Piccadilly, Floor By Glorious Floor

Lower Ground Floor

We start with the finest food in all the land, our famous Food Halls on Lower Ground.

 

Down a single flight of our spiral staircase, you will find our butcher, our bakery, but sadly no candlestick-makers. Not presently, at least. And candles are available on second, as it happens.

 

To our right, as we enter, you’ll find our food-to-go, there’s pasta from Angela Hartnett’s Café Murano - made fresh daily, with a rotation of sauces, and our fresh baked goods and a collection of delicious salads, sandwiches and of course, Scotch Eggs and pies. Turn a little and you’ll be facing our Spirits Room, filled with one of London’s most unique and diverse collections of Gin, as well as an amber cove of all things Whisk(e)y. There’s also every other tipple to raise your spirits here too.

 

Strolling across the floor, don't forget to look up at the cascading colour-changing stars which are currently floating throughout our atrium this Christmas, Definitely worthy of an insta-moment... Next up, all manner of condiments and pantry essentials, a bare cupboard really doesn’t bare thinking about! Then we reach our fresh fish, cheeses from all points of the globe, and charcuterie. To the left, wines from South America to Southern France to the South Downs, rows of fizz, port displays and much more. We try a sample of delicious sausage at the butcher’s counter, we watch brie being sliced and weighed, we drag ourselves away from the Champagne and up to the ground floor before we buy everything that's in sight…

 

We are working, after all.

Ground Floor

We take the stairs, spiralling upwards through the middle of the store, offering incredible views of the floors above and flooding light into the building. The Christmas decorations are up, and people stop to take photos. Of the stairs, obviously. Not of us, however happy we might be to strike a pose or two.

 

On our ground floor, we stop a Fortnum’s assistant clad in customary Eau de Nil tie, white shirt, dark jacket and approachable, welcoming demeanour. We ask her where we should head first.

 

'To Sweetieland of course! Or you could head to teas, coffees, jams and preserves, the biscuits...'

 

She laughs, because she has more-or-less listed the entire contents of the ground floor. And there are more than 500 different kinds of chocolate on our confectionery counter alone... But then it is very hard to know where to start on a floor so abundantly populated with wonderful things.

 

We plump for teas. Rows upon rows, shelves upon shelves, in loose leaf and in bags, from all corners of the globe and to suit all tastes, and all beautifully-presented. No wonder it’s been so popular for over 300 years. We overhear a couple talking: he drinks tea, she does not, but she admits that even she is tempted. Everything looks so pretty, she says. And it does.

 

We march on to the jams and honeys and preserves, oh my! We flit around the biscuits, coo at the confectionary and the hidden treasures inside, and feel a pleasing sort of sugar rush just looking at the 500 different types of chocolates on display.

 

Starting to feel parched? Maybe a little hungry? Well, lets take a pitstop at our new restaurant, FIELD by Fortnum's. With sustainability and seasonality at the heart of this delicious menu, each dish is designed around daily produce and ingredients, almost all of which are sourced from the UK.

 

We could stop for longer, and we recommend you do, on your visit. But for now, we must press onwards, or else this article – this brief and colourful whizz around the inside of 181 Piccadilly - might end up at novella length.

 

And so, to the first floor.

First Floor

And WOW, Christmas food is here! Mountains of mince pies, puddings and all things sugar and spice. Our thoughts turn to what would comprise our Christmas feast, and whether we could feasibly keep it below, say, 50 items.

 

Probably not, is the verdict, but lets compile a list, all the same, starting with a Magnificent Plum Christmas Pudding, marmalades, Champagne & Strawberry preserve, the incredible Merrilossus, a bottle – no, three! – of Fortnum’s fizz, tins of Christmas Spiced loose leaf tea, and Traditional Mince Pies, Fortnum’s London Gin, and much, much more. Our mouth waters at the prospect.

 

This year our Christmas Food area in Piccadilly is also 60% or two thirds, bigger than it was last year, our most enormous space ever dedicated solely to festive feasting. The bigger, the better as far as we're concerned. 

 

There’s also homeware here too, a spectacular wall of teapots and all the china for creating Afternoon Tea at Home. And our new bespoke Tea Blending service - more on than here.

 

Taste buds tickled and in need of a little energy after taking the stairs between floors (instead of the beautiful wood panelled and mirrored lifts), we head to The Parlour for ice-cream and to indulge ourselves in the Nutcracker!-inspired Hot Chocolate menu.

 

And the most remarkable thing we realise, as we spoon home great heapfuls of delicious dessert? That we are only halfway through our journey through the floors at Fortnum's...

Second Floor & Third Floor

Riding the wave of a pleasing sugar rush, courtesy of our delicious Knickerbocker Glory from The Parlour on First, we continue our floor-by-floor tour of Fortnum’s by marching up the staircase to Second.

 

Each floor is unique in its own way but no floor smells as fantastic as Second. People gawk at the Fragrance counter as a man clad in a signature Eau de Nil tie carefully pours perfume into a tiny container. He does not spill a drop.

 

To our right is Beauty Hall, with everything one could want for a weekend of pampering, and in front of us are tables filled with lotions and Candles – all, no doubt, smelling as wonderful as our rare fragrances.

 

Before we head up to the Third floor, we cast our eye towards the staircase at the back of Second, which opens upwards into a beautiful glass dome roof, pouring great torrents of light onto the staircase below.

 

And so, to Third, filled with everything one could wish for a very merry Christmas. That’s right – here you’ll find the baubles hung, the wrapping paper ready and every wonderful thing about Fortnum’s recreated as a miniature decoration for your tree. Behold – our Christmas Shop.

 

As the ultimate Masters of Merry, and with 314 Christmases under our belt, we know a thing or two about celebrating our favourite time of year. And, with Christmas back to normal and bigger than ever this year, our Third Floor is the ultimate destination to bring the joy of the festive season into your home.

 

Why not send your friends and loved ones your season’s greetings in the form of a well-stocked wicker wonder? Our Third Floor is also home to our famous Hampers – perfect for gifting friends and family near and far.

Fourth Floor

Before we get lost among a haze of life-size polar bears and twinkling baubles, we make our way up to the Fourth Floor, to the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon. We cross a young lady on the staircase named Clara, who told us that this year's Afternoon Tea offering includes a very special Nutcracker!-themed top plate, we naturally pick up our pace.

 

As the doors swing open, we’re greeted by the twinkling sound of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, played by Angus on the Steinway. The collective gaze of those sat within is fixed upon the delicious Fortnum's delights so wonderfully-assembled on their tables. We are ready to delve in!