Summer in London rolls around with drizzly predictability: never as sunny as we’d like, yet still punishingly hot and stuffy. For cheeriness, then, we must look at the best of what’s going on inside London, in the restaurants, artistic institutions and buzziest bars.
This week, head to Camden for the best in pre-party eating, to Peckham for proudly inauthentic Italian dining and to Shoreditch for one of east London’s best bar collaborations.
Elsewhere, there’s a huge new show at the Tate, a stunning performance of contemporary poetry in Chelsea and a classical recital for charity in a stunning church setting near Lewisham.
As ever then, everything to eat, drink, see and do in London this weekend.
The hot table: Cafe Britaly
As the name suggests, this new Peckham hotspot fuses British and Italian fare with relative disregard for convention. This means the carbonara is made with cream and topped with a fried egg, there’s a fish finger sandwich and at the weekend, roast Porchetta with all the trimmings. Affordable too, with cocktails and wines starting at £5.50, and main plates at about £12.
191 Rye Lane, SE15 4TP, cafebritaly.com
The old favourite: Imad’s Syrian Kitchen
Imad’s opened around four years ago as an indicator of Kingly Court’s third lifecycle, a space once flush with indy hits, preluded by moneyed chains, now once again a reminder of the power of great independent restaurants; in short, a great reason to brave the crowds. Breakfast is a newer offering from Imad’s, starting with pita with date molasses and before eggs or fatteh, layered rice with spices chickpeas and ghee.
Top Floor, Kingly Court, Carnaby, W1B 5PW, imadssyriankitchen.co.uk
The drinking den: Seed Library x Cavita
Seed Library is probably one of the finer cocktail spots around Shoreditch (an area increasingly awash with generic architecture, gilet-clad bankers and faux-creatives) and this week sees the launch of their latest residency collaboration. Master bartender Ryan Chetiyawardana will team up with Adriana Cavita to offer a taste of Cavita’s signature Mexican menu featuring tostadas, chicken skewers and sikil pak (a spiced dip with pumpkin seeds). In other words, the perfect drinking food.
From May 29 until September 1, 100 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6J, seedlibraryshoreditch.com
The pre-party dinner: Don KOKO
Fuelling before a night out is essential, but what to eat, pizza or tacos? That’s not the setup for a Harry Hill gag, but the question posed by Don KOKO, the new Friday night dining series at KOKO Camden, currently hosted by musician SG Lewis and insta-chef What Wily Cook. The boys are battling it out with a pepperoni, hot honey, red onion and burrata pizza and a “forbidden” shredded chicken with crushed scampi fries taco for the ultimate in pre-party dining.
Every Friday, 74 Crowndale Road, NW1 1TP, cafe-koko.co.uk
The culture fix: Bluets at the Royal Court
Maggie Nelson’s gut-wrenching book ‘Bluets’ is more than just a beautiful collection of contemporary poetry, but a treatise on love and loss. Converted for the stage by Margaret Perry and directed by Katie Mitchell, Bluets traverses heartbreak, desire, lust and pain while dipping into the beauty of the colour blue. Performed by Emma D’Arcy, Kayla Meikle and Ben Whishaw, this stunning limited run has just a handful of tickets remaining.
Until June 29, 50-51 Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS, royalcourttheatre.com
The art fix: Now you see us: Women artists in Britain 1520–1920
While the major Angelica Kauffman retrospective is underway at the RA, Tate Britain has adopted a wider lens to look at the groundbreaking women artists who, over a 400-year history, broke barriers to be recognised as professionals. With more than 200 works on show from over 100 individual artists (including Gentileschi, Kauffman and Beale) this exhibition spotlights the careers and stories of these women which, throughout history, have often been overlooked or consigned to their male peers.
Until October 13, Tate Britain, Millbank, SW1P 4RG tate.org.uk
The charitable event: The London Philanthropic Orchestra
This weekend sees a new free-to-attend concert in aid of charity GRACE, put on by the London Philanthropic Orchestra (LPO). GRACE is an aid organisation supporting refugees and with the LPO having already raised thousands for local charities, it’s hoping for another stellar fundraiser. Expect music from Rossini, Mahler and Satie at a concert in the ethereal setting of the Our Lady of Lourdes Church.
June 2, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 45 Burnt Ash Hill, SE12 0AE, londonphilanthropicorchestra.com
The market pop-up: Peckham Market Place Festival
This week Peckham Market Place is hosting a mini festival full of giveaways, £5 pints and salsa classes for good measure. Across the week, the buzzy Peckham space is also set to host Tarot card reading, a panel talk about relationships, cocktail-making masterclasses and if you’re that way inclined, the Champions League final (preceded by a sports-themed pub quiz). Sounds a hoot.
Until June 1, The Aylesham Centre, Rye Lane, SE15 5EW, marketplaceuk.com
The gig: Mellowmatic
Does an eight piece fusion hip-hop jazz funk collective sound like your jam? This week sees the launch of the “Summer by the River” festival full of live screenings, films and, to kick things off, Mellowmatic. The band are known for soulful licks, jazzy beats and an upbeat contemporary flow that resonates best when the weather brightens up. The perfect accompaniment to a few sundowners.
May 31, The Scoop at More, SE1 2AA, londonbridgecity.co.uk
The ticket to book now (for later): Barney Pau at DRAM
At the intersection of food, art and kitchen pop-ups is Barney Pau. A young and influential voice in the world of food ecology, Pau’s creativity lands in the hidden DRAM event space under Denmark Street for one night only in July. The menu reflects a desire for real sustainability and is set to include purple potato pavé with creamy marrowfat peas, seared greens in a fermented wild garlic sauce with a buckwheat nest and blossom-infused foraged summer fruit compote. Drop what you’re doing and book this.
July 21, 7 Denmark Street, WC2H 8LZ, drambar.co.uk
Rediscover a burger pioneer: Byron Burger x Aldens Butchers
Burger slingers Byron have tapped-up one of the UK’s oldest surviving butchers, Aldens, to source meat for their latest line of burgers. The meat comes sourced from the West Country and dry-aged for 30 days, de rigueur these days for the best beefy bites, and with a newish menu focusing on customisable options, including a new “Dirty Byron” (topped with BBQ pulled beef, cheese, beef dripping mayo, relish, pickled onions and a bacon and onion crumb) it’s time to rediscover this pioneer of London’s burger renaissance.
