Leading Welsh restaurant celebrates 30 years since Cool Britannia with £19.96 menu

Nation.Cymru staff

A leading Welsh restaurant is to mark 30 years since Cool Britannia with the launch of a limited-edition £19.96 menu – inspired by the food and culture of the iconic ’90s era.

Available until October 6, The Ivy Cardiff Brasserie’s Cool Britannia Menu offers two courses for £19.96 – a nod to 1996, the year that epitomised the movement – with nostalgic dishes including a reimagining of The Ivy’s famous ’90s Bang Bang Chicken, alongside Sticky Toffee Pudding and a ’90s Coconut Curry.

The Ivy has also partnered with Cointreau on two limited-edition cocktails inspired by the era: the Champagne Supernova and Spice Girls.

Long regarded as one of London’s most iconic restaurants, The Ivy was at the heart of the Cool Britannia movement, welcoming the musicians, actors, artists and cultural figures who defined the era. While London’s cultural landscape embraced Britpop, Young British Artists (YBAs) and a renewed sense of British confidence, The Ivy became the place where many of its leading names gathered.

Available Monday to Friday from 11.30am until 6.30pm and Sundays from 11am until 6.30pm, guests can enjoy two courses for £19.96 in a nod to the year that epitomised the Cool Britannia movement, with the option to add a dessert for £8.95.

Designed to celebrate timeless British favourites alongside dishes that capture the adventurous flavours that emerged during the decade, the menu begins with starters including Glazed Onion Soup with gratinated cheese croutons and parsley; Gratinated Halloumi served with fire-roasted pepper purée and vine tomatoes; and Kiln-roast Salmon Rillette with dark rye bread, crushed avocado, basil pesto and fresh herb salad.

The Grilled Robata Chicken Skewers with Bang Bang peanut sauce, sesame, coconut, lime and coriander pay tribute to one of The Ivy’s most iconic dishes. Inspired by the legendary Bang Bang Chicken, first introduced to the menu during the 1990s, the new dish reimagines a guest favourite that became so popular guests famously clamoured for its return after it was removed.

For mains, guests can choose from the nostalgic ’90’s Coconut Curry with sweet potato, spinach, broccoli, sun-blushed tomatoes, lemongrass, crispy lotus root and aromatic rice, Salmon Linguine in a smoked salmon cream sauce with capers, lemon zest and parsley, Chicken Supreme with smoked pancetta, chestnut mushrooms and a rich red wine and port sauce, or upgrade to a Minute Steak served with peppercorn sauce, onions, thick-cut chips and watercress for a £4.95 supplement.

Desserts continue the celebration of British classics, with favourites that defined restaurant dining throughout the 1990s. Guests can enjoy Sticky Toffee Pudding served with salted caramel sauce, dates and clotted cream, or opt for the Best of British Mature Cheddar, accompanied by crackers, apple and celery. For those seeking something a little lighter, the Mango Vanilla Sponge combines rum-soaked sponge with mango purée, Chantilly cream and fresh lemon balm, while the Platinum Sundae brings the menu to a memorable close with hazelnut and dark chocolate, bourbon vanilla ice cream, crushed hazelnuts and meringue. Sticky Toffee Pudding is available with a £1.95 supplement.

To toast to the era, The Ivy Collection has partnered with Cointreau to create two limited-edition cocktails inspired by the music and cultural icons that defined Cool Britannia. The Champagne Supernova (£12.50) combines Cointreau, cherry and lemon, topped with Champagne, while the Spice Girls (£13.50) brings together Cointreau Spicy, The Botanist gin, rhubarb, hot honey and cranberry for a bold, playful nod to one of the decade’s biggest pop phenomena.

Mark Askew, Group Executive Chef at The Ivy Collection, said: “Cool Britannia was a defining moment for British culture, and The Ivy has always been woven into that story. This menu celebrates the era through a collection of dishes that feel both nostalgic and timeless, including modern interpretations of genuine Ivy favourites from the period, such as our Robata Chicken Skewers, inspired by the original Bang Bang Chicken that guests still talk about today. Whether you remember the original movement or are discovering it for the first time, we hope the menu captures the optimism, creativity and confidence that made the era so memorable.”

Whether catching up with friends over lunch, taking a break from the office or revisiting a defining chapter of British culture, The Ivy Collection’s Cool Britannia Menu offers the perfect excuse to celebrate 30 years of one of Britain’s most iconic eras.

The Cool Britannia Menu will be available until October 6, Monday to Friday from 11.30am – 6.30pm and Sunday from 11am – 6.30pm at participating restaurants across The Ivy Collection.

Book a table at The Ivy, Cardiff HERE

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