Jaguar’s Knightsbridge flagship space is finally open — and you can dine there in style
Have a first-class food experience at Cafe Eighty-One while you dream of buying the new Jaguar Type 01…
Jaguar has cut the ribbon of its new Knightsbridge flagship, a space it is calling “the new home of modern luxury in London”.
The flagship experience has been designed to compliment the new design architecture of the recently announced Jaguar Type 01, while also giving visitors a history lesson on all things Jag.
Arranged over two floors, it is one great big love letter to Jaguar, including an area dubbed the Jaguarscape, which is “an immersive installation that traces the evolution of the Jaguar Leaper and reveals the story behind its new expression through graphics, sculptural display and light”.
Enter the Design Vault
On the lower floor, there is a Design Vault where guests can better understand the design and ethos of the brand. It’s also here where the new Jaguar Type 01 will be displayed. This is definitely not a traditional car showroom!
Throughout, the design of the space reflects the new car — including the use of Travertine stone, tactile textiles and warm brass accents.
And then there’s the new dining area — Café Eighty-One. The café, according to Santino Pietrosanti, Director of Jaguar (UK), is “designed to be open, welcoming and inspiring, bringing together British hospitality, culture and creativity in a way that feels distinctly Jaguar.
He continues: “Located within our Knightsbridge flagship, it invites guests to experience the brand in a more personal and engaging way, with every detail reflecting the originality and modernity at the heart of Jaguar’s DNA.”
T3 was lucky enough to enjoy a selection of dishes in Café Eighty-One before it opened to the public and it is a beautiful, elegant place to have some food.
The move to modern luxury
As with the store’s design, the food has been created to capture Jaguar’s move toward a modern luxury brand, with Michelin-starred chef Michael O'Hare creating a menu influenced by the design language of Jaguar's forthcoming Type 01.
On the menu is a contemporary re-imagining of the quintessentially British Afternoon Tea and the café will be open to anyone who wants to dine there, regardless of your desire to buy a new car or not.
Jaguar notes that there will be ongoing culinary collaborations, seasonal experiences, curated tastings and the Jaguar Taste Series happening at the cafe — all of which it hopes will help establish the café as “a standalone cultural destination within London's hospitality landscape”.
