Thirty years after Cool Britannia captured the mood of a generation, The Original Ivy is revisiting one of the most storied chapters in its history with the launch of a new Cool Britannia Menu. Available at The Ivy West Street from 2 September until 10 November, the limited-edition menu celebrates the food, culture and unmistakable spirit of the 1990s – an era when the restaurant became a celebrated meeting place for many of the actors, artists, musicians and creatives shaping British culture.
From actors and artists to musicians, designers and the media set, the faces shaping British culture throughout the 1990s could be found passing through The Ivy’s famous stained-glass doors. As Britpop dominated the airwaves, the Young British Artists transformed the art world and British fashion and film commanded international attention, The Ivy was there – a discreet backdrop to the people and conversations defining the decade.
Now, as the cultural influence of the 1990s is being rediscovered by a new generation, The Original Ivy is returning to this defining chapter in its history with Cool Britannia, a limited-edition menu celebrating the timeless dishes, flavours and dining rituals synonymous with the era.
Available all day, Monday to Sunday, guests can enjoy two courses for £39.95 or three courses for £49.95, with a menu that balances unmistakable Ivy classics with dishes that evoke the confident, generous style of restaurant dining that characterised the decade.
Before the first course arrives, guests can settle into the occasion with a selection of nibbles, from Truffle Arancini (£8.75) and Zucchini Fritti (£8.75) to Caviar and Crisps (£27.50), pairing Imperial caviar with golden potatoes, sour cream, Parmesan and chives.
Starters revisit familiar restaurant classics through The Ivy’s distinctive lens. Potted Shrimp is served with seasoned brown shrimp butter, dill-pickled cucumber and toasted granary bread, while Ham Hock and Parsley Terrine comes with mustard piccalilli, baby leaves and granary toast. Guests can also choose Crispy Cod Cheek with tartare sauce, cornichons and baby leaves, or Roasted Beetroot, Fig and Whipped Feta Salad, finished with glazed pecans and truffle dressing.
At the heart of the menu sits The Ivy Shepherd’s Pie, one of the restaurant’s most enduring signatures, available in its classic form or topped with Mayfield cheese. Alongside it, Grilled 8oz Sirloin of Beef is served with garlic butter, onion rings, roasted cherry tomatoes and baby watercress (£5.95 supplement), while Pan-fried Salmon comes with mashed potato, salty finger, keta caviar and Champagne velouté.
Elsewhere, the Treacle-cured Pork Cutlet is accompanied by a fried hen’s egg, pineapple and grain mustard sauce, while Roasted Cep and Wild Mushroom Carnaroli Risotto with winter truffle, mascarpone and sage completes the selection.
Desserts continue the celebration of British classics and the generous restaurant dining synonymous with the era. The much-loved Sticky Toffee Pudding is served with dates, clotted cream, lemon balm and toffee sauce, alongside Blackberry Posset with compote, thyme and lemon shortbread; Poached Pear Frangipane Tarte with vanilla ice cream, toasted almonds and pouring cream; and a selection of Cornish Yarg and Barkham Blue, accompanied by apple and apricot chutney and wholegrain crackers.
To toast to the era, The Ivy has partnered with Cointreau to create two limited-edition cocktails inspired by the music and cultural icons that defined Cool Britannia. The Champagne Supernova (£12.50) combines Cointreau, cherry and lemon, topped with Champagne, while the Spice Girls (£13.50) brings together Cointreau Spicy, The Botanist gin, rhubarb, hot honey and cranberry for a playful nod to the decade.
Sean Burbidge, Executive Chef at The Original Ivy, says: “The nineties are such an important part of The Ivy’s history, so when we started creating this menu, we spent a lot of time looking back at the dishes and flavours people were enjoying at West Street during that period. We didn’t want to simply recreate a menu from 30 years ago, but to take the generous, classic style of cooking that defined the restaurant and bring it forward. From The Ivy Shepherd’s Pie to potted shrimp, ham hock terrine and sticky toffee pudding, these are dishes with a real sense of nostalgia, cooked in a way that feels completely at home at The Ivy today. It’s our way of celebrating an extraordinary era through the food.”
For those who remember The Ivy in the nineties, Cool Britannia offers a chance to revisit an unforgettable chapter in its history. For a new generation, it is an invitation to take a seat in the dining room that played host to some of the decade’s most recognisable faces – and experience a little of its magic for themselves.
The Cool Britannia Menu is available at The Original Ivy, West Street, all day Monday to Sunday, from 2 September until 10 November 2026, priced at £39.95 for two courses or £49.95 for three courses.
