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Discover the hidden gems of Knightsbridge, London

Charlotte Zenhäusern

Contributor

Here´s how to spend a perfect day in Knightsbridge and discover its hidden gems, many found off the beaten tourist track. The best coffee, shopping, history facts, insider tips and tricks, people watching, supercars and dining.

Coffee, Luxury Fashion and a british cup of tea

First stop of your perfect day in Knightsbridge starts at Carpo, 5, Montpellier Street. It´s an elegant, yet laidback coffee shop with staff that remembers your name and your preferences after your first visit. In other words, a second living room. A local favourite, we strongly encourage you to indulge in the homemade chocolates and pastry.

Next stop is for luxury fashion aficionados. In a little side street one minute from Carpo, you will find Sellier, 6, Cheval Place, a second-hand luxury goods store. Hermès, Chanel, Gucci and co in perfect condition or even new, selling at a fraction of the original price. The owners of Sellier pride themselves with an exclusive choice and the immaculate presentation of trendy luxury handbags, shoes, clothes and jewellery. 

No trip to London is complete without a nice cup of tea. The Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge offers an award-winning quintessential English Afternoon Tea at the Rosebery, with all-day dining and champagne cocktails. Don’t forget to book a table in advance and indulge in sandwiches, pastries and freshly baked scones served from unique hanging cake stands in surroundings fit for a king. 

History and Hyde Park

Have you ever wondered why the upper-class Londoners in Netflix’ megahit Bridgerton ride their horses, promenade and converse (read:gossip!) on Rotten Row in Hyde Park? Not exactly a flattering name for the playgrounds of the aristocracy and wannabes!

The truth is that Rotten Row, established by William the III at the end of the 17th century, was called Route du Roi, French for King's Road, which was eventually corrupted into "Rotten Row".

Moving up through Hyde Park towards The Royal Albert Hall, you can´t miss The Albert Memorial. It was commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her beloved husband Prince Albert who died in 1861. It was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the Gothic Revival style and took over ten years to complete. Back then, it cost £120,000, which today would be the equivalent of over £10,000,000!

Enjoy a posh lunch at Harrods

Of course, you have to make a stop at Harrods. For a light lunch, head to Studio Frantzén, Björn Frantzén’s newest Nordic restaurant with a wonderful roof terrace at the very top of Harrods. Serving the Swedish chef’s critically acclaimed Nordic gastronomy with Asian influences – all set in a luxurious and contemporary interpretation of Scandinavian design. 

Here is a little insider story about Harrods. If you look carefully, you will find a sphinx sculpture in the Egyptian staircase. The sculpture was commissioned after Mohamed Al-Fayed, the previous owner of the luxury temple in Knightsbridge.

Al-Fayed was known to be quite eccentric and wanted to be entombed in a gold sarcophagus in Harrods. This wish was however denied.

People-watching and supercars!

Walking down Brompton Road in Knightsbridge is very similar to London Fashion Week!

In fact, the best fashion shows come to life every day on the streets of Knightsbridge.

Street fashion plays an immense role in the neighborhood. The style emerges not from studios, but from the grassroots streetwear, based on individualism, rather than current fashion trends and is an incredibly viral, instant, addictive facet of fashion which has inspired several famous British designers.

Supercars are as common in Knightsbridge as bicycles in Copenhagen! In fact, the second main reason why people visit Knightsbridge is to spot the most extravagant instagramable cars on the planet.

You will see rainbow-diamond-encrusted cars, some bedazzled with gold and black Swarovski crystals, or rare vintage cars, often carrying a special made license plate which sometimes cost more than the car!

Dinner at a Celebrity Hotspot

Ciro´s Pomodoro restaurant in Beauchamp Place is a well-kept secret, an eccentric venue with amazing live music every evening. It´s also a celebrity hotspot. Here, it´s not unusual to bump into DiCaprio, Sylvester Stallone, Al Pacino or Pamela Anderson, whom Ciro Orsini counts among his closest friends. He is a descendent of the influential Italian noble Orsini family, celebrity magnet, charity philanthropist, professional boxer, pastry chef, tattoo and jewellery aficionado.

Visit any day of the week and enjoy great Italian food and live music.

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