Nope, there's no Harry Potter wizardry involved. If you're too tired or busy to cook and you live in London these places will deliver picnics to your door, to a central park, or offer a pick-up service.
AFTERNOON TEA
Picnics aren't just about sarnies and pork pies – artisan bakery Cocomaya's are all about high tea. For £50 you receive a generous hamper for two (that four of us devoured) filled with delectable delights including apricot and blueberry drop scones (with jam and cream, naturally), a divine bundt-shaped buttermilk and chocolate cake, honey cakes, cookies, mini pain au chocolate and a big brownie to name a few. Items come as miniature ‘whole’ cakes packaged in petite Chinese take-away boxes. Truly a delightful treat. Hampers need to be collected from the store near Marble Arch at 12 Connaught Street, W2, and can be ordered until 10am on the desired day.
T: 0207 706 2770
W: www.cocomaya.co.uk
EUROPEAN: Nonna's at York & Albany
With Angela Hartnett behind the picnics at Ramsay's York & Albany you can expect the best. For a reasonable £17 per person each picnic includes a main, two sides, dessert, mineral water, baguette and cutlery. Ours contained flavourful roast beef with a mustard dressing, a fresh beetroot and goat's cheese salad, and a mouthwatering lemon posset with shortbread. Delightful. Order 24 hours in advance. PIck up only from Nonna's York & Albany, 127-129 Parkway, London, NW1.
W: see the website for menu options
FRENCH: Villandry
This well-established French restaurant, foodstore and bakery supplies picnics to top events such as Lord’s cricket matches and the Hampton Court Flower Show so we were expecting a high standard of al fresco fare. And we weren’t disappointed: the presentation and flavours are top-notch. Not the most portable of picnics, but if you want restaurant-standard cuisine in the park, this is for you. Choose from three types: Fitzronia £60, Marylebone £50 and Afternoon Tea £30 (all for 2 people). Villandry delivers to any venue within central London or you can pick up from the store. Order by phone or online or pick up from 170 Great Portland St, W1W.
T: 0207 631 3131
W: www.villandryhampers.com
NORDIC: Scandinavian Picnic
The Nordic picnic consisted of open sandwiches made from the freshest of ingredients and was the most interesting picnic we sampled. The smoked Norwegian salmon with caviar on sourdough, roast beef on organic rye bread and Scandinavian cheeses with rosehip marmalade were perfect picnic fodder, while Aunt Inga’s kladdaka (a sticky chocolate cake) was a taste of Valhalla. Extras (plates, cups, etc) are also provided. There's no set price as such; just call or email with what you would like your meal to include. A picnic with a difference. Order by phone or online or pick up from 61 Great Titchfield Street, W1W.
T: 020 7580 7161
E: iwantfood@scandikitchen.co.uk
JAPANESE: YO! SUSHI
Yo! Sushi arguably made Japanese food accessible to the great British public so with such foresight, it’s not surprising they’ve launched a picnic range. After all, why should picnics – in multicultural London – be just about cheddar and baguettes? For a very reasonable £5-6 pick up a Veggie or Fish Box, complete with salad, fresh fruit, chopsticks and condiments. Perfect if your idea of a picnic is catching a few rays during your all-too-short lunch break.
Pick up only from stores in: Soho, Haymarket, Trocadero, Sedley Place, Harrods 102, Harvey Nichols, Whiteleys, Russell Square, County Hall, Farringdon, Angel, St Paul’s, Victoria Station, St Pancras Station and Heathrow T3.
MIDDLE EASTERN: Le Comptoir Libanais
If you’re partial to a falafel or two then this is the picnic of your dreams. Souk up the atmosphere with a mezze selection of houmous, stuffed vine leaves, flatbreads galore, baba ganoush with fresh pomegranate, and a baklava so divine that our yelps of joy were heard from Hyde Park to Harrow. These are bespoke picnics so drop by, pick your choices ,and pop them in a bag to take away. Don’t forget to try the weird and wonderful strawberry Fanta. Mezze dishes start from £6.95 each.
Pick up only from stores in: Westfield Shopping Centre, W12, and 65 Wigmore Street, W1.
PUB PICNIC: The Eagle
If you like a picnic within the vicinity of a watering hole, how about a picnic IN a pub? The Eagle in Shepherd’s Bush offer a blanket (for your comfort) and a hamper stuffed with the likes of duck liver pate, potted crab, a pint of prawns, sausage rolls, strawberries & cream and more. The venue? The pub's garden. Perfect for those who like a tipple and easy access to a loo. A picnic costs around £10-15pp. You can mix and match your picnic; phone for details.
Askew Rd, Shepherds Bush, W12.
T: 0208 746 0046
POSH PICNIC: Fortnum & Mason
Trust F&M to come up trumps with the poshest picnic a girl can buy without needing to sell the cat. Let the iconic store do the hard work for you. All picnics come in cool bags stuffed with the finest foods from the food hall; treats include pork rillettes on crusty bread, smoked salmon parcels filled with crab and lemon mayonnaise, and poached pear tarts, plus a cutlery pack and a bottle of wine or Champagne. Prices start from £85 for an Outdoor Feast, £100 for a 3-course picnic, and up to £200 for a Fortnum's Wicker Picnic. 24 hours notice is required for weekdays and 72 hours for weekend.
T: 0845 300 1707
VINTAGE: Betty Blythe
Named after a Hollywood actress, Betty Blythe offers a vintage gastronomic experience: homemade cakes such as triple chocolate brownies, finger sandwiches and fine foods turn these hampers into meals fit for the star you are. Order a pre-designed hamper or pop in to create your own. BB can also provide games, rugs, cutlery and even staff to clean up after you. Prices range from £10-£300. BB will deliver to any park in London (cost of delivery is the cost of a taxi to your location).
T: 0207 602 1177
E: darling@bettyblythe.co.uk