Named in honour of the year that John Lewis opened its first store on Oxford Street, 1864 Rooftop Bar & Kitchen is a new and exciting destination on John Lewis and Partners’ flagship Oxford Street store. Six floors up, the 7,310 sq ft venue is a tranquil, green oasis above the bustle of the city – equivalent to the size of two and a half tennis courts.
1864 Rooftop Bar & Kitchen has had significant investment to modernise and update the rooftop space into a new must-visit venue to drink and dine. Offering respite from city life, the mood is relaxed yet elegant – the perfect location for a sunny lunch, or dinner against a backdrop of twinkling lights and the cityscape. The new opening is the latest food and drink addition to the John Lewis store, which also includes a range of cosmopolitan cafés and drinking and dining options.
Whether it’s a day out with friends or family, or a treat for themselves, customers increasingly expect their shopping trip to be more of an all round experience – with one in three John Lewis customers now enjoying a drink or meal while shopping in store. John Lewis attracted a record 13.4m customers to the brand last year.
There are now 56 cafes, restaurants, and bars across the 36 John Lewis stores. Evolving the offering to keep it fresh and exciting is key to providing customers with the holistic shopping experience that we know they want.
Speaking about the significance of the new Oxford Street opening, Katie Papakonstantinou, Director of Services and Hospitality at John Lewis and Partners said: “This is such an exciting new launch – our rooftop has been updated and refreshed to become a stunning oasis of green, peppered with elegant design touches and a fantastic food and drinks menu.
“To be opening this must-visit destination in our 160th year, named after the year John Lewis started out on Oxford Street, really is a special moment for us. It builds on our commitment to invest in stores to enhance customer experience. As well as offering our regular customers a fresh new option, we hope that our 1864 Rooftop Bar & Kitchen will attract new customers into our flagship store.”
1864 Rooftop Bar & Kitchen will be operated by Benugo, which also operates other iconic London destinations such as the V&A’s Member’s Room, the The Magazine Restaurant at the Serpentine Gallery, BFI Riverfront, and the American Bar at London’s Coliseum.
The new rooftop destination will accommodate up to 200 people standing with 64 seats for lounging and dining in the indoor bar, on the outdoor terrace and in chic, greenhouse-style booths. The space will include bespoke striped fabric and colourful planting – including wildflowers, climbing plants and a variety of herbs reflected in the seasonal cocktails, such as mint and rosemary.
Menu highlights will include Lobster Rolls with pickled cucumber and Marie Rose sauce; Seaweed Tempura Monkfish with a wild garlic emulsion; hand carved Ibérico Bellota ham; and an indulgent Vegan Chocolate Mousse topped with crushed hazelnuts and olive oil.
