In a city where hotel terraces compete fiercely for London’s summer crowd, The Churchill Bar & Terrace has taken a different route entirely: it has brought the Côte d’Azur to Marylebone. The new Riviera Terrace, which opened on 1 May, is a sun-drenched love letter to the South of France, and somewhere between the first briny oyster and a rosé Champagne spritz, we forgot entirely that we were in W1. Landing just in time for the season’s long golden evenings, it makes a convincing case for cancelling that flight to Nice.
The Riviera Terrace Comes to Portman Square
The inspiration is Sir Winston Churchill’s own travels to the Côte d’Azur, and his statue presides over proceedings, blending British heritage with the relaxed glamour of the French Riviera. Lavender, wisteria, mimosa and hydrangeas tumble from every corner, lemon trees press heavily against the railings, and marble-topped tables are dressed in sunshine-yellow linen with single gerbera stems in ribbed vases. As the light fades, globe lanterns wreathed in blooms glow into life. With blankets, soft seating and cover overhead, this is a Riviera that performs come rain or shine, because this is, after all, still London.
For the first time, the terrace now opens for lunch, reimagined as a daytime destination. The idea is simple and rather wonderful: arrive at noon, slow down, step away from the pace of the city, and let an entire afternoon dissolve over a long, leisurely meal.
The Menu at The Churchill Riviera Terrace
The refreshed menu reads like a postcard from the coast, and crucially, it delivers.
The oysters are some of the best we have had in London this year: plump, ice-cold and impeccably fresh, served on a bed of smooth pebbles, with a sharp shallot mignonette and fat wedges of lemon. Clean, mineral, gone in a heartbeat.
The beef carpaccio with parmesan and rocket nearly caused a fork fight at our table. Whisper-thin slices of beautifully seasoned beef pool with olive oil and flakes of sea salt, crowned with generous shavings of cheese and a tangle of micro herbs. Silky, savoury and dangerously easy to finish alone. The red tuna tartare, ruby-fresh and studded with spicy peppers, capers and olives, arrives crowned with a delicate waffle crisp, while the pissaladière, that gloriously Niçoise sweet onion tart with olives, artichoke and anchovies, is a slice of Old Nice on a plate.
From the mains, the chicken Milanese with roasted cherry tomatoes arrived burnished gold, its crust shatteringly crisp and the meat within tender and juicy. Simple food executed with real precision, which is, of course, the hardest kind. The grilled tiger prawns are a must for sharing or not: plump, sweet and charred at the edges, glistening in garlic, lemon and chilli, the kind of dish that demands rolled-up sleeves and a quiet moment to mop up the juices. A Caprese of ripe tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella and basil, and a classic Salade Niçoise with seared tuna keep things firmly, deliciously coastal.
Image by Deon Pillay
The Spritz Hour
Then there is the spritz menu, which takes the concept admirably seriously, spanning everything from Champagne to tequila. The Bon Vivant (rosé Champagne NV with fig, plum and soda) is a holiday in a glass, while the Finest Hour, with its kaffir lime-infused blanco tequila, Campari, agave, lime and grapefruit soda, is its livelier sibling. The Chartwell Fizz charms with London Dry Gin, lychee, lemon and homemade lavender soda, and the alcohol-free Lady Clementine (Everleaf Mountain, Lyre’s Aperitif and hibiscus soda) means nobody has to sit out golden hour. Alongside the seafood, we drank a crisp Chablis Premier Cru ‘Vau Ligneau’, flinty and citrussy. Perfect.
Wish You Were Here
The loveliest flourish has nothing to do with food at all. Guests can write postcards at the table and send them to loved ones anywhere in the world via the terrace’s dedicated red post box, a nod to the golden age of correspondence often called the world’s first social network, and to Churchill’s own era of letters and travel. Psychologists say a handwritten note deepens connection and lifts the spirits of the writer and recipient alike. Having scribbled one between courses, we believe it.
Make a Stay of It
The terrace is reason enough to visit, but it sits within one of Marylebone’s most quietly iconic addresses. Hyatt Regency London, The Churchill, tucked away on Portman Square just behind Oxford Street, takes its design cues from the life of Sir Winston Churchill himself, with 440 sophisticated guest rooms, including 50 suites and dedicated Family Rooms. Beyond the bar, there is Mediterranean dining at The Montagu Kitchen, a collection of almost 50 cigars, with an expert team to guide you through them, and one rather lovely perk: exclusive guest access to the tennis courts and charming gardens of neighbouring Portman Square. Whether you are in town for business, a family escape or a long weekend à deux, it makes a seductive case for turning lunch on the Riviera into a night in Marylebone.
Image courtesy of Deon Pillay
The Verdict
Service was faultless throughout, warm, unhurried and quietly attentive in the way only the best hotels manage. From a leisurely lunch to a lingering dinner under the lanterns, the Riviera Terrace captures the taste of Churchill’s favourite summer escape without asking you to leave Marylebone.
The French Riviera has arrived in London. Book the terrace, order the oysters, write a postcard, and stay for the sunset.
The Churchill Bar & Terrace is open daily from 12 pm–1 am; the Riviera Terrace runs throughout spring and summer.
To discover more and book, visit The Churchill Bar & Terrace
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All imagery courtesy of Hyatt Hotels unless otherwise stated.