No…. She is not your favourite female model about to bring down the catwalk at London Fashion Week. Instead, VIVI is a brand new restaurant and Bar recently launched at Centre Point, bringing sixties back with stunning interiors, flair bartending and an all-day menu of delicious seasonal 60s inspired dishes. VIVI by rhubarb – the creative team behind Sky Garden – are behind this amazing new fine dining space in the center of London’s west end. We decided to check out VIVI a few weeks ago before it’s public launch and to say we were amazed is saying the least. The restaurant is divided into four unique dining zones: The Dining Room, The Gallery, the Liquid Lounge and The Bar. With a nostalgic British menu of modernised classics, The Dining Room will serve everything from breakfast through to brunch, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, and will also offer a dedicated pre/post-theatre menu.
Head Chef Arnaud Delannay’s signature dishes focus on bold flavours and fresh seasonal ingredients, and feature twists on the old classics such as Keen’s twice baked cheddar soufflé; Chicken Kiev and mash; Lobster Thermidor and Duck à l’orange. Desserts go retro – think Black Forest gateaux; sherry trifle; apple and rhubarb crumble. If drinks and bar bites are in order, then pull up a stool at VIVI Bar and enjoy old school bartending with a sophisticated and imaginative drinks & bites menu. Creative cocktails are inspired by the music and history of the VIVI era, such as the Wild Honey on the Beach (Bulleit Rye whiskey, Pimento Dram, lemon thyme infused honey, lemon), a homage to The Beach Boys, and The Weeping Guitar (Gin Mare, Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto, cucumber, elderflower, lime, tonic water), a toast to The Beatles. The cocktails are perfectly paired to delicious bar bites include cauliflower cheese croquettes; coronation chicken beignets; fish finger sandwiches and VIVI wagon wheels.
With long sharing tables and views over New Oxford Street, the more informal and relaxed Gallery is the perfect spot for lone diners or time-short guests looking for a light bite or a coffee and a pastry whilst working at your laptop. Welcoming to larger groups, guests in The Gallery can enjoy breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.
VIVI was designed by Gordon Young Architects Ltd, the carefully restored interior captures every essence of the era that saw one of London’s tallest skyscrapers built. A modern colourway is paired with art deco dog tooth patterning, with polished wooden panelling offset by original listed 1960s floor tiles along The Gallery and the Liquid Lounge. Soft gold finishes, optical art and upholstery in tones of rich teal blue and delicate blush pink bring texture and a pop of colour to the space. Celebrating the playfulness of the time, a focal point is a statement chandelier suspended over The Dining Room. Designed and hand built by Vibeke Fonnesberg Schmidt specifically for the space, the plexiglass chandelier – adorned with brass fittings – mimics the popular 60s children’s construction toy, ‘PlayPlax’, and is reminiscent of 1960s Italian design, French Art Nouveau and German Bauhaus modernism. The restaurant’s glamorous elliptical bar is bedecked with metallic tiling and a striking gold top, custom built to catch the light which floods in through the restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling windows by day; while subtle reflective spotlights create an intimate and sophisticated atmosphere during the evening. VIVI is also nominated for the forthcoming British Restaurant Awards 2019 . Full nominations are scheduled to be announced on the 4th of April 2019.
ViVi Restaurant & Bar is Located at;
Address: VIVI, Centre Point, 11 Saint Giles Square, London WC2H 8AP
Visit ViVi Restaurant & Bar online by clicking here
