Alto offers rooftop vibes and fine dining, high above Oxford Street.
After an enforced closure due to the coronavirus outbreak, Selfridges are all set to reopen their rooftop restaurant Alto on April 12. Boasting a summery look and a rustic Italian menu from long-term residents San Carlo, this place is a must for your sky-high hangouts. As is de rigeur these days, the decoration consists of extensive verdant overhead foliage and citrus trees, all underneath a retractable roof that’s perfect for sunny days. Plus, something that’s best described as a Selfie Bench! [Featured image: @alto_selfridges]
Among the dishes that have made an appearance on the Italian menu are fillet of beef wrapped in truffles with a cream sauce; classic, oven-baked Sicilian Melanzane Parmigiana; and chicken skewer wrapped in pancetta and rosemary, barbecued on a Robata grill. There are also nibbly street food bits like arancini and gamberoni, and an extensive selection of fish dishes, pizza, and plant-based food.
Whilst tables beneath the citrus trees are all well and good, you could snag a cosy spot in one of Alto’s stylish beach huts. Think of it as a rooftop beach hut, except it’s filled with Italian fizz rather than sand. One quick thing to note if you’re planning a visit though: for the period from April 12 until May 17 (when indoor dining is set to resume), Alto is open for walk-ins only. Bookings for May 17 onwards are open now, if you’d like a concrete date in the diary for summer.
It’s not the only eye-achingly gorgeous restaurant at Selfridges, as wisteria-draped counterpart Aubaine will also reopen this summer – although an exact date is still TBD. Which, naturally, will provide the perfect excuse for lunch at one, and dinner at the other…
Location: Selfridges, 400 Oxford Street – entrance is via the express lift on the ground floor, amongst the Fragrance section. Nearest station is Bond Street. See it on Google Maps.
Opening hours: seven days a week, 12pm-10pm.
Price: mains are around £13, a bottle of wine about £30.
More information: from their website.