In order to escape the city bustle in London, there seems no better place than the park. In fact, when the sun shines, many escape their stuffy apartments to flock to their local green areas, armed with picnic blankets, bottles of wine, and the all-essential “nibbly bits.” The idea is romantic, however, after the hour mark, we tend to meet a few obstacles. The rosé goes warm, the floor loses its comfort, and the chips and dip fail to satisfy the hunger. It is then that the park, initially an oasis of calm, reveals itself as an insufficient location to bask in the sunshine all day. That is why this summer, we’re leaving the park to iced coffee-strolls and games of rounders. When the sun peeps out and all we want to do is lounge with our friends over a refreshing spritz and tasty food, we have a new venue in mind. We’re setting up camp at ArcadeX, the new outdoor addition to Battersea Power Station’s infamous food hall.
Sink into one of the sun loungers overlooking the river and you’ll never want to leave. ArcadeX is an idyllic set-up for a relaxed afternoon that slips into the evening unnoticed. Over the speakers plays chilled, summer music that will transport you to a tropical beach-bar, meanwhile, the extensive option of vendors are at your disposal to instantly satisfy food cravings.
Cokey Sulkin, Arcade’s COO has said “By bringing Arcade’s signature brands here we believe we will create an outdoor dining experience quite unlike anything else in London.” We can confidently agree that ArcadeX is certainly a unique place, with a calming yet upbeat atmosphere that’s rare to find amongst London’s hotspots.
When we paid our initial visit to this brand new gem, it was a Sunday evening. There were clusters of friends laughing over a bottle of wine, couples refuelling after a day spent at the power station, and individuals enjoying a spritz and a book as the sun set (the perfect pairing, if you ask us). At this point, ArcadeX had been open exactly one day, and there was simply no denying that it would soon become the place to be in London this summer.
ArcadeX offers an extensive choice of delectable dishes from cult favourites, including smash-burger pioneers, Manna, South-American inspired grill Solis, and master sushi chefs, Sushi Kamon. To begin our feast, we headed straight to Manna to try a juicy smash burger for the first time. Served between a soft bun, the burger’s edges were crisp and caramelised with a deliciously beefy flavour. We ordered this with the waffle fries, golden and crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside. Following this, we opted for a light salad of grilled chicken in a creamy Mojo Verde sauce from Solis. With little room to spare, we finished at Sushi Kamon to try the Salmon Sushi Roll with a Japanese mayonnaise and crispy onions sprinkled on top.
After devouring enough food to feed a small family, we retreated to the sun loungers to put our feet up and bask in the sunshine. The fully retractable roof means that you can sit back and take in your surroundings come rain or shine. What’s more, with a capacity for up to 350 guests and an impressive backdrop, this is the ultimate venue to organise a summer party, particularly a British summer party, when shelter from the rain is always a welcomed option.
There are also three fully-stocked bars serving exclusive tequila cocktails amongst the usual cold beers, wines and summer spritzers- so a long queue for your drink of choice is never a fear.
Against the iconic backdrop of Battersea Power Station, this is a place where you can devour street food specials, sip on refreshing drinks, and listen to live DJs all day long- in other words, consider it your ultimate summer hotspot. ArcadeX is now open from midday to 11pm, Thursday to Sunday, and will be expanding to six days a week from 30th July. With no booking required, you know where to go next time the sun shows its face!
www.arcadefoodhall.com/arcade-x
