Cromwell Place Café in South Kensington is inspired by iconic hospitality design of the 20th century

Cromwell Place Café is the new eaterie set within the eponymous South Kensington cultural hub. Led by gastro-veteran Martin Cohen in collaboration with the newly appointed CEO and artistic director of Cromwell Place, Helen Nisbet, theCafé features interiors by Wallpaper* long-term contributing editor Nick Vinson.

Set across five Victorian townhouses, Cromwell Place has become a key cultural destination in the city with a rich exhibition and talks programme held across its galleries. It has also established itself as a major London Design Festival hub, showcasing a range of established and emerging designers with a focus on experimental and craftsmanship approaches. 

Cromwell Place Café interiors

The interiors for the Cromwell Place Café stem from Vinson's extensive research into 20th-century spaces created by celebrated modern architects for some of the most memorable hospitality establishments of the past century. 'For this new project, my first in hospitality, I mixed lots of furniture developed in the past for bars, restaurants and cafes,' says Vinson. 

Indeed, the furniture list reads like a who's who of Europe's most iconic bars of the past century: 'We have pieces like the Fagiolo sofa by Ignazio Gardella, which he designed in 1965 for the bar at the Hotel Excelsior in Venice and here has been upholstered in Kvadrat Raf Simons yellow mohair velvet.

'It is shown next to Van Vogelsang chairs by Philippe Starck, originally designed for the Café Rothschild in 1985, and Angelo Mangiarotti’s Club 44 designed in 1957 for a club at La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland (and now produced by Agapecasa). In the bar, we have the Tokyo stools by Rodney Kinsman designed in 1995 for the Groucho Club custom finished in red with Connolly leather seats.'

The informal bar also features a zinc counter created for the space by Day Trip Studios, with lighting by Michael Anastassiades throughout and portable lamps on tables by Vincent Van Duysen for Flos. For the space, Vinson collaborated with Italian rug maker CC-Tapis to create bespoke rugs featuring a geometric motif in tones of yellow and grey.

Visit for breakfast, lunch, or aperitivo, and experience the cafe's modern European fare with a seasonal menu, by chef Yohei Furuhasi, whose former stints include Toklas, The River Café, and Petersham Nurseries. With Mediterranean influences and ingredients, the daily menu includes hearty soups and inventive salads, with an enviable selection of bakes. 

4 Cromwell Place
London, SW7 2JE

cromwellplace.com/cromwell-place-cafe