Fitzrovia gets a foodie focus
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“This is a celebration of the fantastic quality and breadth of food destinations throughout the area.”
Virginia Woolf, John Constable, Augustus John and Nina Hamnett are just some of the figures who have influenced the area of Fitzrovia. From literature to fashion, there‘s a palpable energy that keeps this central London location shining as a beacon for original talent. Today, the area hosts creative agencies, designers, gamers and chefs in a meeting of design and innovation.
This year, Fitzrovia joins the Festival as a district for a second time. “It is home to international head offices of digital, creative and the built-environment industries,” says Chantee Lewis-McIntosh, marketing and communications executive at The Fitzrovia Partnership – an initiative that aims to foster synchronicity between local companies and individuals. “It is where exciting independent businesses sit alongside flagship stores.”
This medley manifests itself in the companies that occupy the area – Charles Burnand Gallery (home to both emerging and established designers and artists), transformative design practice PriestmanGoode, contemporary furniture behemoth Heal’s and art gallery TJ Boulting, to name but several.
Aside from cultural happenings, food is at the heart of Fitzrovia’s plans for 2023. “Charlotte Street, known for being London’s food quarter, boasts five Michelin-star restaurants within five minutes walk of each other,” explains Lewis-McIntosh, of spots like Pied à Terre and The Ninth. For LDF23, the area will merge design and food with collaborations such as design studio and producer Tiipoi joining forces with a local Fitzrovia restaurant to create bespoke, handcrafted crockery; while Miel Bakery is working with a pottery company on a set of custom pie dishes.
To bring its epicurean spirit to life, the district will be hosting local businesses to ‘eat and drink their way around Fitzrovia’. “They will be able to follow ‘trails’ throughout the day and sample food outside some of their favourite venues – and discover some new haunts too,” explains Lewis-McIntosh. “This is a celebration of the fantastic quality and breadth of food destinations throughout the area.” Tasty stuff
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