38 of the best things to do in London this weekend (November 23-24)

To observe the caller look Metro, we’ve truly pushed the vessel retired (or should we accidental pirate ship?) with this week’s edition.

Start with a tasty sando luncheon successful Notting Hill, graze connected sexy tiny plates astatine Chelsea’s hottest caller opening, and extremity your nighttime astatine 1 of the quirkiest caller bars successful town. 

If civilization is what you’re after, you tin acquisition the 80s successful photos astatine Tate Britain’s caller exhibition, oregon indulge successful a multi-sensory lawsuit by Wicked and Butterkist.

Plus, find retired however you tin get inexpensive theatre tickets astatine immoderate of the UK’s champion productions, including Stranger Things: The First Shadow.

Read connected for a full scope of recommendations for November 23 and 24, handpicked arsenic ever by The Slice.

Don’t miss

1. Drink cocktails successful a fantastic pirate bar

By Sophie Laughton

A pirate ship-themed barroom circular the backmost of Regent Street should be profoundly naff. Except with Gabriele de-Vere, the manufacture seasoned down openings similar Sketch and Mr Foggs, astatine the helm, it’s a enactment of axenic genius – with immoderate earnestly delicious rum cocktails to boot.

Rhum Tavern is Gabriele’s passionateness project, and you tin tell: each item has been meticulously planned, perfected and executed to a level that would marque the acceptable decorator of Pirates of the Caribbean blush. Dead Men Tell No Tales’, a macabre mentation of a Porn Star Martini, is served successful a startlingly realistic skull (I judge determination was a 3D printer involved).

Meanwhile inspired lighting – which filters done woody grates overhead –  gives the nonstop feeling of being hunkered beneath platform successful a 16th period galleon. Except alternatively of miserable sailors rations, you’re quaffing the crispest daiquiris portion eyeing up the 400-bottle beardown rum list, and feasting connected cubes of Robata-grilled brackish beef (apparently this was each the rage connected the precocious seas successful the 1700s). Maybe it’s the pirate beingness for maine aft all…

Cocktails from £10. 48 Margaret St, Marylebone. Book here.

2. Eat sexy Greek tiny plates astatine Bottarga

By Lola Christina Alao

Greek tiny plates couldn’t get immoderate sexier astatine caller spot Bottarga, Zephyr’s ‘younger and much casual’ sibling. Peel backmost the curtain and locomotion consecutive into sultry dim lighting, with paintings connected the partition you’d spot astatine an creation pop-up successful Shoreditch, and elegant stainless alloy serving plates connected the tables. Bottarga is the newest ‘it girl’ and she knows it.

And the food? Our all-round-good-vibes waiter, Luis, tells america bookings are afloat up until January – that says it all. The spicy feta and reddish capsicum and tzatziki dips are must-tries: showstopping capable to devour by the spoon, but adjacent amended piled connected a hunk of their soft, pillowy flatbread.

Still hungry? Order the Caesar crockery – which comes hiding coquetteishly nether a mound of food – and melt-off-the bony tender lamb chops. This is the benignant of spot you’ll imagination about.

Mezze from £3.50. 383 King’s Rd, Chelsea. Book here.

3. Get astonishing deals astatine London Theatre Direct’s Black Friday theatre event

Ahead of Black Friday, London Theatre Direct and Trafalgar Tickets are offering tonnes of deals connected implicit 200 musicals, plays, and different shows crossed 60+ venues nationwide. See blockbuster productions like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and the thrilling communicative of Stranger Things: The First Shadow, and even The Spice Girls Experience. And you tin get immoderate large seats and a large presumption too, with Premium and Band A tickets available. The cleanable accidental to acquisition a memorable nighttime of theatre oregon acquisition it to a loved 1 this Christmas.

Find retired much here. 

4. Drink astatine eccentric vino barroom Quill

By Sophie Laughton

Borough Market is easy 1 of my favourite places successful London, and I don’t spell determination astir often enough. That mightiness alteration present Quill has opened its doors, arsenic this eccentric small vino bar, implicit with melodramatic chandeliers and spiral staircase, makes for the cleanable after-work haunt. 

The latest feather successful the headdress of whimsically-named Fables & Company, Quill is the literate small sibling of Covent Garden’s quirky Plume and Brixton’s pocket-sized Finch. Its precise generous by-the-glass vino list, adjacent much generous barroom snacks and unorthodox cocktails (try the punchy, jet-black Inkwell) are capable to get the originative juices flowing. But if you’re not truthful poetically-inclined, Southbank’s poet-for-hire Luke Erasmus is connected manus to bash retired a personalised ditty connected his typewriter, conscionable for you.

But erstwhile it’s this cold, you’re astir apt astir funny successful vino that’s been mulled. Quill does that precise good too, acknowledgment to the inclusion of a astonishment constituent that I was sadly sworn to secrecy on. Get your capable of the blistery worldly connected their festive barroom trail, arsenic you apical up your Mulled Wine Tavern tankard connected a merry jaunt from Plume successful Covent Garden to Borough Market (or vice versa) with a pitstop astatine The Mulled Wine Tavern in Southbank Centre Food Market.

Wine by the solid from £8, sharing snacks from £7. Mulled Wine Trail Tankard £30. 1 Bank End, Borough Market. Book here.

5. Experience opulence astatine Savoy Grill

By Rob Buckhaven

Winston Churchill, Oscar Wilde, HM Queen Elizabeth. I’m not conscionable naming English humanities names for the involvement of it, these are immoderate of the guests of The Savoy Grill. Now, my name, and yours tin beryllium added to that glitzy database due to the fact that The Savoy Grill is moving a festive paper from present until 3 January.

Yes, we tin each get a portion of Gordon Ramsay astatine the apical of his crippled (food pun), from starters including braised rabbit croquette, to the decadently unctuous seabream successful béarnaise condiment main (which sticks to your ribs, successful a bully way), and of people their signature Beef Wellington – a tranche of melt-in-bouche beef fillet encased successful a ace tasty duxelles and flaky, buttery aureate pastry.

Don’t panic though, the Swarovski crystal chandelier and Winston’s favourite timepiece are inactive successful situ aft the renovation. And the edifice director, Thierry Tomasin, mightiness conscionable beryllium the astir passionate and charming antheral successful London.   

2 courses for £59, 3 courses for £65. Available Monday – Friday 12pm to 5:45pm. The Savoy, The Strand. Book here.

6. Experience the 80s successful photos

A caller 80s-tastic accumulation has landed astatine Tate Britain looking astatine everything from documentary images of anti-racist protests successful eastbound London to an exploration of the aggressive, competitory quality of bureau life. The 80s: Photographing Britain runs astatine Tate Britain from 21 November 2024-5 May 2025. Book here. 

7. Win a escaped meal up to £1000 astatine Dishoom

Jingle bells are (almost) ringing, and this festive season, Dishoom is giving diners are accidental to person their Christmas made… From 18 November to 8 December, if you’re a radical of 4 oregon more, you tin rotation a dice for a escaped repast up to £1000 (there’s nary catch, we promise). If you’re fortunate capable to rotation a six, the full repast is connected the house. 

8. Support Black-owned businesses astatine Black Culture Market

Look guardant to a unrecorded DJ, nutrient afloat of flavour, and unique, handcrafted gifts from section Black-owned businesses astatine the Black Culture Market successful Shepherd’s Bush. More info here. 

9. Try a multi-sensory acquisition afloat of popcorn

Butterkist and Wicked are bringing the enchantment of Emerald City to Soho with the Butterkist Popcorn Emporium. Experience a multi-sensory lawsuit afloat of popcorn performers and spellbinding flavours. 21 November, 10am-6pm. 22 November, 10am-2pm. 15 Bateman Street, Soho. 

10. Get into the festive temper astatine Chelsea’s Psychic Garden

With good nutrient and speciality drinks, positive beauteous homeware, covering and accessories, Chelsea’s Psychic Garden Christmas Fair is acceptable to beryllium a existent dainty of time out.  21-24 November. Standard tickets, £8 (free introduction for members). Children nether 16 spell free. Find retired more here. 

11. Help tackle homelessness by eating astatine 1 of 600+ restaurants

4,118. That’s the fig of radical recorded arsenic unsmooth sleepers successful London betwixt January and March 2024.

But by donating £1 erstwhile you devour astatine 1 of the 600+ restaurants (including Lina Stores and Quaglino’s) taking portion successful StreetSmart’s strategy to tackle homelessness, you’d beryllium making a immense difference. 

Best places to eat

12. Get served a beauteous enactment of sushi astatine Sticks’n’Sushi’s caller openings

By Lola Christina Alao

Sticks’n’Sushi’s acceptable menus instrumentality retired fractional the accent of making those each important decisions (deciding what to order). Their recently launched Set For Success acceptable paper is simply a deliciously satisfying sharer that received plentifulness of wide-eyed looks from the diners adjacent to america each clip a caller sheet landed astatine our array (I’d astir apt person the aforesaid reaction). But the flavours delivered too, the often uninteresting broccoli is transformed into a nutty, subtly saccharine broadside sprinkled with sesame seeds and sat successful a soy-based sauce. Each wound of the tender beef tataki brought with it a amusive popular from the artichoke crisp topping. Dessert was different standout, a astute reinvention of a crème brûlée topped with a steadfast helping of achromatic sesame crumble. Afterwards, enactment for different portion astatine the bar, oregon simply instrumentality successful the minimalist, blase consciousness astatine Sticks’n’ Sushi’s caller Islington branch.

Set For Success acceptable menu, £95. Various locations. Book here. 

Sticks’n’Sushi besides opens successful Battersea this period connected 30 Nov, conscionable extracurricular the South Entrance of the Power Station. We tin expect an unfastened program eating room, room counter, lounge and barroom — and outdoor terrace cleanable for erstwhile summertime rolls astir again

13. Try immoderate Pan-Asian flavours astatine Straits Kitchen

By Anushka Suharu

Straits Kitchen astatine Pan Pacific edifice offers an adventurous eating acquisition successful an elegant, quaint setting. The 5-course Experience paper features dishes that wed Southeast Asian flavours with British ingredients: Scottish smoked salmon, beautifully balanced with saccharine miso; chickenhearted satay skewers with a affluent peanut sauce; and oh-so-delicate prawn and chive dumplings. The standout, Akashi-Tai Shiraume Umeshu Sake, was the cleanable finisher, on with the Gula Melaka Crème Brûlée, a blend of French method and Southeast Asian sweetness. You’re definite to beryllium near craving more.

Experience menu, £65pp (£100pp with vino pairing). Pan Pacific London, Bishopsgate. Book here.

14. Leave the pugnacious ordering decisions to Brother Marcus…

By Sophie Laughton

I hatred making decisions. So I was intruiged to sojourn Brother Marcus’ beautifully appointed Covent Garden tract (they’ve nabbed the champion spot successful Slingsby Place) to effort Marcus’ Choice, a £42pp sharing feast that’s wholly chosen for you by the chef. A glimpse astatine their precise tasty-looking paper mightiness spark interest – however volition they cognize that I bash successful information privation the pan-fried halloumi?

Don’t worry, arsenic determination is either a spot of telepathy going connected successful the kitchen, oregon they cognize their bestsellers precise well. That, and your server volition inquire for your preferences. After that, beryllium backmost and salivate arsenic your array fills with endless plates of crowd-pleasing mezze, from deep-fried ribbons of skewered aubergine to harissa roasted chicken, each liberally doused successful labneh, dukkah and sticky grape molasses.

It’s a harmless haven for the indecisive, and a invited reply to the age-old dilemma of what to person for dinner. Just fto Marcus decide!

£42pp. Various locations. Book here.

15. Go connected a culinary travel crossed confederate Italy astatine Fumo

By Jeremy Ullmann

Snugly positioned connected the historical St Martin’s Lane, San Carlo’s Fumo is elegant done and through. With tables of achromatic marble and walls of pick and gold, Fumo feels similar it should beryllium exclusively for Milan’s astir fashionable. But alternatively (thankfully), it is an affordable culinary travel crossed confederate Italy.

Though the nutrient lacked ‘cooked by nonna’ quality, standouts were the arancini bursting with beef ragu and the fantabulous fregola with bottarga (dried mullet roe) – which had that unsocial Sardinian fishiness London has often fails to nail. And each this for prices that don’t outgo the earth? Fantastico!

Mains from £10.50. 37 St Martin’s Ln, Covent Garden. Book here.

16. Eat astatine Battersea’s newest curry location Tamila

By Kitty Chrisp

Run by ex-roti King cook Prince Durairaj and Glen Leeson, Tamila is Battersea’s newest, and arguably best, curry house. Sister to Islington’s celebrated The Tamil Prince, this dimly-lit spice eden is cleanable for a day night. The buttery paneer puts adjacent modern curry king Dishoom to shame, portion the tandoori chickenhearted is simply a seasoning sensation.

Don’t expect a immense vessel of agleam pinkish British curry connected a furniture of mushy rice, but alternatively sumptuous tiny plates to stock that battalion a tasty punch, putting a invited twist connected Indian dining. You indispensable – I repeat, indispensable – effort the Gunpowder Margarita, too. It’s the champion I’ve ever had (and I’ve had many).

Expect affable unit  – convey you Josephine – and bully vibes only. Plates from £10 each, with a fewer recommended per person. It’s not ace cheap, but damn, it’s tasty.

39 Northcote Road, Clapham Junction. Book here.

17. Go for a Michelin-starred West African luncheon astatine Chishuru

By Lola Christina Alao

Chishuru goes large with the archetypal crockery connected their luncheon acceptable paper – Sinasir, a fermented atom cake. It’s a deconstructed mentation of the well-loved jollof rice, topped with deliciously saccharine cherry tomatoes, clementine & chilli dressing, and bronze fennel fronds. I rapidly instrumentality a 2nd wound successful shock, arsenic if the sheet of nutrient would tally distant from me. It’s hard to judge the celebrated crockery (that has go a spot of a West African celebrity) could beryllium topped, but I deliberation Chishuru just might person done it. 

The adjacent standout? Yassa, moreishly tender charcoal-grilled guinea fowl breast, accompanied by a beauteous citrus sauce. Each crockery connected the paper has a antithetic texture, which makes for a consistently breathtaking journey. Pair yours with the Suya & Smoke cocktail, which blends pleasant bitterness from humor orangish syrup with smoky Mezcal, finished with a nutty suya spice rim. 

The decor is elegant and pastel themed. Abstract ornaments formal the shelves and the lighting is soft. It feels noticeably homely – guests are told to ‘come arsenic they are’, arsenic there’s nary formal codification here. Chishuru is intelligibly not acrophobic to marque wide what benignant of edifice it is (its ain website states that contempt its accolade, it’s not fine dining). This made what was my archetypal Michelin-starred repast consciousness peculiar yet inviting, a feeling sometimes missing from high-end restaurants successful Fitzrovia and the surrounding areas.

Adejoké Bakare is the cook down the restaurant, and is the archetypal Black pistillate successful Britain to person a Michelin star. A immense (and well-deserved) accomplishment and hopefully an illustration of galore much to come.  

Lunch acceptable menu, £45pp. 3 Great Titchfield St, Fitzrovia. Book here.

18. Transport yourself to Barcelona astatine The Campaner

By Jeremy Ullmann

The Campaner’s eating hallway is deceptively huge, with elephantine paradise plants that agelong good supra quality height, portion tremendous Basque cheesecakes beryllium patiently connected the solid counter. It’s an awesome abstraction that feels ill-suited to Catalan nutrient – which is known to beryllium wholesome but not precisely chic. The Campaner surely is wholesome, with an astonishingly well-priced £35 luncheon menu, but what caught maine by astonishment was conscionable however tasty they person made adjacent the simplest of accepted dishes.

Grilled asparagus is made affluent and luxurious by nutty, tomato-based romesco sauce, portion the papada iberico (translucent slices of pork chopped from the fatty portion of a pig’s neck) adds a smokey magnitude to an already fantastic dish.

A generously-sized sheet of Iberian pork atom with bravas condiment is the showstopper, finished disconnected with a char-grilled apical that is arsenic awesome to look astatine arsenic it is tasty. Chelsea seldom does nutrient this bully astatine this price. I’m not adjacent convinced it tastes this bully successful Barcelona.

Fixed luncheon paper from £35. Chelsea Barracks, 1 Garrison Sq. Book here.

19. Feast connected decadent Turkish nutrient astatine Leydi

By Lola Christina Alao

This all-day Turkish edifice successful Hyde London City edifice mightiness beryllium modern, but you won’t find teeny tiny plates here. Instead, expect beauteous dishes with analyzable flavours that volition permission you blessed and satisfied. Even the humble crisp gets a glow up, generously coated successful sumac and baharat spices with an accompanying yoghurt dip. 

The dolma (vine leaves stuffed with herb rice) are packed with flavour while the seasonal herb crockery is deliciously fresh. And the kunefe dessert, a syrupy food pastry which my person tells maine is simply a meal favourite successful her dad’s location state of Lebanon, is saccharine and decadent in the best way. For delicious Turkish nutrient and an arsenic beauteous atmosphere, it’s worthy paying Leydi a visit.

Meze from £6. Hyde London, 15 Old Bailey, Holborn. Book here.

20. Sample the maeun saeu astatine Miga

By Martina Andretta

When was the past clip you ordered a crockery astatine a restaurant… Twice? And not due to the fact that you and your day wanted the aforesaid starter – but due to the fact that you just had to person more. That’s precisely what happened during my sojourn to Miga, successful Hackney, erstwhile I tried their succulent japchae (glass noodles), and earnestly considered a 3rd serving.

This family-run Korean edifice is understated and earnest (you’ll emotion it if unfastened kitchens are your thing), and lets the nutrient and work bash the talking. The temper is welcoming and casual (‘You were present past period earlier your travel to Korea, weren’t you? How was it?’). I wholeheartedly urge the maeun saeu (king prawns with gochujang sauce), but retrieve to bring your ain booze if you’re going each out. If it’s not astatine the apical of your database of caller places to try, it should be. And bully luck getting a spot.

£35-50pp. 1 Mare St, Hackney. Book here.

21. Learn astir Burmese nutrient astatine Lahpet Larder

By Sophie Laughton

The country astir Bermondsey Street was erstwhile called the ‘larder of London’, which makes consciousness for humanities reasons (there were a batch of nutrient warehouses here) and for modern ones (it’s location to a coagulated fractional mile of top-notch restaurants). One of the newest arrivals is Lahpet Larder, the 3rd opening of Burmese chain, and it fits close in. Although inactive uncovering its feet, it’s cosy and unfussy, with shelves astatine the beforehand selling authentic house-made and Myanmar imports for you to bask astatine home.

Steaming bowls of braised aubergine and intense, warming King Prawn Curry are brought to your array arsenic they’re ready, but hold for a broadside of fresh, tangy ginger oregon lahpet (tea leaf) crockery earlier you tuck successful – you’ll request it to liven up each the sweet, sticky spice. It’s worthy a sojourn arsenic a coagulated intro to Burmese nutrient – and for the frankly addictive vessel of beverage beverage foam that comes with the sugar-dusted paratha dessert. They should merchantability that astatine the door, seriously.

Large plates from £10. 39-45 Bermondsey St. Book here.

22. Tuck successful astatine celeb-owned Trejo’s Tacos

By Courtney Pochin

Can you representation Danny Trejo? You know, everyone’s favourite movie mercenary… No? Well, don’t worry, you’ll ne'er hide his look aft a sojourn to Trejo’s Tacos successful Notting Hill, due to the fact that a elephantine mural of the histrion is plastered on the partition (and if you’re lucky, you mightiness adjacent drawback a glimpse of the prima successful existent life).

His restaurant, which besides has a tract successful LA, has a tasty menu, immoderate absorbing decor choices, and precise affable staff. Start with chips and cheesy legume dip, past travel up with classical carnitas oregon (the astir popular) brew battered cod tacos. Don’t hide to bid the churros for dessert (the Mexican cocoa dipping condiment is worthy each the calories).

For an authentic drinks pairing, opt for a solid of the location horchata, a saccharine atom beverage made with almond milk. This won’t beryllium the cheapest repast of your life, but it’ll beryllium bully amusive and you mightiness adjacent spot idiosyncratic famous.

£6-7 per taco. 299-301, Portobello Rd, Notting Hill. Book here.

23. David Bowie fan? Hit up The Thin White Duke

By Juliet Walsh

Sprinkling a small (Ziggy) Stardust implicit Soho is The Thin White Duke, a David Bowie-themed barroom known for its originative cocktails and tasty dim sum. If you’re looking for thing saccharine and floral, ‘China Girl’ is the 1 to springiness you that ‘Soul Love’. The Shanghai Pan Fried Chicken Dumpling and prawn toast were the standouts, I was truly impressed by however overmuch filling was packed successful the Pan Fried Dumplings which were bursting with flavour and had the cleanable magnitude of crisp.

The prawn toast is refined, flavorful mentation — not your emblematic chippy offering, but an elevated crockery with perfectly balanced seasonings. And if that doesn’t each dependable chill enough, it besides houses a hidden gem — a speakeasy signaling studio! With its blend of large nutrient and world-class studios, The Thin White Duke’s homage to euphony history, is keeping the bosom of London’s stone country beating.

Dim sum from £3.50. 22b Great Windmill Street, Soho. Book here.

Where to spell for a drink

24. Rooftop views astatine Kitty Hawk

By Sophie Laughton

The latest fledgling from the radical down bird-themed rooftops Aviary and Wagtail, Kitty Hawk, has recovered a caller perch connected apical of chic boutique edifice Page8, with an unrivalled presumption of Trafalgar Square. Foodwise, it’s an all-day affair, starting from Bottomless Brunch (although you could besides drawback a precise beauteous cruffin from Page Common connected the crushed floor) done to a tidy acceptable luncheon paper and an A La Carte with a beardown enactment from the grill. But the existent gully is the extortion terrace. Sitting retired present with 1 of their precise beardown signature cocktails – excavation was the smoky, popcorn-topped Balsam – surrounded by the likes of Nelson’s Column, St Martin-in-the-Fields’ iconic spire and the London Coliseum’s glittering globe, indispensable beryllium a beardown contender for the eventual day night. 

Plus, don’t miss Kitty Hawk’s ‘Shuck & Slurp’ woody this month: from Monday to Thursday, 4-6pm, bask an iced platter of 5 freshly shucked oysters and a ample solid of location vino for conscionable £10 per person. Oysters astatine sunset? You mightiness conscionable extremity up booking a country downstairs…

Mains from £18. 8 St Martin’s Pl, West End. Book here.

25. May Fair Bar

By Rob Buckhaven

If you’re feeling bougie but don’t fancy fiddly good dining, caput to the recently reopened May Fair Bar. When I accidental newly, I mean their doors lone opened from a afloat refurbishment connected Thursday past week and I was 1 of the archetypal in. Design-wise, it’s each earthy mushroom tones and creamy neutrals, with creaseless chromatic surfaces and comfortableness astatine its core.

Speaking of mushroom and cream, the nutrient and portion offering is divided into ‘by day’ and ‘by night’, and wrong that into ‘brunch’, ‘lunch’ and ‘night bites’. Brunch is connected until 3pm, with nutrient and portion options pursuing a theme, called ‘The Travel Edition’, delivering dishes from a Malabar King Prawn Curry to a stunningly buttery Rigatoni al Funghi. If you’re determination ‘by night’, aka from 4pm, it’s abruptly a sexy cocktail bar, serving innovative cocktails similar ‘The Olive’, a adust Martini made with mastiha successful lieu of vermouth and an exploding molecular olive.

Chase with immoderate nighttime nibbles, specified arsenic their insane lobster brioche oregon flavour-packed Iranian keema doughnuts with minced lamb and crispy masala potatoes. It’s 1 of those places you’ll spell to for brunch, enactment for luncheon and permission astatine sundown… oregon later.

The May Fair Bar, The May Fair Hotel, Stratton St (enter via Berkeley Street). Book here.

26. Raise a solid astatine Good Measure, beneath Tooting’s Daddy Bao

By Lola Christina Alao

New basement barroom Good Measure is hidden successful the basement of Tooting’s neighbourhood edifice Daddy Bao. It’s each precise intimate — you’re seated astir 1 large rectangular array successful the centre of the small, softly-lit space.

Expect a enactment of drinks that usage ingredients and flavours inspired by Taiwan’s vibrant culinary country (our fave is the plum greenish delicately made with sake, whisky and greenish tea). And the barroom snacks? They’re not conscionable your emblematic fare, we’re talking succulent beef tataki, tuna tartare connected nori atom crackers, and spicy furikake crisps. The aged skool hep hop and debased fi playlist are a large summation too. Experience Good Measure connected Friday and Saturday nights.

Bar snacks from £3. Cocktails from £11. Downstairs astatine Daddy Bao. 113 Mitcham Road. Tooting. Walk-in only.

What’s on

27. Watch emotive theatre amusement Hadestown

By Jeremy Ullmann

Telling the Greek story of Orpheus and Eurydice done American people and New Orleans jazz is simply a hellhole of a premise — and fortunately, Hadestown delivers the thought faultlessly. The corporate scenes are truthful devilishly good, portion the euphony is some catchy and emotional. You’re expertly guided done the metaphorical storytelling by Hermes (Melanie La Barrie), and the theatre plan is truthful masterfully utilised that it becomes a quality successful itself – the gasps arsenic the signifier transitions from world to Hadestown’s underworld said it all.

The performances genuinely deliver. Trevor Dion Nicholas’s Hades manages the impossible, taking implicit from the sinister dependable of the archetypal Hades (Patrick Page) with a much charismatic version. Part Disney villain, portion Hannibal Lecter, helium grins menacingly 1 infinitesimal and past breaks your bosom done his emotion of Persephone the next. The dazzling Bella Brown, who plays Fate, brings a battling and passionate unit to Eurydice that holds its ain against Hades the deity himself. Hadestown is simply a spectacular, otherworldly achievement. A Word to the Wise: you haven’t seen thing similar this before. Hadestown is booking to 28 Sept 2025 astatine the Lyric Theatre. Tickets from £20. Book here. 

28. See vibrant creation astatine The ING Discerning Eye exhibition

The ING Discerning Eye (FREE) accumulation is backmost successful London this year, spotlighting 685 works by 398 artists. Visitors tin expect a vibrant premix of creation successful each media, subjects, and styles.

A cardinal portion of the British creation abstraction for 26 years, it’s acceptable to beryllium a beauteous solemnisation of modern art. 15-23 November. More info here.

29. Do immoderate sippin’ (with free-flowing alcohol) and paintin’

If you fancy sippin’ and paintin’ adjacent week (but with bottomless drinks and a nutrient hallway with plentifulness of cuisines to take from), support reading. At Canteen’s recently designed ambient terrace, you tin bash conscionable that for £50pp. Have amusive pottery coating each portion happily sipping the evening away. Book here.

30. Fly your ain starship astatine Bridge Command

By Martina Andretta

Vauxhall is hiding a genuinely out-of-this-world acquisition underneath its railway arches. Bridge Command, an extraterrestrial immersive show, takes spot successful a meticulously crafted starship. The acceptable unsocial makes the sojourn worthy it – hide astir VR headsets and stuffy rooms. As soon arsenic you measurement in, you volition beryllium handed a azygous and asked to take a role. Will you beryllium successful complaint of navigation? Or volition you look aft the engines?

From dodging asteroids to battling against abstraction pirates, each determination you and your unit marque volition signifier the result of your mission. Things volition spell wrong, but the actors volition beryllium astatine manus to assistance you. The acquisition lasts astir 2 hours, depending connected your choices. And beryllium cautious – they volition transportation implicit to aboriginal visits.

Whether you’re a die-hard sci-fi fan, a seasoned gamer, oregon simply looking for a unsocial nighttime out, Bridge Command is for you.

Bridge Command is astatine 63 Albert Embankment, London, Vauxhall, SE1 7TP. Tickets commencement astatine £40. Book here.

31. Feed your nostalgia astatine Stormzy’s House Party

Nothing beats a location party. Except possibly Stormzy’s House Party? Okay fine, helium won’t beryllium determination successful person, but the barroom is his latest task and it’s not your mean nighttime out. Open from 8pm til late, Thursday to Saturday.

Book here to unafraid your invitation. 

32. Check retired inspiring artworks by divers artists astatine Hope93

Founded by Aki Abiola, Hope93 is simply a marque caller assemblage successful Fitzrovia that showcases enactment by historically underrepresented endowment and seeks to marque good creation accessible to all.

Having opened conscionable successful clip for Black History Month, the ultra-cool abstraction features see unthinkable paintings by self-taught Tanzanian creator Sungi Mlengeya and Tunji Adenyi-Jones’s vibrant artwork that fuses Renaissance-inspired details with Yoruba folklore.

54 Eastcastle St, Fitzrovia. Free.

33. Learn astir the Black pioneers of British Ballet

The Pioneers of Black British Ballet exhibition spotlights the achievements of Black ballet dancers successful a abstraction wherever they had to combat for their visibility.

Celebrating trailblazers Vincent Hantam, Christian Holder, Brenda Garratt-Glassman and featuring untold stories, archive photography, film, paper articles and posters. 

34. Do conscionable astir everything (including larn however to twerk) astatine southbound London pub Prince of Peckham

Great things (and people) person travel retired of the southbound broadside of London: The Shard, Stormzy, Ian Wright. And Black owned pub Prince Of Peckham, which describes itself arsenic a pub by southbound London for southbound London. It’s go somewhat of a hub for.. well, conscionable astir everything.

You tin get nutrient and portion present by White Men Can’t Jerk, and you tin besides larn however to twerk astatine 1 of their twerk aft enactment classes. Or, articulation their monthly karaoke party.

35. Try your manus astatine Jury Duty and interrogate a defendant

By Martina Andretta

If you are the benignant of idiosyncratic who loves a bully mystery, Jury Duty is for you. Part immersive play, portion puzzle, during this interactive acquisition you volition go a juror connected a transgression case.

As portion of a group, you volition person 90 minutes to analyse each disposable grounds and interrogate the defendant, Harry Briggs, played by a terrific unrecorded histrion who volition beryllium disposable via video link. Fast-paced and afloat of twists, the lawsuit won’t beryllium arsenic elemental arsenic it archetypal seemed.

Jury Duty overdelivers – it’s brilliantly moderated by a typical of the ‘Ministry of Justice’ (who we drove to exhaustion to the constituent she had to ‘text her mum’. Sorry Imogen). It’s a large prime for a team-building event, an alternate nighttime retired with friends oregon a amusive date. After breaking the ice, you’ll find yourself grilling Mr Briggs arsenic if you did it for a living, and you’ll beryllium bittersweet you won’t beryllium capable to acquisition Jury Duty for the archetypal clip again. Unmissable.

Tickets commencement astatine £42.50. Theatre Deli, 107 Leadenhall St. Book here.

36. Enter the Bat Cave astatine Batman Unmasked

By Sophie Laughton

The Bat is back. At least, each his cloaks, gizmos and gadgets are. In honour of the caped crusader’s 85th birthday, a caller accumulation has landed successful London’s Covent Garden that volition delight Batfans from each generation. Beginning successful Wayne Manor, travel done a superb bid of themed rooms, each packed with a immense enactment of archetypal props, costumes and memorabilia from each the large movie adaptations.

Highlights see Uma Therman’s dazzling Poison Ivy costume, Heath Ledger’s legendary caregiver outfit and clown disguise arsenic the Joker, the Batmobile from 2022’s gritty The Batman (parked fittingly successful a fume filled garage), and a tiny cowl from The LEGO Batman Movie.

Not a movie buff? Get the afloat Gotham acquisition walking done eerie immersive rooms oregon deed up the interactive gaming country to contention a Scalextric Batmobile oregon rescue your pals from a burning building. But you champion beryllium speedy – the Batman won’t beryllium staying for long…

Tickets £21. Until 30 December. 45 Wellington St, Covent Garden. Book here.

37. Watch a theatre amusement each astir being azygous with Why Am I So Single? astatine the Garrick Theatre

By Lola Christina Alao

Why Am I So Single is simply a silly, amusive exploration of a heartwarming relationship betwixt 2 (very single) champion friends. The amusement delves into the nuances of modern beingness done large songs, similar ‘Meet Market’ astir the mostly weird and not precise often fantastic satellite of tinder and hinge, wherever they poke amusive astatine each the generic prompts by men — similar ‘I similar bully java and bully company’ and “south London calved and bred’.

It makes its people assemblage precise wide with references that you’d lone recognize if you’re a zillennial (people calved 3 years earlier the extremity of the millennial procreation oregon 3 years into Gen Z) – ‘who adjacent uses Facebook anymore? It’s each astir vine!’. Through each the humour though, they springiness an incredibly susceptible show that explores themes of grief, trauma, people and belonging.

Tickets from £20. Until Thursday 13 February 2025, Garrick Theatre, Charing Cross Road. Book here. 

38. Try your luck astatine Hijingo Bingo

Forget what you thought astir bingo – aged ladies successful a colony hallway this is astir decidedly not. Shoreditch’s futuristic Hijingo Bingo is present connected Generation 2.0, which means adjacent much neon lights, pumping creation music, and faintly unnerving Squid Games energy.

The caller mentation is hosted by AVA, a smooth-voiced and somewhat threatening AI bot, with 2 faceless ‘Hijingobots’ arsenic her grooving assistants, who’ll usher you done 2 hours and six games of fast-paced bingo action. And if you win? Be brave and get up connected signifier – it’s clip to amusement disconnected your champion creation moves for a accidental to people thing from a robot vacuum to a holiday.

Don’t interest if you deliberation your fig crunching skills aren’t up to scratch (which they precise good whitethorn not beryllium aft a mates of ‘Blade-Rummer’ cocktails), each called numbers are shown connected the board, portion masked helpers volition treble cheque your paper to marque definite you’ve not missed thing (or that you’re not staying quiescent to debar going onstage). It’s precise fast, precise fun, and wholly bonkers. 

Tickets from £12 and nutrient and beverage packages from £29. Book here.

See you adjacent week!

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