Caravan to take over the Savoy’s Melba café

The Savoy’s Melba café is to relaunch as a Caravan-branded outlet in the new year, The Caterer can exclusively reveal.

CCR x The Savoy will open on 6 January on the ground floor of the five-red-AA-starred, 267-bedroom hotel on London’s Strand, following a six-week makeover. The coffee bar and retail space will be run by Caravan Coffee Roasters (CCR), the group’s wholesale operation, and feature eight to 10 stools and a bench seat outside.

The outlet will serve Caravan’s signature daily blend espresso, rotating single-origin espresso and filter coffees, as well as homemade kombucha, kefir, and fresh juices. The food offering will include a mix of sweet and savoury items such as tea cakes, bagels, and sourdough bread.

Chris Ammerman, co-founder of Caravan Restaurants and Caravan Coffee Roasters, said: “While the Savoy is synonymous with luxury and tradition, the team possess a modern view on coffee – this was hugely exciting for us. Ultimately, both brands always strive to deliver the best in quality and customer experience, so it makes perfect sense to be able to get some of London’s best coffee at the Savoy.”

Founded by Ammerman, Laura Harper-Hinton, and Miles Kirby, Caravan Restaurants operates five Caravan sites in London, as well as new concept Vardo, which debuted in Chelsea in September.