Bluebird Chelsea in the Kings Road has stood the test of time, and it is iconic, a trendsetter, still looking stylish and combining elegance with culinary excellence.

I have enjoyed a hot chocolate on the outside terrace where there are blankets and heaters, I have also enjoyed the odd breakfast meeting in the café but never had I eaten in the restaurant.

I had just endured a steroid injection in my slightly dodgy knee and felt in need of a treat, so when we were invited to lunch at Bluebird Chelsea, well this was exactly what the doctor recommended!

My first instinct as I entered the restaurant, a level up from the ground floor, was one of complete surprise, I was not expecting such an instagrammable venue, art deco in style it was so pretty, featuring a lot of greenery, an abundance of interesting prints, soft luxurious furnishing and an altogether homely yet elegant and fun atmosphere.

As we arrived the choice of tables was ours, but within an hour the restaurant was filling up nicely. There were business meetings going on with laptops open, elegant London ladies lunching and couples in romantic corners.

The A la Carte menu was small but concise, mainly European and perfectly catered to all tastes. Meat-free options were as tempting as the main menu and included dishes like cumin roasted aubergine, toasted freekeh, pomegranate and pistachio dukka. Harvey Ayliffe, the executive chef, plans to keep evolving the menu to match the discerning, varied tastes of Bluebird’s Chelsea clientele, but always with a focus on creating good quality comfort food with a modern twist.

After a very welcome Kir Royale we decided to start with the Devon crab with pink grapefruit, avocado and pistachio and the Lebanese flatbread with pickled beetroot and hummus. My Devon crab was a pure delight, the perfect light start to lunch when you know the main course may be a little heavier, it was fresh and delicious. The Lebanese flatbread was also a knockout, again a good size starter, the hummus was creamy and yummy!

As soon as my husband saw the Malvani monkfish and king prawn curry with coconut chutney, lime rice and naan bread on the menu he didn’t need to read any further, curried fish is his favourite and it was presented beautifully, the monkfish was soft and succulent and the prawns large a ‘meaty’, the curry sauce perfectly spicy and full of flavour. I chose the spicy spatchcock chicken and had sides of creamy mash and spinach. The chicken was tender, this choice felt wholesome and hearty, exactly right for a cold drizzly winters day.

We had a little break before dessert, but this menu featured everything I love in a dessert! What to choose? Triple chocolate brownie, honeycomb mousse, sticky toffee pudding, warm sugared doughnut, treacle tart…One of each, please! I decided to try the famous ‘The Bluebird’, chocolate and praline mousse, candied hazelnuts and chocolate ice cream, no wonder it’s so famous, it was heaven on a plate!  My husband was a little more restrained and decided to have a couple of scoops of icecream We finished with coffees and left feeling like we’d had a totally super lunch, fabulous food in a great setting with the first-class service, what’s not to love?

A: 350 King’s Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 5UU
T:  020 7559 1000
W:Bluebird Chelsea