The spirit of the French Riviera returns to Whitehall as Raffles London at The OWO celebrates its annual Citrus Festival.

Transporting guests to Menton’s legendary Fête du Citron, the home of chef Mauro Colagreco’s three-Michelin-starred Mirazur, this year’s celebration will take place across courtyard-styled atrium Saison and the Michelin-starred Mauro Colagreco at Raffles London at The OWO.

At Saison, a dedicated Citrus Festival menu will showcase the sweet, acidic flavours of the Menton lemon and other citrus fruits. Guests can opt for starters such as burrata with Sicilian raisins or Orkney scallops with Menton lemon. Main course highlights include lamb saddle stuffed with kumquat and saffron risotto with kaffir lime, followed by delicate desserts such as citrus glacé with lime, grapefruit and mandarin or the Buddha’s Hand tart with vanilla ganache and almond. To complement the meal, signature drinks will include homemade Mentoncello and a refreshing Sgroppino.

Sister restaurant Mauro Colagreco will also be marking the occasion with a seasonal tasting menu incorporating citrus fruits throughout each course. It begins with a light pomelo and kale millefeuille, followed by a refreshing blood orange and oyster appetiser. The third course will be a mandarin, scallop and radish creation, leading into the main fish course of combava, red mullet and pumpkin. The main meat course will feature a decadent cedro and Merrifield Farm duck pithivier. Dessert will be a two-part affair, starting with black lemon, fontainebleau and a ginger foam and concluding with a warm citrus baked Alaska.

The menu, as with every menu by Mauro Colagreco, will offer dishes that use ultra-fresh, local, seasonal and organically produced ingredients.

The history of this famous festival dates to 1875 when hoteliers in Menton created an annual carnival parade to enliven the city in winter. By 1928, Menton was the main producer of lemons on the European continent and a hotelier had crafted an exhibition of flowers and citrus fruits, taking the concept one stage further.

In celebration of this treasured lemon, every year during the weeks of February the town lives to the rhythm of the festival, with decorations adorning the streets and products sold using Menton lemons, known for their exceptional quality and quantity.