The Best Gourmet Picnic Hampers In London

From baskets of premium British produce to extravagant butler-catered packages, these are the best gourmet picnic hampers in London

One of the most quintessentially British things you can do during a trip to London is have a good old fashioned picnic. When the sun is shining and the city’s buzzing, nothing quite beats relaxing in one of London’s beautiful parks and gardens with a hamper of gourmet snacks and a glass of fizz.

Whether you want to picnic next to the Queen at St James’s Park, gaze over the lakes at Regent’s Park and Hyde Park, or dine alongside wild deer at Richmond Park, there are countless green spaces to set up camp once you’ve selected your ideal hamper. From Corrigan’s and Fortnum & Mason to Harrods Food Hall, here’s where to get your hands on the best picnic hampers in London.

Corrigan’s

Located just a stone’s throw from Hyde Park, Corrigan’s offers premium hampers starting at £100 for two. Each is prepared to order (with 48-hours notice) with several dishes from the Mayfair restaurant’s seasonal British-Irish menu, as well as homemade breads, Champagne and all the extras you could need such as crockery and a blanket. Take picnicking to another level by booking the luxury picnic experience from £1,000 and sit back as a private butler caters your picnic with finesse at a location of your choice. Ideal for an extra special occasion, this package comes with a selection of the finest menu items, such as smoked eel and pressed duck liver terrine, native lobster and citrus salad, and Irish beef carpaccio with duck egg dressing, all washed down with superb wines.

Fortnum & Mason

Fortnum & Mason is famed for its Afternoon Tea, but there’s more to the eatery than tea and cakes. The upmarket store sells some of the best ready-made picnic hampers in London, the finest of which is The Belgravia Hamper. Priced at £550, the wicker basket is filled to the brim with seasonal savoury snacks such as wild Scottish smoked salmon and venison salami, marmalade-glazed ham and organic Stilton, as well as sweet treats like truffles and Turkish delight. The wine offerings are equally tempting, with a vintage Champagne and a top Sancerre standing out from the list. Other top-tier hampers include The English Essential Hamper, which is filled with British delicacies, and The Mayfair Hamper, an indulgent selection of fine foods and wines. If none of the options tempt your taste buds, use Fortnum & Mason’s bespoke hamper service to customise your ideal basket, which can be delivered to the hotel or collected from the Piccadilly store.

Harrods Food Hall

One of the most famous food halls in the world, Harrods Food Hall is a prime place to visit for premium British produce, so it comes as no surprise that its food hampers are right up there with the best. A great choice for a summer’s day picnic, Harrods’ hampers vary from the extravagant £1,000 The Mayfair, containing only the finest foods and wines; to The Savoury Crate, a selection of fine wines, preserves, foie gras and crackers; and the Afternoon Tea-inspired The Leyburn hamper, which is packed full of teas and coffees, jams, cakes, biscuits, and more.

Albion

If sightseeing takes you to East London, Albion in Shoreditch puts together an excellent picnic hamper packed full of British favourites such as Scotch eggs, British meats and cheeses, sandwiches, salads, fresh scones with clotted cream and English jam, wine, and much more. What’s good about this £160 hamper is that everything has either been made on-site or is fresh from a British producer. What’s more, the stylish wicker basket is yours to keep, and for a deposit, extras such as cutlery, plates and glassware can be provided.