Fortnums Opens at The Royal Exchange
Fortnum & Mason opens at The Royal Exchange
At our newest outpost, it's icons only.
Today we are proud to open up our newest outpost at one of the world’s most iconic centres of trade, The Royal Exchange. First founded in 1571 and opened by Queen Elizabeth I, The Royal Exchange has almost a century and a half on us, although over its long history, it has had the misfortune to burn down not once, but twice. The magnificent building as it stands today was re-opened in 1844 by Queen Victoria.
The fact that we have made the area our newest home is not without more pertinent historical precedent. The first Fortnum to appear in London was a fellow named Matthew, a carpenter who lived in the parish just below St Paul’s Cathedral. Many members of the Fortnum family since lived and worked in the City – as victuallers, as stationers, as wine merchants, as far as we’ve been able to tell.
Along with our new store, The Royal Exchange’s majestic central courtyard will welcome somewhere very special: The Fortnum’s Bar & Restaurant, where breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served. Guests in the courtyard’s stunning al-fresco style surroundings can enjoy produce fresh from our famous Food Halls, including caviar, shellfish, and smoked salmon – hand-carved at the bar counter – along with light, raw, and vegan offerings.
Fortnum’s exclusive Glenarm beef will be on the menu – cooked using the on-site Josper Grill – along with classic Fortnum’s dishes like Welsh Rarebit and Knickerbocker Glory. Food will be served alongside an extensive and curated wine and Champagne list, in addition to cocktails, floats, and digestives.
In keeping with our three centuries of tea obsession, The Fortnum’s Bar & Restaurant is the perfect spot for an excellent cup – and you will be able to enjoy one that has been specially blended for sale at The Royal Exchange. Made up of malty Assam and refreshing Ceylon, the traditional black tea is similar to our iconic Royal Blend, with the addition of very special Yunnan Golden Buds.
As for the store itself, expect to find more of our famous and rare blends – along with steampunks for tastings – plus a refined edit of Fortnum’s favourites, including preserves, biscuits, wine and spirits, and our iconic hampers.
While we hope you'll take the time to browse the store, we are also ardent believers in a long lunch – and so a personal shopping service will be available to diners at The Fortnum’s Bar & Restaurant. You will also be able to shop online at fortnumandmason.com, and then collect from the store afterwards.
THE COURTYARD, THE ROYAL EXCHANGE, LONDON. EC3V 3LR