017 and now, after extensive renovations, it’s set to reopen in just a matter of weeks. The restored resto will welcome back customers on May 1.
The baroque-style Orangery was built in 1704 as a greenhouse for Queen Anne. In her reign it was transformed into a proper supper house during the summer months, and a home for her orange trees in the winter (hence the name and random tree placement in the centre of the dining room).
Prior to the current restoration, the restaurant was last renovated in the 19th century, when most of the original paneling was replaced, the cornices cleaned, and the 24 white Corinthian columns given a proper touch-up.
The recent restoration apparently takes the form of a ‘spatial reimagination’ of The Orangery, with design studio StudioKKD choosing finishes to emphasise the building’s heritage. Beyond a bit of polish, the exterior has remained mostly unchanged. Here’s a sneak peek of what the revamped Orangery looks like.
But it isn’t just The Orangery itself that has had a glow-up: the menu has been redone, too. Expect stuff like lavender eclairs, seared chalk stream trout and, obvs, plenty of traditional scones with Cornish clotted cream. A signature dish named ‘The Orange’ will be made up of orange sorbet and citrus salad on a mound of earthy chocolate ‘soil’.
The Orangery will reopen on May 1 and serve both lunch and afternoon tea. You can find out more on the official website here.
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