We’re feeling all those winter vibes this weekend, and yes, we’ve got some Christmas pop playing in the office. The city is as festive as it can get, with Royal Albert Hall’s sold-out Home Alone in concert this weekend (lucky you, if you got tickets) and plenty of winter terraces opening their doors with heated blankets and dreamy fondue. Here are some great ideas if you’re looking for things to do this weekend:

Visit this cosy winter terrace

Tucked just off Regent Street on the charming Swallow Street, Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill’s winter terrace is a chic escape from the Central London crowds. It is the ultimate spot to while away an afternoon as you take a break from shopping. Warm up with their delicious spiced crab and mussel broth, indulge in champagne with some of the city’s finest oysters or go all in on the show-stopping royal shellfish platter.

where: 11-15 Swallow St, Piccadilly, London W1B 4DG
website: www.bentleys.org

Watch Home Alone at the Royal Albert Hall

This has to be one of London’s most iconic things to do over the festive season. You can watch everyone’s favourite Christmas film, Home Alone, with the score performed live by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and the Crouch End Festival Chorus. There are just a handful of tickets left for select days, or you can try your hand at resale tickets for this one.

where: South Kensington, London SW7 2AP
website: www.royalalberthall.com

You can watch everyone’s favourite Christmas film, Home Alone, with the score performed live.

Book this foodie pop-up

This December, Sanderson welcomes the Dan Merriman Supper Club, an exclusive two-night culinary experience taking place on Thursday, 4th and Friday, 5th December. Expect a creative, ingredient-led menu and an intimate atmosphere that brings together food lovers for an unforgettable evening in the heart of London.

where: 50 Berners St, London W1T 3NG
website: www.morgansoriginals.com/sanderson

Go ice skating at Battersea Park

Head over to Glide at Battersea Power Station to go ice skating, and while you’re there, try the delicious signature drinks from Lavazza, the official coffee sponsor this season. After a few laps on the ice, nothing hits the spot like the indulgent praline cappuccino (topped with honeycomb pieces and cinnamon) or the rich chocomel mocha, Lavazza’s collab drink made with orange syrup, espresso, and creamy Chocomel.

Head over to Glide at Battersea Power Station to go ice skating, and while you’re there, try the delicious signature drinks from Lavazza.

You can find Lavazza serving up their coffees in The Glass House and Grab & Go areas till 4th January.

where: Nine Elms, London SW11 8EF
website: www.batterseapowerstation.co.uk

Go Christmas shopping on this festive street

It’s never a good idea to leave gift shopping for Christmas Eve, so if you’re looking for a special gift for someone fabulous, head to Mount Street Neighbourhood and explore some of the luxe shops here – we’re talking London’s favourite handbags from Goyard, relaxed cashmere jumpers from The Row, elegant designer wear from Balmain and lots more.

where: Mount Street neighbourhood, London, W1
website: www.mountstreetneighbourhood.com

Warm up in Fitzrovia Quarter

f you’re in the mood for something low-key but culturally rich this weekend, head to Fitzrovia Quarter for a dose of art that feels genuinely fresh. Ab-Anbar Gallery has just opened two new exhibitions from 4 December — Fadia Haddad’s The Symphony of the Birds and Seyed Amin Bagheri’s Hyle / Dark Light — both running throughout the season. It’s the perfect little stop-in between coffee runs and Christmas shopping: contemporary, thoughtful, and tucked just far enough from Oxford Street’s chaos to feel like a breather.

Make an afternoon of it, strolling and browsing and treat yourself to something festive nearby once you’ve had your fill of art.

Website: www.fitzroviaquarter.co.uk

Celebrate World Raki Week

If you’re in Central London this weekend, stop by the House of Yeni Rakı in Covent Garden. It’s the final stretch of World Rakı Week, and the line-up is brilliant. On Friday, the space hosts DJ-led Meyhane Nights alongside their “Be the DJ, sip the cocktails” hours from 3–6 pm. On Saturday, there are cocktail hours through the afternoon, plus hands-on Rakı Cocktail Workshops run by top London mixologists. Sunday’s “Last Sip” event brings live music from Zeynep Önkaya for a proper finale to the festivities.

Where: 4 Mercer Walk, London, WC2H 9FA, UK
Website: www.yeniraki.com

Try this new £25 lunch menu

For feel-good lunches, head to Bar Jackie at Broadwick Soho for their new £25 lunch menu. Jackie’s lunch includes a starter, any main and a drink – all for £25 and is available every day from 12 noon till 4pm at Bar Jackie. From indulgent pizzas baked in a traditional oven to perfectly flavoured pastas and lasagne, there’s lots to love.

where: 20 Broadwick St, London W1F 8HT
website: www.broadwicksoho.com

For feel-good lunches, head to Bar Jackie at Broadwick Soho for their new £25 lunch menu.

Café Ciel x Monkey 47 Gingerbread Pop-Up

If you’re anywhere near Whitehall this weekend, make sure you swing by The OWO courtyard for Café Ciel’s brand-new Monkey 47 Wunderbar Gingerbread Pop-Up, launching Wednesday 3 December and running throughout the festive season. Think warming gingerbread-spiced cocktails, twinkly lights, and that perfect “I need a winter drink immediately” energy.

Where: The OWO, 7 Horse Guards Ave, London SW1A 2EU
Website: www.cafeciel.co.uk

Watch this hilarious play

Following a run at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe, Awkward Prods are performing a festive romcom parody called The Fit Prince. Described as a “5-star outrageously queer rom-com”, they were sold out in Edinburgh, and it looks like a fun, festive thing to do this weekend.

Where: 116p Upper St, N1 1QP
website: www.kingsheadtheatre.com

Treat yourself to fondue

This winter, Theo’s on the Terrace at the InterContinental Park Lane is the perfect alpine escape in the heart of Mayfair. There’s nothing quite like cosying up in a winter terrace, with a warming feast featuring delicious fondue. Chef Patron Theo Randall will serve alfresco Italian dishes, designed to share and enjoy.

where: InterContinental London Park Lane by IHG
website: www.parklane.intercontinental.com

Explore this beauty experience

On the 5th and 6th of December, BYOMA will transform their space into a festive celebration, bringing to life its clinically proven, dermatologist-approved formulas through interactive zones that any beauty lover will appreciate. At this immersive pop-up, you can don your exclusive BYOMA lab coat and explore their full product range, discover the actives behind the brand’s bestsellers, and experience firsthand their viral formulations.

At this immersive pop-up, you can don your exclusive BYOMA lab coat and explore their full product range.

Plus, get yourself hot chocolate at the BYOMA Breakroom and capture holiday portraits in the Memory Lab. Tickets are priced at £5.00, with the ticket cost redeemable in Boots stores on BYOMA products over £5.

Where: The Truman Brewery, 15 Hanbury Street, London E1 6QR
website: www.eventbrite.co.uK

Enjoy a festive afternoon tea

Celebrate the magic of Christmas at The Orchard Room at Conrad London St James, with a limited-edition festive-inspired menu. Highlights include coronation turkey and Christmas ham, brie and cranberry finger sandwiches, cranberry scones and a selection of winter sweet treats such as the white chocolate Santa’s hat with spiced chocolate crémeux and tonka bean mousse, Pavlova Christmas Tree with pistachio financier and cherry compote, and reindeer Mont Blanc with chestnut cream and blackcurrant jam.

where: 22-28 Broadway, London, SW1H 0BH
website: www.theorchardroom.com

Take the kids to this riverside party

For the first time ever, Big Fish Little Fish is bringing its award-winning, Glastonbury-famous party to London’s riverside. Expect state-of-the-art sound, lights and festive magic, with classic club anthems by acclaimed DJs Baker & Beale, plus a multi-sensory dancefloor with glitter cannons, bubbles, balloons and a snow-filled finale. Designed for children to enjoy too, there will be craft tables, playdough and face painting.

Where: Fulham Pier, London SW6 6HH
website: www.fulhampier.com

Designed for children to enjoy too, there will be craft tables, playdough and face painting.

Visit an exciting London opening

This new December opening is worth checking out this month. Acclaimed Chef Clare Smyth is opening her new luxury bistro, Corenucopia, this week. The bistro will offer a contemporary take on British cuisine and will celebrate the best of British food culture, reimagining classics with a modern lens. Look forward to signature dishes like fish and chips – Dover sole fillets with lobster mousse and Toad in the Hole, featuring Cumberland sausage, black pudding, smoked bacon lardons, and a rich charcuterie sauce. Plus, there is set to be an exceptional wine programme.

where: 18–22 Holbein Place, London,
website: www.corenucopia.com

Take your friends to this immersive cocktail bar

If you’re craving a night out that’s anything but ordinary – we’re talking dark magic, smoking mystical cocktails, Insta-worthy costumes, and pure wizarding fun – then Hexmoor Wizarding Prison is a great spot. Behind the secret East London spot, imposing iron gates await the realm of Hexmoor – the capital’s first wizarding prison cocktail bar. Inside, you’ll find a truly unique experience that is part theatre, part drinking den, and part dark wizarding adventure.

where: Unit 11, 127 Hackney Rd, London E2 8GY
website: www.hexmoor.co.uk

Culture, Weekend Guide

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