A day in Brompton Cross — The Rakish Gent

As part of our ongoing duty to inform you, the reader of all of the different, fantastic pockets of London that you may not know about, we recently spent a day wandering around Brompton Cross. With the imposing facade of Harrods located close by, its easy to forget that there are a host of side streets and shopping destinations just around the corner.

Brompton Cross is conveniently located slap bang between Knightsbridge, South Kensington and Sloane Square, with tube stations all being a short walk away. The destination is home to a wonderful selection of boutiques, select stores and cafes and restaurants that are away from the bustle of one of the world’s biggest department stores. Here is how we recommend you spend your day …

Breakfast at Aubaine

The Brompton Road restaurant is something of a Kensington landmark. Large but not imposing, the space is perfect for a breakfast meeting or a coffee before shopping. The breakfast menu features a selection of healthy (eggs/ porridge) and extravagant (lobster/ full French breakfast) choices but we were mightily impressed by the French toast brioche - strawberries, blueberries, caramelised banana, creme fraiche and maple syrup. And of course a skinny flat white.

Shopping for essentials at Derek Rose

The small but perfectly placed Derek Rose store is the best place to go for essentials. We were impressed by the knowledge and how happy to help the staff were, and of course by the luxury collection of T-shirts, knits and loungewear. Who could say no to cashmere joggers?

Inspiration for the home at Andrew Martin

This store is one of the greatest sources of inspiration for new home owners we have come across. You will never again think of going to Ikea for your chairs and tables when you see the unique range of furniture housed here - from rocking horses, designer cushions, statement sofas and incredible lights and more.

Andrew Martin Aurelie mirror, £925. Flex side tables, £825. Cream Cuva table, £350.jpg

Shopping for the holiday wardrobe at Orlebar Brown

We can’t pretend that we aren’t massive fans of Orlebar Brown who are quite simply, the best place to go to get your holiday wardrobe sorted. If you are lucky enough to be heading to warmer climes this season, you’ll want a pair of the new Bulldog shorts with hold buckles, the Terry towelling polo and the world’s first shoes that you can swim in. The customer service in this store is also, exceptional.

Rakish gifting at Yves Delmore

The personalisation of a gift can make all of the difference. The Yves Delmore store is a great presence in London for a family owned business where everything is made in France. The store offers on site personalisation of crests, initials and logos and is currently selling great gifting including nightwear, cashmere travel bags and eye masks and bed linen that will want to make you sleep in all day long.

Luxury candles at Baobab

Luxury scents for the home have seen a huge rise over the last 2 years. They also make fantastic gifts. You are hit by an incredible scent on entering the store and we could spend hours testing all of the wonderful candles on offer. With huge and imposing holders for the home, the value for money is also impressive.