Harrods has always had a penchant for whimsical displays of luxury – it is, after all, a 1,000,000 sq ft city-within-a-city that once used a cobra to guard a pair of diamond-encrusted shoes, supplied Ronald Reagan with an elephant, and features a Vegas-style Egyptian-themed escalator. So what could be a better home for the new Prada Caffè, where everything – from the waiters’ outfits to the sugar packets – has been designed by the Italian brand?
The Prada Caffè is tucked away in an unassuming corner of the megalithic department store, its mint green entranceway mostly hidden by a range of beauty product displays, but there is no chance the pop-up (open from 31 March 2023 – 7 January 2024) will be overlooked. In fact, after visiting the café for a preview lunch, we can safely predict that it’s sure to become overwhelmingly popular, thanks to its candy-box decor and picture-perfect Italian menu.
Prada Caffè at London’s Harrods
The entire space is designed like a hyper-stylised 1950s soda shop. Everything from the walls, ceilings, velvet-upholstered sofas and armchairs are in the brand’s signature mint-green and complemented by a black-and-white chequered floor that echoes the historic Prada boutique on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan. At the front, a large counter display houses dozens of gem-like pastries, while behind it is a floor-to-ceiling display of Prada-brand chocolates and candies housed in rows of glass containers.
The menu features light Italian mains like burrata with scapece zucchini topped with a mountain of herbs and spaghetti with datterino tomatoes, stracciatella and basil, alongside decadent pastries such as a creamy 72-per-cent chocolate cake and (our favourite) a vanilla and berry fruit tart overlaid with Prada’s signature triangle in white chocolate. All of it is served on robin’s egg-blue plates decorated with the Prada logo alongside Prada silverware – the handles also echo the house’s logo – and hand-blown crystal glasses for enjoying one of the negroni-based aperitifs or Italian wines.
The restaurant will soon be joined by an outdoor ice cream stall, offering Londoners a range of delicious gelatos and sorbets.
Prada Caffè is open on the ground floor of Harrods, London, from 31 March 2023 – 7 January 2024.
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