With Father’s Day just round the corner, we’ve scoured the shops of Mayfair and Belgravia for presents that Dad won’t want to put away.
2. Modern European gastronomy at 34
If the old adage is true, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and nothing quite says ‘Thanks for being a fab dad’ than a slap-up meal at a fine restaurant. 34, just off Grosvenor Square, is the ideal location for such a treat. A modern Mayfair classic, 34 serves up delicious seasonal fare in an ambient setting your dad can truly relax in. The main attractions here are the chargrilled dishes, cooked in a bespoke grill oven imported from Argentina. Why not start with the Cornish crab with pickled cucumber and lemon jelly, followed by grilled lamb cutlets with sweet breads, and finish off with the glamorously named Amalfi lemon meringue semifreddo?
3. Indulgent chocolates at Rococo
On the theme of food, it is a well-known fact that dads from Lands End to John O’Groats and beyond all like dark chocolate gingers. Enjoying a chocolate ginger thin is the unwritten rule of dad-dom, condition number one of the paternal pact. For some of the most delicious, made from organic Grenadian dark chocolate flavoured with warming ginger essential oil, pop over to Rococo on Motcomb Street.
4. Stylish summer scarves at Loewe
Father’s Day may fall in the middle of summer, but with weather like London’s, it is always sensible to guard yourself against the elements. Sensible doesn’t have to mean dull, however, as the beautifully printed light woollen scarfs at Loewe on Mount Street prove. Or why not treat him to this simple, yet luxurious calico anagram polo? Perfect for the summer months, it’s sure to make him feel a million dollars for, luckily, a lot less than a million dollars.
5. Sophisticated treats for the senses at TomTom
If your pops enjoys a cigar now and then, or if whisky is his tipple of choice, TomTom on Elizabeth Street is sure to hold the answer to your Father’s Day gift quandary. A box of 20 H. Upmann no. 2 reserva cosecha 2010s would make the perfect unique gift for cigar aficionados – only 5,000 of these rare Cuban cigars exist. For whisky lovers, this 12-year-old fascadale batch 6 single malt scotch whisky from the acclaimed Adelphi Distillery is a sure bet. And TomTom’s extensive range of single-farm and estate arabica coffee beans would suit any coffee lovers down to the ground (no pun intended).
6. Sublime scents at Jo Loves and Les Senteurs
Aromatic in a different sense, aftershave is always a popular Father’s Day gift. But instead of opting for the one he’s gone for since he decided that it was definitely ‘him’ at some point in the late 1970s, why not branch out with one of the innovative fragrances from Jo Loves on Elizabeth Street? While the boutique’s creator, Jo Malone, describes her fragrances as shared between the sexes, this Green Orange & Coriander scent is definitely masculine, with warm and spicy notes.
If you’d prefer to choose from a range of brands, Les Senteurs (just down the road) stocks colognes from some of the finest and most obscure perfumeries. This one by Jean-Claude Ellena, has hints of bergamot and cedar, as well as freshly mown hay, brought together in a heady concoction of summery scents.
