Life & Soul Lifestyle Beauty . Fashion . Health . Life
There’s something unmistakably comforting about an evening at The Ivy Market Grill.
Perhaps it’s the familiar hum of conversation, the soft glow of candlelight or the sense that time slows slightly once you step inside. But for one evening in Covent Garden, The Ivy Collection transformed that familiar comfort into something a little more elevated with the launch of its new Edition Menu.
Hosted in the intimate Galatea Room, the evening unfolded beneath warm lighting, flickering candles and walls lined with vintage black-and-white portraits that gave the space an old-world glamour. It felt cosy yet theatrical, exactly the kind of atmosphere The Ivy does so well.
Guests were welcomed with The Ivy’s own Rosé Cuvée, crisp and refreshing enough to immediately set the tone for the evening, before being introduced to the new menu designed by Group Executive Chef Mark Askew. The Ivy describes the Edition Menu as a more refined expression of its signature style; balancing elevated flavours with accessibility and familiarity.
The selection moves comfortably between established Ivy favourites and newer seasonal additions, introducing premium ingredients and more contemporary flavour pairings without losing the approachable feel diners expect from the brand.
The menu itself balances familiar Ivy favourites with newly refined dishes and more premium seasonal ingredients. Some classics naturally stood out immediately, including the Severn & Wye smoked salmon served on dark rye bread – still every bit as satisfying as ever; alongside the ever-popular Ivy Signature Chocolate Bombe with hot salted caramel sauce, which remains one of the restaurant’s most theatrical desserts.
But the newer dishes held their own too.
The Stracciatella with Black Bee Honey, bitter leaves and croutons felt perfectly suited to the season, while the Truffled Cheese Soufflé, gratinated in a rich cream sauce, looked like pure comfort on a plate.
Other dishes on the menu included a Truffled Chicken Kiev with wild garlic butter and mashed potato, Roasted Salmon Supreme with pink peppercorn hollandaise and a Keralan Vegetable Curry with sweet potato, broccoli and basmati rice – all leaning into hearty, crowd-pleasing flavours.
For starters, I opted for the Robata grilled chicken skewers with peanut satay sauce. Rich, flavourful and surprisingly filling, it struck that perfect middle ground between comfort food and elevated dining.
Followed by the Yellowfin tuna steak paired with leaf spinach and peppercorn sauce, another standout from the evening. The pairing initially felt unexpected, but the richness of the peppercorn sauce worked beautifully against the tuna, creating a dish that felt both familiar and slightly different from what you might expect at The Ivy.
Dessert arrived in the form of the Paris-Brest with almond and hazelnut cream and warm chocolate sauce; indulgent without becoming overly sweet, and the perfect ending to the evening. It had that comforting French pâtisserie quality that makes you want to slow down and savour every bite.
What The Ivy Collection seems to understand particularly well is that luxury dining today doesn’t necessarily mean formality or complication. Increasingly, diners are looking for food that feels polished and memorable without becoming intimidating. The Edition Menu leans confidently into that space: good ingredients, generous portions, comforting flavours and just enough refinement to make the experience feel special.
Ultimately, the evening was exactly what you would hope for from The Ivy; good food, good conversation and an atmosphere that encourages you to stay a little longer.
And if the Edition Menu is anything to go by, it’s likely to become another crowd-pleaser for The Ivy Collection.
The Ivy Edition is priced at £34.95 for two courses or £41.95 for three. The menu is available across selected Ivy Collection restaurants, excluding The Ivy West Street, The Ivy Asia restaurants and The Original Ivy from Wednesday 13 May.
