Selfridges roof to be turned into forest-themed restaurant

The ever-evolving rooftop of London department store Selfridges is to be turned into a pop-up forest-themed restaurant and bar as its latest incarnation for winter.

Run by Des McDonald, formerly of Caprice Holdings, Forest Restaurant and Bar on the Roof will launch this Wednesday replacing Cornish fish restaurant Vintage Salt, which graced the roof this summer.

Hot chocolate cocktails will be served at Forest

Following on from last winter’s successful après ski-themed Le Chalet pop-up, Forest, overseen by head chef Chris Dargavel, will serve dishes inspired by Britain’s woodlands with a focus on foraged ingredients.

Among the dishes on offer will be mallard on toast with a mulled cider vinaigrette; gin-cured salmon; baked game meatballs with vegetable orzo; roe deer fillet with kale and an elderberry sauce; and duck shepherd’s pie with autumn squash.

Those with a sweet tooth can then indulge in treacle sponge with whisky Anglaise and rose-scented custard tarts. Also on the roof will be The Cabin Bar where guests can get cosy in blanket-filled wooden lodges, one of which boasts a photo booth.

Autumnal cocktails include the Smokey & Sour, featuring whisky, rosemary, lemon juice, maple syrup and Laphroaig bitters; and the Fancy Nogg, a decadent twist on eggnog made with brandy, frangelico, cream, honey, hazelnut and nutmeg.

Those keen for “hot-tails” can get involved with the “chocktail” list of alcohol-laced hot chocolate including one with rum and gingerbread and another with rum and banana liqueur.

Forest can be accessed via an express lift on the ground floor or the more fun sounding landscaped staircase on the fourth floor.