This Pastel-Pink Ice Cream Pop-Up in Somerset House Actually Has Nothing to Do With Wes Anderson

Spring, the Somerset House restaurant from Skye Gyngell best known for pastel-coloured dishes of great reverence, is taking its business outside for the summer with a pop-up in a pastel-pink shipping container from tomorrow, Thursday 6 August. It may be hard to believe, but Wes Anderson has precisely nothing to do with it.

The centrepiece will be a palette of ice creams using fruit from renowned Herefordshire farm Fern Verrow, whose produce has anchored Gyngell’s restaurant since it opened, Jean Paul-Gaultier-designed uniforms and all, in 2014. Its manicured sincerity and unassumingly excellent food immediately made Times columnist Camilla Long furious, which means, of course, that it is a very good restaurant. Scoops are set to include damson; and lemon with jostaberry, which is a cross between the blackcurrant and both European and American gooseberries. There will also be ice lollies, the most artful ice lollies you may have ever seen, ripe for being held in front of a lilac-pink background, as all ice lollies ought to be.

They are joined on the menu by a range of frosty granitas, toasties, iced chocolates Australian-style, with vanilla ice cream, and negronis, cordials, and beers. Brioche buns are also promised, which leads to the hope of Sicilian-style ice cream sandwiches, even if the 12 p.m. opening time means having them for breakfast is a challenge worthy of acceptance.

While Spring’s dining room is in many ways inseparable from its food, this move outside will likely suit its vibe, and offers a Covid-secure way of continuing both restaurant operations and Fern Verrow’s produce supply line, with Gyngell hoping to reopen the restaurant proper in September. For now, it’s outdoors Thursday — Sunday, 12p.m. — 6p.m., until the end of the same month.