The Ultimate Guide To The Big Reopening Weekend Is Here!
It’s the big moment we’ve all been waiting for! This weekend marks our first weekend of (relative) freedom! We can finally dine in our favourite restaurants, sink a few drinks at London’s best bars and explore endless exhibitions at the city’s biggest galleries.
We’re almost certain you’ll have your plans in place for this weekend, but if you don’t or if you can’t find anywhere with any tables left, we’ve rounded up the best things going on in and around the capital this weekend. Enjoy!
Explore Nicholas Daley’s Return to Slygo exhibition at Now Gallery
London’s gallery scene has reopened its doors this week, bringing with it a tidal wave of new retrospectives to explore. This weekend, make a pitstop off at Nicholas Daley’s Return to Slygo exhibition available to view at Now Gallery.
Running until the beginning of July, the immersive exhibition will see you deep dive into the works of one of the UK’s most exciting young fashion designers. It’s a celebration of the coming together of Nicholas’s multicultural Jamaican-Scottish roots and passion of music, spread through a multi-sensory installation.
Running 18th May – 4th July
Where: NOW Gallery, The Gateway Pavilions, Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula, SE10 0SQ
Website: www.nowgallery.co.uk
Boogie the night away at Kindred
Boogie woogie the night away to the sound of soul, funk, acoustic and Motown at Kindred.
Their live music Friday’s return this weekend, bringing with them an evening of cocktails and serenading from the supremely talented Cherri V, a critically acclaimed vocalist who has released three EPs in her own right, and performed alongside UK legends Lethal Bizzle and Wiley.
If poetry is more your thing, book your slot to their Poetry & Spoken Word night, running this Saturday. Ticket sales for this event will be gifted to charity in support of Mental Health Awareness Week.
Live Friday’s returns 21st May. Spoken Word runs 22rd May
Where: BRADMORE HOUSE, QUEEN CAROLINE STREET, HAMMERSMITH, W6 9BW
Website:: www.wearekindred.com
Add some spice back into your nightlife with Sexy Fish’s entertainment series
On a mission to bring the glitz, the glamour and the sexiness back into your life is Sexy Fish. To celebrate their reopening, they are running a week-long programme of exciting and alluring entertainment, live DJs, delicious culinary delights and cocktails.
Head down and experience a night filled with world class contortionists and dancers, while DJs will pump out the tunes late into the night.
Order in a round of cocktails, from the Monolith, made with Ron Zacapa 23 Rum, thyme, chamomile, balsamic, lavender, rosemary, to the Clog Nine, a mix of Applewood-infused Crystal Head Vodka, jasmine, coriander seed, Mt. Fuji bitters and soda. Expect lots of elaborate menu options too, including this wild dessert platter.
Running from Monday, 17th for the rest of the week. 6pm until late
Where: Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, Mayfair, W1J 6BR
Website: www.sexyfish.com
Seven Dials Market has reopened its doors this week, bringing with it an exciting roster of foodie talent!
Indulge on delicious street food at Seven Dials Market Reopening
Seven Dials Market has reopened its doors this week, bringing with it an exciting roster of foodie talent!
Head on down and catch food mavericks Pick & Cheese, Club Mexicana, Nanban, Yum Bun, Truffle, El Pollote and Treats Club serving up all of your favourite London dishes under one roof.
A whole host of new faces will be popping up too. Expect Flipino-inspired goods from BONG BONG’s, NY-style pizzas by the slice from BAD BOY PIZZA SOCIETY and Texas-style BBQ from SMOKE & BONES.
Where: 35 Earlham Street, Seven Dials, WC2H 9LD
Website: www.sevendialsmarket.com
Toast the town at this new Champagne terrace
Reconnect with friends in style at Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane. To coincide with their summer special series, their On The Terrace has been transformed into a Champagne haven.
They’ve joined forces with Dom Pérignon to offer a summer of flutes, fizz and fun on the terrace. Head here to soak up the summer air and delight in a three course ‘perfect pairings’ menu featuring Dom Pérignon Blanc Vintage 2010, Plénitude Deuxième P2 Vintage 2002, and Rosé.
Vintage 2006 exclusively by the glass. Dishes include parched lobster, curry spiced Balik salmon with Oscietra caviar and strawberry tartlet with champagne caviar.
Where: Hamilton Place, Park Lane, Mayfair, W1J 7DR
Website: www.fourseasons.com
Get your live music fix at The Piano Works
The Piano Works is set to reopen this weekend, bringing with it endless hours of fun, laughter and live music.
One of the first music venues in the capital to reopen, The Piano Works are here to help you let your hair loose, all in a Covid-secure manner. To celebrate their reopening, they are doubling your bar table when you book on a Thursday or Friday too! Pre-pay for a drink’s voucher on the website and the value will be doubled at the bar – bonus. This is valid until 2nd July.
Book your table pronto to ensure you’ll have a Friday night full of drinks and singing.
The Piano Works Farringdon opens on Thursday 20th May
Where: Farringdon & West End
Website: www.pianoworks.bar
Catch an exciting photography exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery
Explore the pivotal career of British-Ghanaian photographer, James Barnor in the Serpentine Gallery’s Spring-Summer exhibition.
Barnor’s career spanned six decades and focused on studio portraits, photojournalism and Black lifestyle photography, as well as documenting the social and political changes arising in London and Accra. His work is known for portraying more than just the subject matter, delving into the wider social issues and stories going on within.
Watch one of the most influential artists of our time’s work unfold before you, from his magazine photography through to his family portraits.
Running 19th May – 22nd October
Where: Serpentine Gallery, Kensington Gardens, W2 3XA
Website: www.serpentinegalleries.org
Head to one of these new restaurants
Indoor dining can finally commence – yippee! This also means new restaurants can swing open their doors for the first time too. If you’re on the hunt for where to head, we’ve rounded up a few of the best new openings this month.
From London’s hottest new rooftop bar that everyone’s eyeing up to the seaside Italian that’s taken the leap to open up a restaurant in the city, here are the hottest new openings to look out for this May.
Head to the UK’s first ever mochi bar
Seen mochi all over your TikTok but can’t find it at your local supermarket? Fear not as Japan Centre’s flagship food hall in Leicester Square has just launched the UK’s first dedicated mochi bar!
Freshly baked in store, the mochi menu will boast delights such as mochi donuts pon de ring, mochi cookies, mochi daifuku, mochi pan bread, mochi dango and mochi ice cream. Pair it alongside a bubble tea and you’re good to go.
Where: Japan Centre, 35B Panton Street, SW1Y 4EA
Website: www.japancentre.com
Try out Heddon Yokocho’s new Shuchu dining booths
If you’re headed out alone this weekend, make a pitstop at Heddon Yokocho to check out their new Shuchu dining booths, designed with the solo diner in mind.
Located on Heddon Street, Heddon Yokocho is London’s answer to a retro-style ramen bar, home to vibrant Showa era decor and retro tastes nodding to 1970s Tokyo. The booths have been designed to help guests focus and soak up the true ramen experience, without having to worry about slurping their noodles too loudly. Head here for their Tonkotsu Ramen – you won’t regret it.
Where: 8 Heddon Street, Mayfair, W1B 4BU
Website: www.heddonyokocho.com
Try out one of these tasty DIY kits
Feeling a little worse for wear this morning after one too many last night? Fear not as we’ve found the ultimate hangover cure and it involves a whole lot of fried chicken.
Brighton’s The Bok Shop have expanded their sauce smothered horizons by launching a delicious ‘The Fryday Boks’ DIY kit. Available to order nationwide via Restaurant Kits, their new kits involve delicious chicken feasts, lashing of sauce and other tasty treats.
They have two boxes available. First up is the super saiyan burger and wings for two or four, featuring buttermilk marinated thighs, wings, the Goku and Dr Drizzle sauce and the miso laced Super Saiyan sauce. For the wing lovers, they also have a dip dab wings box, featuring their signature dips and crunchy toppings.
Head to your local cinema to see Judas and the Black Messiah
Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah is another award-winning favourite scheduled to arrive onto the big screen this week.
Starring Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield and Jesse Plemons, the film follows William O’Neal (Stanfield) as he goes undercover to gain access and intelligence on the Black Panther Party and its Chairman Fred Hampton (Kaluuya) as part of a plea deal offered by the FBI.
Kaluuya stole the show this award season, bringing home the Academy Award, Critics’ Choice Movie Award, BAFTA and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor.
SCREENINGS FROM 17TH MAY
Check out these other films making their way onto the big screen…
Try out London’s best new Sunday brunch offering
See in the end of the week with grace, class and free-flowing fizz at St Pancras Brasserie and Champagne Bar by Searcys.
They’ve recently launched a limitless Sunday brunch, meaning you can enjoy a three-course menu of seasonal delights alongside 90 minutes of free-flowing fizz. Enjoy starters such as Cornish sardine fritters with avocado and lime, or Wild mushrooms on toasted sourdough drizzled with truffle oil and topped with a poached hen’s egg, while mains range from Crispy Gressingham duck and spring onion omelette with triple cooked chips to classic Searcys Smoked salmon with scrambled eggs.
Available every Sunday
Where: ST PANCRAS INTERNATIONAL, KINGS CROSS, N1C 4QL
Website: www.stpancrasbysearcys.co.uk
Catch the herd of elephants roaming Chelsea…
You might have felt the ground rumble but a gigantic herd of elephants can be found roaming the streets of Chelsea.
Spread across four different street locations, fifty life-size elephants have popped up this week to raise awareness of the CoExistence campaign, a response to the increasing overlap between the human and animal world that is partly responsible for the spread of deadly zoonotic diseases.
A fun one to take the kids to and to learn more about the elephant migration. The elephants also signal the beginning of a series of art and cultural programming as part of Kensington & Chelsea’s Inaugural Summer Festival.
Running until 6th June
Where: Chelsea – King’s Road (Royal Avenue Junction, Duke of York Square, Pavilion Road & Sloane Street
Where: www.coexistence.org
Head to Covent Garden’s resident circus-themed restaurant
Expect fire breathers, aerial acts and mind-bending contortionists to be flinging themselves around the building when you book in for a date night with a difference at Covent Garden’s Circus.
Reopen from Thursday, guests can expect to delight in delicious pan-Asian food and refreshing cocktails, all while enjoying the theatrics in a Covid secure manner.
Where: 27-29 Endell Street, Covent Garden, WC2H 9BA
Website: www.circus-london.co.uk
Try some mean beans at Boxpark Shoreditch
How do you like your beans? Chucked in a chilli? Tossed into a salad? Or just straight out the tin? Heinz Beanz is launching a pop-up in Boxpark Shoreditch this Friday and Saturday to bring you some of the best ways you can enjoy, well, beans.
From Heinz Beanz Huevos Rancheros to Heinz Beans Curry Pan Puri, Londoners can enjoy beans in a whole new way this weekend. And the best bit? It’s all free of charge!
Running Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd May
Where: 2-10 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch, E1 6GY
Website: www.boxpark.co.uk
https://www.instagram.com/p/COdHZhTgnqY/?hidecaption=true
Book in for Ormer Mayfair’s new dining experience
Ormer Mayfair has reopened with an exciting new announcement! Executive Chef Sofian Msetfi will be joining the team from his position as Head Chef at the Michelin-starred Oak Room at Adare Manor in County Limerick, Ireland.
Bringing his 15 years of experience working at some of the most prestigious Michelin-starred restaurants in the UK and Ireland, Sofian will be taking Ormer’s fare on a new journey. One that focuses solely on tasting menus.
Enjoy dishes such as Warm Iberico Ham with parmesan, bramley apple and nasturtium; Butter poached cod with Jerusalem artichoke, grapes, chicken and hazelnut sauce; and Roast Cotswold white chicken with shallot puree, black truffle and English lettuce.
Where: Flemings Mayfair, 7-12 Half Moon Street, Mayfair, W1J 7BH
Website: www.flemings-mayfair.co.uk
Celebrate the RHS Chelsea Flower Show with this delicious dessert
To celebrate the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Ayllu’s executive chef has created a special dessert capturing the taste of spring in a fun and unique way.
Head on out to their flower-filled terrace and while away your afternoon delighting on the pretty pink dessert, made with coconut dacquoise and lavender textures.
Available until 23rd May
Where: Located beneath Smith’s Bar & Grill, 25 Sheldon Square, Paddington, W2 6EY
Website: www.ayllu.co.uk
One To Book: The Art of Bond: Diamonds are Forever at The Milestone
For the hardcore Bond fans out there eagerly awaiting the arrival of No Time to Die, The Milestone Hotel & Residences might just have an event that’ll tie you over until October.
Inspired by the novels and films, delve into the world’s most renowned special agent with an evening of glamour intrigue and indulgence this month. Running 29th May, The Milestone will be hosting a night to celebrate the release of the 25th James Bond film, featuring Champagne, canapes and a five-course Bond-themed menu.
Book your tickets now before it’s too late.
Book your tickets at www.milestonehotel.com
