The 18 Best Food and Drink Coronation Recipes
The official and unofficial dishes and drinks you can make to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III.
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Ahead of King Charles and Queen Camilla's coronation on May 6, Buckingham Palace released three official recipes for people to serve at their street parties. The official coronation recipes include Adam Handling's Strawberry and Ginger Trifle, Nadiya Hussain's Coronation Aubergine, and Ken Hom's Coronation Roast Rack of Lamb with Asian-style Marinade. Later, they shared their very own recipe: Coronation Quiche, to make for the Coronation Big Lunch.
"Charles is a very health-conscious eater and enjoys whole grains, organic vegetables, and simply prepared fish and meats," Chef Darren McGrady, who worked for the royal family, wrote in his cookbook Eating Royally. "In fact, he once brought Antonio Carluccio, a well-known Italian cook in London, to Balmoral to search for and bottle wild mushrooms."
Here, see all the best food and drink you can eat and sip on as you watch the coronation:
The King and Queen Consort's Coronation Quiche
King Charles and Queen Camilla shared this "coronation quiche" recipe, described as "a deep quiche with a crisp, light pastry case and delicate flavours of Spinach, Broad Beans and fresh Tarragon. Eat hot or cold with a green salad and boiled new potatoes—perfect for a Coronation Big Lunch!"
Nadiya Hussein's Coronation Aubergine
"Aubergines often feature as a side dish when served at a table for dinner, but not here. We are taking this delicious aubergine, coating it with flavour, frying till tender and then drizzling over the simplest coronation dressing. It’s like dinner at my mum’s collided with my lunches at school to create this beauty," Nadiya Hussain, winner of Great British Bake Off, writes in Nadiya's Fast Flavours.
Adam Handling's Strawberry and Ginger Trifle
What's a more English dessert than a trifle? Adam Handling, a Michelin-starred chef and owner, created this strawberry and ginger trifle especially for the coronation.
King Charles's Favorite Cheesy Baked Eggs
In 2020, Clarence House—which represented then-Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall—shared that one of Charles's favorite cheesy baked eggs. "One thing that undoubtedly brings many of us great comfort is good food," Charles said, calling British cheese "one of the most wonderful joys in life." It's a perfect breakfast for watching the coronation.
The Dorchester's Sovereign Martini
King Charles's favorite drink is reportedly a martini. To celebrate the coronation, British hotel the Dorchester will be serving the "Sovereign Martini"–made of Wessex gin, Royal Garden mead, dry vermouth, lavender bitter and orange scent—at their Vesper Bar.
If you're not in London, however, you can totally make your own martini at home:
Royal Sipsmith Martini
British gin brand Sipsmith also released a special coronation martini, called, naturally, the "Royal Sipsmith Martini." It's very easy to make:
The recipe:
Ingredients
- 2 parts Sipsmith® London Dry Gin
- 1/2 part dry vermouth Lemon zest
Method:
- Fill a mixing glass with ice
- Add the vermouth and stir for a few seconds
- Add the gin to the mixing glass and stir briskly for 50 turns
- Strain into a chilled glass and spritz with the zest of a lemon peel
nyetimber Nyetimber Classic Cuvee Coronation Limited Edition
nyetimber Nyetimber Classic Cuvee Coronation Limited Edition
If you want to pop some bubbly for the coronation, why not turn to English sparkling wine? British brand Nyetimber released this limited edition bottle of their Classic Cuvee MV, a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier from West Sussex. The bottle was inspired by royal garments and uniforms. All you have to do is pour it into some champagne glasses, and enjoy.
Fortnum & Mason Fortnum's Coronation Organic Darjeeling Tea
If you're across the pond and not looking for a boozy start to your day—the coronation service will begin at 6 a.m. eastern time—special coronation tea is the move. Fortnum and Mason's coronation darjeeling tea comes in a special commemorative tin, and all you have to do is add hot water! (Maybe get a King Charles coronation commemorative mug while you're at it.)
William Greenberg Desserts makes some of T&C's favorite sweets, including an iconic black-and-white cookie. But the New York City staple is going international for King Charles's coronation with these delicious butter shortbread cookies, topped with an icing crown in honor of King Charles III. They're great on their own or dunked into a mug of coronation tea, but if you want to add these treats to your table, act fast; they're baked daily and when they're gone for that day, they're gone. To reserve in advance, call 212-861-1340.
Nespresso's The Charlie
To celebrate the coronation, Nespresso released a limited edition "Jewels of Nespresso" collection, along with some special drinks. We are ready to make The Charlie, "which marks the new monarch’s love of Whisky and is also the perfect non-alcoholic tipple to toast to the new King."
- Barista Creations Flavour Whisky Essence capsule
- 6 Ice cubes
- 200ml Fever Tree Spanish clementine tonic water
- Orange peel for garnish
How to make it:
- Add 2 ice cubes into each glass.
- Add 100ml of the clementine tonic water to each glass.
- In the Barista Shaker, add 2 ice cubes and brew the Barista Creations Flavour Whisky Essence coffee on top.
- Shake well, and then add pour slowly into each glass.
- Garnish with orange peel.
- Serve & enjoy!
Woodford Reserve's High Tea with the King
The coronation is taking place on the same day as the Kentucky Derby, so why not celebrate both with this cocktail, which is a blend of Early Grey infused simple syrup and Woodford Reserved Bourbon. As the brand notes, "travel your tastebuds from London to Louisville."
The recipe:
- 1 oz brown butter fat washed Woodford Reserve Bourbon
- 1 oz Woodford Reserve Rye
- 1/4 oz Earl Gray Rich Simple Syrup
- 2.5 mL Woodford Reserve Sorghum & Sassafras bitters
Brown butter fat wash: Melt 1 stick of butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly and observe until milk solids brown and there is a distinctly nutty aroma. Pour directly into 2 cups of Woodford Reserve Bourbon. Allow to infuse overnight in the fridge. Strain off after a minimum of 10 hours.
Earl Gray Syrup: Brew very strong Earl Gray tea. I used 2 teabags for 200g of hot water. Add 400g of white granulated sugar to the brewed tea. Stir until dissolved. (This is a 2:1 rich simple syrup.)
Old Forester's The Crown Julep
Another Kentucky Derby x Coronation mash-up comes in the form of this "Crown Julep" drink from Old Forester.
The recipe:
- .75 oz Earl Grey Infused Simple Syrup*
- 2 oz. Old Forester 86 Proof
- 1 oz. Pimm's
- 4-5 Mint Leaves, plus bunch for garnish
*To create syrup, use a 1:1 ratio of demerara sugar to Earl Grey tea brew.
Directions: Add the Earl Grey syrup and mint leaves to a Julep cup and gently muddle together. Add a heaping scoop of crushed ice to the cup, followed by 2 oz. Old Forester & 1 oz. Pimm's. Gently stir and then garnish with a bunch of fresh mint.
King Charles's Pheasant Crumble Pie
"I got this recipe from someone I know," Charles wrote in an issue of Country Life, which he has guest edited. "It is delicious. I invented a grouse one recently, Coq au Vin with Grouse, as well as Moussaka with Grouse (it doesn’t always have to be lamb), in other words Groussaka!"
Coronation Chicken
Try your hand at the coronation chicken served at Queen Elizabeth coronation, which was originally called "Poulet Reine Elizabeth."
The Victoria Sponge
Queen Victoria regularly ate a slice of sponge cake with her tea. As King Charles III is the first monarch to be descended from Victoria on both sides, honoring the British queen just makes sense. Buckingham Palace Pastry Chefs shared the recipe for the "Victoria Sponge" a few years ago for Royal Garden parties, and it feels right to make it for the coronation.
Camilla, then the Duchess of Cornwall, is given a Victoria Sponge by head chef Sue Hayes during her visit to the The Fair Close Centre on March 22, 2018.
Royal Salute Royal Salute The Coronation of King Charles III Edition Scotch Whisky
Royal Salute Royal Salute The Coronation of King Charles III Edition Scotch Whisky
If you're looking to splurge, Royal Salute is releasing a special, limited edition whisky for the coronation. The flavor, Master Blender Sandy Hyslop tells T&C, is "beautifully rich and exudes flavors of ripened fruits and creamy toffee with a long rich finish that has a playful spice on the palate."
The Rhubarb Royale
Cawston Press,
Ingredients:
- 7.5ml / 1.5 TSP Strawberry puree*
- 60ml Cawston Press Sparkling Rhubarb, chilled
- 40ml Sparkling wine, (ideally english), chilled
Instructions: Simply pour all your ingredients into a champagne flute, give a quick stir and garnish with a slice of strawberry.
*To make a simple strawberry puree, blitz fresh or frozen (defrosted) 100g of strawberries with 1 tsp of sugar, then sieve. We also recommend using a splash of strawberry liqueur in place of the puree.
Beesou's The Queen Bee
Beesou, a honey apéritif made with ethically-sourced honey, released a special drink in honor of Queen Camilla: The Queen Bee. Per the brand, "10% of all Beesou’s profits go directly to Bees for Development charity where Camilla, Queen Consort, is the first President."
Ingredients:
- 35ml Beesou
- 25ml Gin
- 25ml Lemon
- 25ml Honey water
Instructions: Add ingredients into shaker, add ice and shake. Double strain into a martini glass. Add grapefruit twist as garnish if you like.
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.
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