Peyton and Byrne is set to open its fifth catering outlet in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in mid-August, The Botanical Cafe. This will be Kew Gardens’ first all-day table service restaurant and will join Peyton and Byrne’s four other outlets.
The 3,300 sq ft, 130-cover restaurant is located in the historic 19th century building formerly known as ‘Museum No.1’, and features an 80-cover dining terrace overlooking the Palm House Conservatory and pond, as well as a bar and private dining room. Acknowledging the building’s former history, the restaurant will feature original museum artefacts and archives alongside Edwardian and colonial-style furniture.
The predominantly plant-based British menu, created by Executive Chef Lawrence Keogh (formerly of The Wolseley), will reflect the restaurant’s location and put an emphasis on natural, seasonal ingredients. Keogh’s passion for pickling and preserving will also be in evidence on the menu with some of the ingredients grown at Kew.
The bar at The Botanical Cafe will specialise in gin and vermouth, with home-made plant-infused spirits and Kew-inspired botanical cocktails such as the Kew Negroni. Artisan and craft beers will also be available. Key bar design aspects include a white calcatta marble bar top and mahogany display cases showcasing apothecary jars and bottles of spirits, herbs, pickles and spices.
Oliver Peyton, the founder of Peyton and Byrne, said, “We are delighted to have expanded our portfolio at Kew Gardens. This is a really exciting new project, and we look forward to working closely with Kew to grow the ‘Why Plants Matter’ concept through the dishes we will serve and the ambient restaurant space we will create.”
The restaurant will be taking bookings for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner every day.
Peyton and Byrne also operate the Orangery Restaurant, Victoria Plaza Cafe, White Peaks Cafe and The Pavilion, to cater for the Garden’s 1.35 million visitors a year.