The annual opening of The Ice Cream Project by Anya Hindmarch has quietly become an unofficial signal that summer has arrived in London. The project is now in its fourth edition and ‘brought back by popular demand’, but it wasn’t until yesterday that I finally tried the English designer’s wonderfully wacky ice creams and sorbets for myself.
I’m lactose intolerant, but for the sake of journalism (and curiosity), I pretended I wasn’t. This is how I found myself at The Anya Village in Belgravia, hovering between excitement and digestive dread. Was it going to be worth the stomach ache? The answer is yes. I left the pop-up a devoted fan of the Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil (it’s in my Spanish blood), Maldon Sea Salt, and Bisto Gravy flavours (weird, I know). And yes, I did try all 15 options available.
The return of The Ice Cream Project by Anya Hindmarch
Exterior view of The Ice Cream Project by Anya Hindmarch
Before my visit, I had the chance to ask Hindmarch herself how the idea first came about. She explained that it was all about reimagining the familiar and elevating it into something artful. ‘Nothing says summer more than ice cream,’ she stated. And indeed, for something so seemingly simple (yet deceptively complex), the project has become a cult hit, drawing daily queues of curious foodies keen to test their taste buds.
‘It’s always fun to include a few flavours that won’t be universally loved. Even if not everyone likes all of them, there’s someone who loves each one,’ Hindmarch added. This year, Jacob’s Twiglets has emerged as a clear bestseller, while Pickled Onion has proven divisive. I felt brave enough to try the flaming hot Flying Goose Sriracha – an experience, to say the least – but ultimately went home with one of the more subdued editions. It’s all about balance.
Inside The Ice Cream Project by Anya Hindmarch
The Ice Cream Project by Anya Hindmarch
The ice cream is made in small batches in Devon, using traditional bases like creamy vanilla or dark chocolate, with original recipes layered on top. Think of it like perfume: top, heart and base notes, only edible. You can grab a scoop on the spot or take home a 500ml tub, neatly tucked into a stylish, paper-like insulated cooler bag. For the indecisive (or the truly committed), there’s The Ice Cream Project Blind Tasting Tea at the Anya Café, complete with an epicurean scorecard.
The space itself leans into minimalism with a lab-like vibe: sleek steel freezers house the tubs, while the windows are stacked high with repeat-branded packaging. ‘The original creative idea was to celebrate our favourite cult food brands,’ Hindmarch said. ‘Since the first iteration, our soft-serve counter has doubled in size.’
The Ice Cream Project Blind Tasting Tea at the Anya Café
The flavour line-up reads like a British pantry daydream: biscuity Bird’s Custard, McVitie’s Milk Chocolate Hobnobs, Ovaltine, Quaker Oats and Rowse Honey sit alongside more refreshing options like Copella Cloudy Apple Juice, Irn-Bbu and Romney’s Kendal Mint Cake sorbets. There’s even the classic McVitie’s Club Orange. Each tub is dressed in its flavour’s original branding, amplifying the nostalgic kick.
The Ice Cream Project by Anya Hindmarch is located at The Village Hall, 11 Pont St, London SW1X 9EH, and is open now through 17 August 2025.
-
Salone Nautico is Genoa’s answer to Monaco, a scaled down yacht show with a local focusAhead of the nautical extravaganza that is the Monaco Yacht Show, a smaller, more focused event takes place in Genoa. It’s not all superyachts and conceptual experiments – we visited Salone Nautico to survey the scene
-
Silvia Venturini Fendi to become ‘honorary president’ of Fendi as the Roman house enters a new eraThe third-generation member of the Fendi family is to step back from her current position designing the house’s men’s and women’s collections as the Roman house seeks a new ‘creative organisation’
-
From craft cupboard to office desktop, here's a collection of analogue tools you can trustNever charge anything again with this suite of desktop accessories and top-drawer essentials that represent the very best of enduring mechanical design
-
St. John and the London Book Review’s new café makes for a delicious pairingSt John’s new bookshop-based café will offer tasty delights from the bakery, to enjoy at the table or take away. Bookmark this perfect spot for reading, eating and book browsing
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Mason & Fifth, Westbourne ParkA cultural hub disguised as a hospitality concept, Mason & Fifth’s latest property in west London is ambitious, youthful and extroverted
-
A striking restaurant now crowns Renzo Piano’s ‘glass cube’ building in PaddingtonSkyscraper dining always carries a sense of glamour – and Cé La Vi delivers it at full pitch
-
Here’s what to order (and admire) at Carbone LondonNew York’s favourite, and buzziest, Italian restaurant arrives in the British capital, marking the brand’s first expansion into Europe
-
A first look inside Kudu Marylebone, where South African dining meets contemporary designA beloved South-African restaurant relocates to central London, featuring Fabled Studio-designed interiors that thread in African tones and textures
-
Carmela’s joins London’s pizza renaissanceA Little Italy-inspired pizzeria lands in Islington with 13-inch pies, pepperoni heat and big flavour energy
-
Has the ice cream parlour come of age?A global wave of architecture studios is treating the scoop as spectacle, turning parlours into immersive social spaces
-
Legado brings a bold Spanish legacy to ShoreditchMichelin-starred chef Nieves Barragán Mohacho’s second venture marries design-led interiors with regional Spanish flavours rarely found in London
