Here Are The 13 Best Ways To Spend The Sunny Bank Holiday In London
The long bank holiday weekend is finally here, and with the sun making a welcome appearance, London is bursting with vibrant ways to celebrate. From exclusive foodie collaborations and free margaritas to sun-soaked picnics and fresh seasonal menus, there is no shortage of inner-city excitement to fill your itinerary. No matter how you choose to spend your extra days off, this curated guide has everything you need to make it a weekend to remember.
Try this limited-edition shake
For this weekend’s wellness billing, check out this new exclusive collaboration between salad bar, Atis and Healf. The partnership is bringing two new shakes to Atis menus, which aim to support recovery, strength, focus and sustained energy.
Launched earlier this week, the shakes are brimming with fresh berries paired with enriching ingredients like protein powder and hydrogen tabs. With the bank holiday promising warmer weather, this is the refreshing wellbeing boost that your weekend is calling out for.
Where: Venues across London
Website: www.atis.com
Tuck into the fried chicken collaboration
This Sunday, beloved neighbourhood restaurant, Albers, is teaming up with animation studio THE LINE for an exclusive, one-day-only fried chicken and hot sauce pop-up event.
In a celebration of THE LINE’s upcoming animated mini-series, Buzz Chickson & The Hype Heads, Albers will be serving up fried chicken inspired by the new show. Blurring the lines between food, art and fantasy, the experience offers crispy chicken, reckless levels of sauce, cold drinks and a heavy dose of entertainment.
The pop-up will be taking place in the De Beauvoir Town restaurant on Sunday only from 1pm to 7pm, and it isn’t one to miss.
Where: Albers, 23A Englefield Rd, London N1 4JX
Book here
Head to this food market for free margaritas
Make the most of your bank holiday Monday and head to the Seven Dials by KERB market, where it will be serving up 100 free El Rayo Margaritas all day long. You can pick up yours at Bar Nana, located on the market’s ground floor.
Go for the free margarita but stay for a bite to eat from its curated line-up of traders spanning pizza, tacos, and noodle soup.
Where: Earlham St, London WC2H 9LX
Website: www.sevendialsmarket.com
Check out the latest arrival on the London pizza scene
London’s pizza scene has a newcomer, and it is well worth the visit. Slice Circle has just started its new residency at cult pub, The Old Nun’s Head.
Taking the kitchen reins from pizza legends Dough Hands, Slice Circle is officially serving up its signature NYC-style pizza pies at the iconic south London pub. Among the menu offerings are the Nun Pie, a playful homage to the pub itself, and the Tamil Pie, which features Masala vodka sauce, fior di latte, red onion, lemon yoghurt and coriander.
Slice Circle is at the heart of a buzzing pub, which means you can grab a delicious slice and enjoy pints with your friends.
Kitty, Social Media Director
Where: The Old Nun’s Head, 15 Nunhead Grn, London SE15 3QQ
Website: www.slicecircle.com
Try Oui Madame’s new spring menu additions
This May, Oui Madame has welcomed some exciting new seasonal additions to its menu, making it the perfect spot to book for a bank holiday dinner date. Alongside the new modern European dishes, a curated selection of new wines has also been added to the Islington restaurant’s offerings, including a chilled red from Lebanon that has quickly become a staff favourite for warmer evenings.
This May, Oui Madame has welcomed some exciting new seasonal additions to its menu, making it the perfect spot to book for a bank holiday dinner date.
Where: 290 St Paul’s Rd, London N1 2L
Website: www.ouimadame.com
Book this summer party before it sells out
Cocktails in the City is returning this summer, and it isn’t an event to miss. Each year, it is one of the highlights of London’s cultural calendar, where a curated array of the city’s finest bars come together in a celebration of its vibrant food and drink scene.
It will be held on multiple dates across July and August. This event sells out every year, so this is your official reminder to book your tickets now.
When: 2nd-4th July and 6th-8th August 2026
Book here
This festival brings together some of the city’s most exciting bars, mixologists and brands in one place, creating a vibrant and immersive experience.
Elly, Founder & CEO
Catch the opening weekend of this jewellery pop-up
Be among the first to experience jewellery brand Bijoux De Mimi’s new pop-up this weekend. Located on the King’s Road, this marks the brand’s first long-term summer residency and promises to showcase all of the brand’s cult favourite jewellery pieces.
What’s more, to celebrate this new residency, shoppers who spend over £85 in-store will receive a curated Bijoux goodie bag, which includes a phone case, makeup bag, and surprise jewellery gift in the customer’s chosen colourway.
Where: 324-326 Kings Road, London, SW3 5
Website: www.bijouxdemimi.com
Visit Dua Lipa’s Selfridges pop-up
From now through to the end of the month, head down to Selfridges to shop Augustinus Bader’s coveted collaboration with Dua Lipa.
This pop-up marks a first for ‘Dua by Augustinus Bader’ and offers shoppers an opportunity to explore the range in person. There is also an interactive photobooth, exclusive in-store gifting and limited edition merchandise, so make sure to head down this weekend.
Where: 400 Oxford St, London W1A 1AB
Website: www.selfridges.com
Sip Aperol in style
For the ultimate heatwave activity, head to Sky Garden this Friday for its Aperol Summer Party. Think flowing spritzes, unmatched vibes and live performances from ALR Music.
Throughout the summer, guests can enjoy a terrace centred around the iconic Aperol Spritz, alongside a selection of refreshing summer serves and a Mediterranean-inspired menu of sharing plates and small bites.
Where: 1, Sky Garden Walk, London EC3M 8AF
Website: www.skygarden.com
Sip this Chelsea Flower Show cocktail menu
To mark the return of the iconic Chelsea Flower Show, Stanley’s restaurant and courtyard bar has teamed up with Sapling Spirits and Fielden Whiskey to produce a limited edition cocktail menu.
Created especially for the flower show, the menu features The Cucumber and Bail Spritz and The English Old Fashioned, both of which are rooted in a celebration of British agriculture and seasonal ingredients. If you are planning on attending the flower show this year, this is the perfect pitstop.
Where: 151 Sydney St, London SW3 5UE
Website: www.stanleys.com
Pitch a picnic in one of London’s green spaces
With the weather set to be glorious this weekend, now marks the perfect time to pitch a picnic in one of London’s green spaces and set up camp for the whole day.
Whether you fancy having a bite to eat, then taking a dip in the Hampstead ponds, or want to opt for an evening session and watch the sun set over the city from Parliament Hill, you can read our guide on London’s best spots to pitch a picnic here.
Book a bank holiday getaway to the Cotswolds
For those looking to escape London this weekend and embrace a slower pace, head to Hyll Hotel for a Cotswolds retreat.
Set within 54 acres of private meadows and woodland, Hyll is a reimagined 14th-century manor house that captures the essence of a slow-paced Cotswold summer. Recently refurbished, the property manages to balance historic heritage with a contemporary design that feels both indulgent and unpretentious. With the sun out, the terrace becomes the heart of the hotel, serving a local, seasonal menu that celebrates the best of the British countryside.
Where: The Cotswolds, Charingworth, Chipping Campden GL55 6NS
Website: www.hyllhotel.com
Hay Festival
This weekend marks the highly anticipated return of the Hay Festival of Literature and Art in Hay-on-Wye. The globally renowned event consists of a ten-day-long celebration of the arts, attracting some of the industry’s biggest names.
This year’s programme features talks from Hamnet’s Maggie O’Farrell and literary icon Ali Smith, as well as appearances from Miriam Margolyes and Mary Berry.
Where: Dairy Meadows, Brecon Road, Hay-on-Wye, Powys, HR3 5PJ
Website: www.hayfestival.com
