What To Do This Weekend: 28th-30th October
This weekend is in reaching distance, chances are you’re going to some sort of Halloween soiree (if you aren’t check out our guide at the end for more ideas) but this weekend isn’t just about all things creepy. It’s also about brunch, markets and getting a dose of culture by visiting a museum at night…
Pop Brixton
Raise the Roof
Pop Brixton’s makeover from all-day summer drinking spot to inviting winter destination is now complete. Friday night sees the return of the Raise the Roof launch party with live music acts taking to the stage and all the usual favourite vendors (Made of Dough we’re looking at you) serving up food. Return on Saturday and Pop will have been transformed into a star-studded cemetery for a Halloween party with the dress code ‘dead famous’. Face painting and celebrity face masks will be available to perfect your look, and there will be a prize for best dressed. Look out for Other Side Fried, Pop’s newest addition who will be serving a Big L burger and New Zealand Cellar, who will be running a 20% off Back to Black promotion of any black label bottle.
Friday and Saturday nights, tickets online
Where: 49 Brixton Station Road, Brixton, SW9 8PQ
Website: www.popbrixton.org
The Epicurean London
Fine Food and Wine Festival
The Epicurean is London’s artisan food and drink festival so you know you’re in store for good things; fine wine, craft beer and street food are three of our favourite things. The best bit here is that attendees get unlimited samples of the thousands of products on display – these guys think tasting is the most important part and of course if you like what you try you can buy a full sized version. When you need a break from tasting, join in with free masterclasses or sit back with a glass of wine and take it all in. Tickets for Friday night and Saturday day have sold out but there are still tickets available for Saturday evening, 6-10:30pm
All weekend
Where: The Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London, E1 6QR
Website: www.epicurean.online
Museums at Night
An Alternative Late Night
Take your late night away from the bar this Thursday as the UK-wide festival Museums at Night hits the capital. Brighton-based charity Culture24 is behind it, hoping to open our world-class museums and galleries to a new audience. Events are going on all weekend so if you’ve outgrown trick or treating and partying seems a bit much you can take part in pumpkin carving at the National Gallery, a late-night opening at Westminster Abbey and explore The Bank of England Museum out-of-hours. Our pick? A Sipsmith gin tasting at Fulham Palace.
All weekend, starts Thursday night
Where: Across London
Website: www.museumsatnight.org.uk
Jikoni
New International Brunch
Most restaurants wait for the initial hype to die down a little after they open their doors before raising hysteria once again with the announcement of a brunch menu. That is exactly what Jikoni are doing, and this weekend sees the launch of said new brunch menu. Award-winning food writer and cook, Ravinder Bhogal, opened her debut restaurant back in September and is putting an international twist on our favourite meal; the greasy fry up is replaced by sizzling parathas and the BLT sees exotic additions including apple kimchi, pickled cucumber and Sriracha mayonnaise. Spicy fishcakes come with poached eggs and curry hollandaise and the traditional Bloody Mary has been renamed Tamarind Mary.
Launches on Saturday 29th October
Where: 19-21 Blandford Street, Marylebone, W1U 3DH
Website: www.jikonilondon.com
RAW WINE
Wine Party
Not content with revolutionising the wine world, RAW Wine has now just gone international, and are holding a big party to celebrate. The evening, held at Elliot’s in Borough Market, will see the endless glasses of wines that RAW owe their success to – all organic and biodynamic – and snacks by Elliot’s including buttermilk fried quail, venison Sloppy Joe and wild oysters with hot sauce.
Saturday 29th October
Where: Elliot’s Cafe Borough Market, 12 Stoney Street, SE1 9AD
Website: www.rawwine.com
Sofitel London St James
Le Brunch
What do you get when you cross brunch with the French cuisine at The Balcon? Le Brunch of course. Launching this weekend at The Balcon, at Sofitel St James, the brunch will have that certain je ne sais quois we are all looking for with decadent dishes such as Trealy Farm Croque madame, raclette cheese and duck egg; poached lobster eggs benedict; and scrambled eggs with Hansen & Lydersen smoked salmon and truffle. If you fancy something sweet there’ll be pastries, viennoiseries and the likes of brioche French toast with mixed berry compote and lemon curd. Of course, they have a bottomless Champagne option too, come on this is a French inspired brunch in London – it would be wrong not to! Free flowing Champagne will accompany viennoiseries, pastries, a main course and a Bloody Mary. As we said it has that je ne sais quois.
Where: Sofitel London St James, Waterloo Place, London, United Kingdom
Website: www.sofitelstjames.com
Dalloway Terrace
Who You Gonna Call?
If there’s something strange in your neighbourhood…who you gonna call? Guarantee that is now going to be stuck in your head…Why Ghostbusters? Because it’s almost Halloween and Dalloway Terrace will be screening (or should we say screaming…) the 1984 film as part of their film club on Saturday. There’ll be a suitably creepy Halloween cocktail to accompany, Willy Chase’s Fit Corn and a Film Club menu which includes truffle fries and crispy salt and pepper squid. Ideal if you want to get involved but don’t want to dress up.
Saturday 29th October
Where: 16-22 Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3NN, United Kingdom
Website: www.whereisthenomad.com
Percy & Founders
The Smoking Guns
It’s Friday- you’ve logged out of your emails and you’ve walked (sprinted) out that door. Where to next? We say Percy & Founders, because for the next four Fridays they have DJ duo The Smoking Guns, who will be spinning a mix of Northern soul, R’n’B and old school Rock n Roll. Add into a mix a cocktail or two and you’re well and truly into the weekend!
Friday 28th October, 4th, 11th and 18th November
Where: Fitzroy Place, 1 Pearson Square, London, W1W 7EY
Website: www.percyandfounders.co.uk
The Piano Works Farringdon
Dead Ringer Singers
Piano Works is all about singing and Halloween is tied up with the dead, bring the two together and you have Dead Ringer Singers. Come dressed as your favourite late singer and pay tribute to them with your singing, although if you sound anything like us they’ll be in turning in their graves.
Friday 28th – Monday 31st October
Where: 113-117 Farringdon Road, corner of Ray St Farringdon, London, EC1R 3BX
Website: www.pianoworks.bar
Grace Belgravia
Sunday Detox Brunch
Grace Belgravia’s Sunday brunch starts with three shots… let us explain, they’re a trio of detox shots made from blended nutrient dense ingredients like lemon, ginger and turmeric – which are going to be much worthwhile for your hangover than anything fried. This is followed by bottomless juices, warming golden milks, superfood cocktails (kaletini anyone?) and biodynamic wines. Dishes include the likes of acai bowls and smashed avocado with feta. Oh and you don’t have to be a member to go, which means guys can come along too!
Where: Grace Belgravia, 11c West Halkin Street, Knightsbridge SW1X 8JL
Website: www.gracebelgravia.com
Mews of Mayfair
Voodoo Party
Darkness is descending on Mews of Mayfair this weekend, as they host their annual Halloween party. Black magic, love potions, dance rituals, pin dolls and the powers of voodoo will be the order of the night, so dig out your black feathers and funny bones, hide behind your skull mask and don your talisman. The resident witch doctors will be conjuring up cocktails and spooky snacks and the DJ will be playing until the witching hours. There is a prize for the best costume so don’t make a half -hearted attempt.
Saturday 29th October
Where: 10 Lancashire Court New Bond Street W1S 1EY
Website: www.mewsofmayfair.com
Yard Sale Pizza
The Dead Mex
Yard Sale Pizza are back with another of their ‘Love Ins’ which sees them collaborating with street food legends Breddo Tacos. Going for a Day of the Dead theme, the Dead Mex pizza will feature slow smoked ‘Al Pasto’ pigs cheeks, roasted pineapple, salsa Roja and salsa verde. The pizza will be available at both the Clapton and Finsbury Yard Sales – so when the inevitable weekend pizza cravings start you know where to head.
Now – Wednesday 2nd November
Where: 105 Lower Clapton Road, Clapton E5 0NP
Website: www.yardsalepizza.com
Urban Food Fest
Halloween Urban Food Fest
The Urban Food Fest is known for its legendary street food and this Saturday it will take a decidedly ghoulish turn with blood thirsty German bratwurst sausages, vampire struck Canadian poutine, ghost’s venom Greek souvlaki, devil’s sticky toffee sponge and cobweb pumpkin and walnut buttercream cupcakes to name but a few. They’ll also be serving buy one get one free on all their Halloween themed cocktails and craft beers – we like the sound of the Shoreditch Halloweener: gin, lychee, elderflower and prosecco.
Saturday 29th October
Where: Euro Car Parks 162 - 167 Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch, E1
Website: www.urbanfoodfest.com
Haven’t decided what to do for Halloween? Check out our guide!
