El Fenn x Broadwick Soho: A Masterclass in Art, Dining &the Spirit of Marrakech

Lifestyle

Broadwick Soho and El Fenn unite, bringing a different flavour to London

No, we’re not in Marrakesh. We are, indeed, in Soho. Yet, between the heatwave, terrace parasols and unmistakable ambience, it's easy to forget exactly where you are.

This summer, Broadwick Soho has teamed up with one of Morocco’s most famed hotels, El Fenn, for a London lesson in Moroccan taste, movement, culture and spirit. Both institutions have earned their place in their respective cities: Broadwick Soho for its eccentrically extravagant interiors and lively yet quintessentially Soho energy; and El Fenn for its boutique, home-from-home approach to hospitality, where you can truly kick back and relax, with or without shoes.

Both have graced the pages of glossy titles and collected their share of accolades, but what connects them goes beyond the interiors, awards or the addresses. It's the spirit. From late June through August, Flute, the rooftop jewel of Broadwick Soho, has been transformed into a vibrant extension of El Fenn Marrakech, bringing the spirit of its world-famous terrace to the heart of London.

The result is a high-energy sanctuary for creatives and local Londoners, where contemporary art, inspired dining and cultural exchange meet in a maximalist collision of colour, texture, playful flavours and unmistakable Marrakech spirit. For a city that can sometimes feel very much like itself, this is a welcome change of scenery without the plane ticket.

Design and Backstory

What makes the collaboration between Flute and El Fenn feel so natural is, despite being thousands of miles apart, both spaces share a remarkable design language. Broadwick Soho was conceived by interior designer Martin Brudnizki, with creative direction from Andrea Gelardin, and is a celebration of colour, craftsmanship and personality. At Flute, guests are greeted by mirrored ceilings, rich fabrics, animal-print upholstery, onyx surfaces and layered textures that undeniably create a glamorous, playful rooftop that is unmistakably Soho.

El Fenn takes a different route, but the connection is clear. Founded by Vanessa Branson, with Moroccan architect Amine Kabbaj overseeing the restoration of its original riads, its interiors bring together hand-carved plasterwork, cedar ceilings, zellige tiles, contemporary art and mid-century furniture. Its three swimming pools are equally striking, each offering its own sense of escape, with vivid colour, intricate tilework and the unmistakable warmth of Marrakech creating spaces that feel intimate yet utterly transportive.

What unites both properties is an understanding that great design should be experienced rather than simply admired. Both spaces are tactile, layered and full of personality, encouraging guests to linger over lunch, stay for another cocktail and settle into their surroundings. That's ultimately what makes the El Fenn residency at Flute work so beautifully; rather than attempting to recreate Marrakech in Soho, it brings together two places that understand the power of design to transport, creating a rooftop where London energy meets Moroccan spirit and, for a few hours, you can genuinely forget which city you are in.

Dining

With the city stretching out beneath us, lunch began with warm, pillowy Batbout bread served with fragrant Moroccan olive oil and a glass of Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve Champagne. Batbout is a traditional Moroccan bread, often cooked on a hot griddle and enjoyed across Morocco, and it felt like the perfect introduction to a menu that takes familiar flavours and gives them a distinctly contemporary London interpretation. The terrace views only added to the feeling that we had momentarily left Soho behind.

The Ras El Hanout Fried Chicken was succulent, crispy and wonderfully indulgent, coated in the fragrant spice blend that takes its name from the Arabic expression “head of the shop/top of the shelf”, traditionally referring to the finest spices a merchant has to offer. The Chermoula Tahini brought an earthy, nutty richness that worked beautifully against the chicken. We followed this with the Courgette & Feta Cigars, delicately crisp with jalapeño and mint, before moving on to the mains. The Spiced Lamb Cutlets with Shakshuka Peppers and Pink Grapefruit were rich yet beautifully balanced, while the Baharat Spiced Chicken with Miso Hummus and Pickled Shallots offered a moreish combination of warmth, creaminess and acidity.

And then there was the Rock The Casbah El Fenn Mule, a playful Marrakech-inspired cocktail made with Belvedere Vodka, saffron and Fever-Tree Ginger Beer. It was aromatic, refreshing and exactly the kind of drink that belongs on a rooftop in the middle of a heatwave. Dessert kept the Moroccan influence alive with an elegant Orange Blossom Sorbet, served with sesame praline and candied orange.

The menu is rooted in Moroccan culinary traditions while remaining playful, contemporary and entirely at home in Soho. Nothing felt predictable, and every dish gave us another reason to linger, order another cocktail and take in those views. This was not Moroccan cuisine reduced to a theme; it felt like a genuine celebration of the flavours and spirit of Marrakech, reimagined for London.

The Collaboration Doesn’t Stop at Food

The El Fenn residency was never going to stop at the food. The collaboration, which was the brainchild of Broadwick Soho Creative Director Andrea Gelardin, whose career has moved fluidly between fashion, music, art and film, has become a celebration of Moroccan creativity in its many forms. From art and design to music and conversation, Flute has spent the summer becoming a meeting point between London and Marrakech.

As the summer draws to a close, the cultural programme continues. The music will continue to provide its own soundtrack to the final weeks of summer, with Flute bringing together DJs and creatives whose sounds draw from Morocco, North Africa and the wider SWANA region.

Alongside the music, Liberty's Marrakech Edit offers another expression of the country's design heritage, bringing vibrant colour, eclectic patterns and intricate textures into the spotlight.

And while the inaugural Mahrajan Festival on 1 August has already brought contemporary Arab music to London, the energy of the residency continues through the rest of the month, with the boutique at Broadwick Soho also offering a limited edit of El Fenn pieces and Moroccan artisan-made objects until 31 August.

What makes the union so memorable is that it never asks London to forget that it's London. Instead, it brings a little of Marrakech's colour, creativity, music and spirit into Soho and allows the two cultures to meet somewhere in between. By the time summer comes to an end, Flute will have given us far more than a summer rooftop; it will have given us a reason to look at Marrakech, Morocco and even our own city a little differently.

For more information, visit HERE

Flute at Broadwick Soho

20 Broadwick Street

London W1F 8HT

Imagery courtesy of Broadwick Soho

Words by Jheanelle Feanny