Plant-Powered and Low or No Alcohol : The Gherkin

Searcys at the Gherkin launches a plant-powered menu at Helix Restaurant and ‘low or no’ drinks with Franklin & Sons in the sky-high Iris Bar.

Searcys at The Gherkin is proud to launch its wellness menus across the restaurant, bar and private dining. In the sky-high Iris Bar, award-winning soft drinks, tonics and mixers company Franklin & Sons will host a bespoke Flavour Discovery Experience until the end of February, with experiential activities guiding guests through different no-and-low alcohol tastings and pairings. The theme of conscious dining will also be replicated in the Helix restaurant, with a plant-led set lunch for the winter. Searcys has been recently awarded top 3 Stars Food Made Good certificate by the Sustainable Restaurant Association.

Healthy winter lunches at The Gherkin

Seasonal winter vegetables from British and London-based suppliers will take centre stage in the Gherkin’s Helix restaurant, recently awarded top 3 Stars by the Sustainable Restaurant Association. From January, a new lunch menu is on offer, priced at £29 for two courses or £35 for three courses with a glass of wine. Starters include steamed celeriac and spiced apple soup and hot smoked salmon, shaved fennel and watercress. Free-range braised chicken breast, heritage carrots, winter greens, buckwheat is on offer for the main course, as well as poached cod fillet, mussel and white radish liquor, and a hearty yet nourishing Sutton Farm courgette, white bean and thyme stew. Puddings pay tribute to the season too, with baked comice pear, cinnamon ricotta and honey stealing the show, and British cheeses with honeycomb offering something more savoury. For this menu, Searcys’ chefs look within London’s traditional markets to source much of their ingredients: The celeriac comes from New Covent Garden, the fish from Billingsgate, the chicken from Spitalfields and the cheese and courgettes from Borough.

Low ABV Flavour Discovery with Franklin & Sons

Leading London soft drinks company Franklin & Sons will take over the panoramic top floor Iris Bar, hosting a Flavour Discovery pop-up which showcases the delights of no and low-alcohol serves. Shunning the ‘one size fits all’ approach, Franklin & Sons have devised an experience for guests to choose whether to indulge in one of the many prestige gin and spirit pairings, to stick to ‘Dry January’ with Seedlip and Everleaf aperitifs, or to take a middle ground with low-alcohol pairing options. Much like Searcys, Franklin and Sons was born out of a family business in 19th Century London; the brothers embarked on a mission to introduce Victorian Britain to new flavours and taste experiences from around the world. The two historic brands have a shared heritage, as well as an ongoing focus on using the best British ingredients, supporting local suppliers to ensure the best quality.

Experiential activities will see guests guided through four different flavour profiles for the senses: first, they will choose a flavoured tonic through a blind smell test. They will then be led to a garnish foraging garden in the bar, with planted herbs and pots of garnishes, that will complement their choice of tonic. Guests will then visit the ‘low or no library’ to choose their low or non-alcoholic spirit or vermouth. Finally, Searcys’ talented team of mixologists will help guests assemble their perfect, personalised serve.