Dial-a-picnic: the best ready-made hampers in London

Dial-a-picnic: the best ready-made hampers in London

21 June, 2012
by: Spoonfed Food And Drink

Five of the best catering companies, shops and pubs selling made-to-order picnics. 

Yes, it's National Picnic Week this week, and whilst we may be getting slightly fed up with press releases for ridiculous food 'weeks' conjured up by enterprising PRs (see National Marmalade week and National Cupcake week); somehow picnics seem worthy of their 'week'. An English institution dating back to the Medieval hunting feast; a picnic (in a park if possible) is one of the quintessential joys of summer. There may be rug wool in the hummous and flies on the sausage rolls, but goddamit, we're eating outside! On the ground! The unpleasant part of a picnic of course, is making all the food and carting it to your nearest park. Happily, more places than ever are selling ready-made hampers this year, and some will even deliver it. It's enough to make Mole from Wind in the Willows go weak at the knees.

Carluccios
£45 for 2 people

Picked up in store, the Carluccio’s classic picnic comes in a handy cool bag with cutlery and napkins. A delicious cold Italian feast, the classic hamper includes two enormous slabs of red wine and radicchio focaccia, a tangy mackerel, red onion and caperberry salad; antipasti misti with roasted peppers, olives and salami; grilled chicken with saffron and olive potato salad; savoury vegetable tarts; fregola pasta salad with red pesto and summer vegetables; and rich chocolate and raspberry tarts. There’s more than enough for two and you can wash it all down with some Prosecco or Sardinian rosé which you can pick up in store at the same time. Kids and vegetarian picnics are also available. 

The Bull and Last
£35 for 2 people

Where better to collect a picnic than award-winning gastro pub The Bull and Last, conveniently located on Hampstead Heath? The Bull’s picnic is a civilised affair with proper plates, knives and forks, a pot of Colman’s mustard, some salt and pepper grinders, a picnic rug and a map of the Heath in case you get lost. The ‘basic’ hamper contains: ham hock, mustard and parsley terrine; a cheese and bacon quiche; a salad of heritage tomatoes, balsamic onions, Jerseys and leaves; a slice of Bleu D’Auvergne cheese with oatcakes, grapes, celery and chutney; shortbread; crème patissière; summer fruits; mineral water and real lemonade. If that doesn’t sound like enough you can customise your picnic with extras like scotch eggs (£3.50), rare roast beef, watercress and anchovy (£8), and tea-smoked mackerel pate with soda bread (£6.50). Just remember, you still need to be able to carry it.


Sugar and Spice Food
From £14-£22 per person

Catering company Sugar and Spice have devised a special ‘Great British Picnic Hamper’ to celebrate the Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Choose between four and eight items each from menus divided into ‘savoury’, ‘sandwiches’, ‘nibbles’ and ‘sweet’.  Each pretty wicker hamper (lined with a union jack flag) comes with a free bottle of homemade elderflower, mint and lemongrass cordial, and champagne or wine is also available on request. We particularly liked the sweet potato and gorgonzola tartlets, Coronation chicken wraps and squidgy dark chocolate brownies. Collect from their Battersea kitchen or have it delivered to your door (£12 within Central London).

Fortnum and Mason
From £40-200 for 2 people

Well of course Fortnums do picnics. Order in advance and pick up an F & M cool bag in store, filled with smoked salmon finger sandwiches, coronation chicken salad and Eton mess puddings, before heading to Green Park. The priciest option gets you a traditional wicker basket stuffed with cutlery, crockery and champagne flutes; beef carpaccio and bread rolls; dressed lobster; an English garden salad; Cropwell Bishop stilton with walnut wafers; fruit tart; Fortnum’s Champagne truffles; a bottle of English sparkling wine and a bottle of English rosé. Better still, opt for their ‘Picnic in the Park’ service and have a liveried footman carry your hamper or cool bag to your chosen park spot. Pretentious, moi?!

Picnic2U
From £45-£150 for 2 people

Saturday Kitchen’s James Martin has launched an online picnic delivery service, where you can choose from a selection of hampers or create your own, then have it dropped off at your door or chosen picnic spot. The cheapest hamper (£45) contains a crayfish tail salad with elderflower cream; orzo pasta with pine nuts roast peppers, parsley and orange; broad bean salad with feta, pancetta and mint; chargrilled chicken with rosemary gremolata; and orange & almond cake. Delivery charges vary depending on your proximity to their kitchens in NW10.

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