Reading: Ampersand wins top restaurant award for The Orangery

The team at The Orangery, Kensington Palace, is celebrating winning the Best Ambiance & Romantic Atmosphere Award, Northern Europe at the World Luxury Restaurant Awards 2017.

Set within the idyllic grounds of Kensington Palace, The Orangery, which is run by Historic Royal Palaces (HRP) and its catering partner Ampersand, Reading-based CH&Co Group’s specialist commercial division, is a memorable dining destination.

The spectacular example of baroque architecture houses an elegant à la carte restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. It attracts over 100,000 visitors a year who enjoy an indulgent and historic regal dining experience.

With soaring vaulted ceilings, imposing colonnades and a spacious terrace, the restaurant is light and airy, creating a luxurious and relaxing atmosphere.  Its terrace also offers enviable views of the palace’s well-manicured formal gardens, cared for by Historic Royal Palaces.

Commissioned by Queen Anne and built in 1704-5, the structure, which is thought to have been designed by architect Nicolas Hawksmoor, was created in the style of the grand palace to serve as a greenhouse to protect Queen Anne’s citrus trees from the harsh frosts of winter, and also as a sophisticated venue for fashionable alfresco court entertaining away from the hubbub of Whitehall.

Ricky Anthony, catering liaison manager for HRP, commented: “We’re thrilled to have won this award. Dining at The Orangery is a unique experience that can’t be found anywhere else in London.  We’re very proud of the distinct ambiance that the breath-taking setting, architecture, delicious food, fine service and history create.”

Andrew Gittins, general manager at The Orangery for Ampersand, said: “We work very closely with our partners at Historic Royal Palaces to create a unique dining experience at The Orangery, so we’re thrilled to win this award.  It’s the only royal palace in London where afternoon tea can be enjoyed all year round and our tables, dressed with crisp white linen and bespoke Kensington Palace china, add to the splendour of this special dining occasion. It really is so easy for guests to become absorbed in the venue’s historic atmosphere and forget that the hustle and bustle of central London is only a stone’s throw away.”

The World Luxury Restaurant Awards recognise culinary excellence and memorable experiences, from outstanding atmosphere to service. It is open to luxury restaurants operating within any luxury or niche market and offering high quality food and service. The awards aim to highlight special features of restaurants, thereby increasing competition globally and ultimately raising the level of food quality and the standards of service in the luxury restaurant industry.