If you, like us, don’t have a spare £2,300 lying around to fork out for an annual membership, you probably don’t frequent The Sloane Club.
Luckily for the nosey among us, it’s now possible to get a peek inside without stumping up the joining fee. The Chelsea members’ club – which was founded in 1922 by Princess Helena, the daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert – has opened to the public for the first time in its 104-year history.
Running along the outside of The Sloane Club on Lower Sloane Street, Café 1922 is a swanky new addition to the already-very-swish west London neighbourhood. While most of the Sloane’s facilities – the hotel, gym and sauna included – will remain members-only, the new café will be accessible to regular punters.
By day, the Chelsea venue will be serving up specialty coffee, homemade pastries, breakfast and light lunch dishes.
Café 1922 has debuted with a signature pastry, the Sloane Pain au Suisse, inspired by The Sloane Club’s iconic Croque Monsieur, which has been on the menu since the club first opened in 1922. It’s basically a ham and cheese croissant but better, filled with béchamel, smoked ham and a blend of cheeses including comté, emmental and gruyère. If you’re a savoury pastry person and keen to get your hands on one, it’s worth getting there early: only a limited number will be baked each day and they’re expected to sell out.
The menu has been created by former Sketch chef George Scott-Toft (who’s executive chef for the whole club) and head baker Luke Walsh-Landles, who joins the kitchen from Boxcar Bakery in Marleybone. Other treats include a cookie of the day, fruit salad breakfast bowl and homemade focaccia sandwiches and salad bowls for lunch.
By night, Café 1922 transforms into a bougie wine bar. Think: seasonal and low intervention wine list served by-the-glass and in carafes, with the option of takeaway bottles.
Large windows open the space to the neighbourhood, making Café 1922 ideal for a spot of morning people watching. Plus, outdoor tables spilling onto Lower Sloane Street will be ideal for a glass of wine in the sunshine when the weather warms up.
The Sloane Club is also gearing up to host regular events in the new space. Details are yet to be announced, but wine tastings and supper clubs have both been teased.
Having soft launched on April 1, Cafe 1922 officially opened its doors on April 7 and will be open Sunday-Tuesday 7.30am-3.30pm, Wednesday-Saturday 7.30am-8.30pm with a 5pm change of menus from all-day to evening menu.
Café 1922, 52 Lower Sloane St, SW1W 8BP.
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