Things to do in London this weekend: 30 May-4 June 2023
When searching for things to do in London each weekend, it’s hard not to end up more confused and indecisive than when you started. While it’s never a bad idea to secure a booking at one of the best restaurants in the capital, spend an evening in one of the latest innovative bars on the scene, or even explore an iconic London attraction, we’re always on the lookout for new, exciting pop-ups, openings and events. Each week, we get the inside track on things to do in London for the upcoming weekend to help us discover a new area of the city or explore a new address in a neighbourhood we (thought) we’d already uncovered.
Things to do in London this weekend
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James Moyle1. Tuck into warm ramen bowls
Supa Ya Ramen continues its guest collaboration series this week, taking over the Taco Queen site it once occupied for one night only. Recently, Pop-ups have seen Londoners tuck into plates of crispy cuttlefish with sambal and lime at Mambow in Peckham and plump buns at Mr Bao. Tickets are released on Resy two weeks ahead of each collaboration, and the next in the series on Sunday 11 June sees high-concept event planners Mam Sham take centre stage for good grub and lots of laughs.
Address: Taco Queen, 191 Rye Lane, London SE15 4TP
Website: resy.com
Price: £30 per person
Dates: Sunday 4 June
Teo Della Torre2. Sip on spritz at a new bar
These Days Aperitivo Bar has opened its doors along the Bermondsey Beer Mile, making this buzzy stretch of the capital even more exciting. The bar is hosting a ‘bottle amnesty’ this bank holiday weekend. Take in sad, flat bottles of prosecco, and swap them for a refreshing spritz. Stick around for £10 meat and cheese boards, bowls of olives and nuts, and glasses of fluorescent orange wine.
Address: 100 Druid Street, Bermondsey, London SE1 2HQ
Website: thesedaysdrinks.com
Dates: Open now
Jason Bailey Studio3. Learn a new foodie skill
Yauatcha’s global executive chef Andrew Yeo is back in the kitchen to host a series of dim sum masterclasses in Broadgate. Among an intimate group of 16 fellow foodies, hone the skills and cooking methods required to create the restaurant’s best-loved dishes, such as mushroom spring rolls, scallop shui mai and lobster dumplings. Then, enjoy the doughy treats and wine pairings before heading home with a selection of macarons from the award-winning patisserie. Looking for a last-minute gift? Book a voucher for a loved one.
Address: Yauatcha City, Broadgate, London EC2M 2QS
Website: yauatcha.com
Price: £158 per person
Dates: Saturday 3 June
Owen Billcliffe4. Take to the rooftops
It’s rooftop movie season, and East London’s Bussey Rooftop building is the place to be as the evenings get brighter and the temperatures rise. Savour crafted cocktails and chilled beers or tuck into pizza and oozy mushroom and black truffle arancini from Share A Slice. This week’s films include Matilda the Musical, The Banshees of Insherin, Superbad and La La Land.
Address: Bussey Rooftop Bar, Roof B, Bussey Building, 133 Rye Lane, London SE15 4ST
Website: rooftopfilmclub.com
Price: Tickets from £12.95 per person
Dates: Tuesday - Friday, 5pm - 10:30pm; Saturday - Sunday, 12pm - 10:30pm
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Richard Bryant5. Get arty at London Design Biennale
Get creative at the London Design Biennale as it returns to Somerset House this week. The new theme is The Global Game: Remapping Collaborations, and artists and creators are expected to enact and encourage new forms of international cooperation and participation through design. Highlights include Ukrainian designers collectively demonstrating the connection between creativity and communication during war and an appearance from the world’s first ultra-realistic robot artist, Ai-Da, who questions how collaboration with AI technology might shape our future. Elsewhere, discover the Malta and Poland Pavilions; forward-thinking projects centred around world-leading design. At The Polish Pavilion, The Poetics of Necessity is inspired by the WINDOW project and exhibits windows donated by Londoners, while Urban Fabric in The Malta Pavilion sees the central spot in Somerset House’s courtyard take on a street-like layout that enables the audience to meet and collaborate while interacting directly with the installation.
Address: Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA
Website: londondesignbiennale.com
Dates: 1 - 25 June
6. Dive into a new deli
A delicious new deli is open among Chelsea’s colourful boutiques and leafy streets, just in time for picnic season. Andrew and Jesse D’Ambrosi are no strangers to fine food, having perfected their tastes at Cotswolds delicatessen D’Ambrosi Fine Foods over the years. Shelves here feature all the most popular goodies, from light bites ideal for sunny on-the-go lunches to speciality ingredients and bits perfect for those “wow” dinner party moments. Everything is prepared on-site and overseen by Andrew, and his travels around the globe influenced dishes such as the char siu lacquered pork belly. Picky bits in the park will never be quite the same again.
Address: D’Ambrosi, 1A Hollywood Road, London, SW10 9HS
Website: dambrosi.co.uk
Dates: Open now
c Paul Winch-Furness - Photographer7. Celebrate London's food scene
The London Restaurant Festival is back – and foodies can expect to be fuller than ever thanks to exciting events. More than 50 tasty sessions reflect the city’s vibrant food scene, from a dog-friendly brunch at Smith & Wollensky in collaboration with Tito’s Vodka to a pasta masterclass at Burro E Salvia. American Express members can access the hottest events and new openings in town, from the recently refurbished Holla Park hideout Mayha to dazzling performances at Lío London. To mark the start of the festival, Pop Brixton is hosting a selection of pop-up restaurants from some of London’s rising street food stars – grab a ticket to the launch on Wednesday 31 May, for cocktails, music from local DJs and signature dishes.
Address: Locations vary; check the website for further details
Website: londonrestaurantfestival.com
Dates: From Wednesday 31 May
8. Discuss the latest pop culture topics
Sydney Lima is hosting pop culture events at The London Edition this summer. The Monthly Digestif is a monthly panel-led review of recent headlines and hot topics led by comedians, journalists and artists. This week, Lima is joined by Jon Ronson, Grace Campbell and Vogue columnist Raven Smith, each sharing their take on the latest topics gripping the nation. So stick around for a drink or a meal at Berners Tavern after, and enjoy a 15 per cent discount by quoting “monthly digestif”.
Address: The London Edition, 10 Berners Street, London W1T 3NP
Website: eventbrite.co.uk
Price: £15 per person
Dates: Tuesday 30 May
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Can Sun - Perfect Lover I Photograph9. Support a good cause
Iconic Images Gallery in Piccadilly is hosting an art sale this Thursday supporting Vicky McClure’s charity, Our Dementia Choir. The Healing Power of Art and Music exhibition and sale have been organised by young curator Mandy Zhang, who graduated from the Royal College of Curating, and the Asian artists who contributed to the collection are all recent graduates of leading London art schools. Drawings, paintings, photography and contemporary pieces cost between £500-£8,000.
Address: Iconic Images Gallery, 16 Waterloo Place, St James’s, London SW1Y 4AR
Website: mandyzhang.art
Dates: Sale on Thursday 1 June; art is available to buy online until 11 June
10. Go plant-based for lunch
South London’s original plant-based pub just got even tastier thanks to the launch of a new pop-up restaurant. The Railway Tavern Takeover is En Root’s fourth venture in these ends, following a popular opening at The Ritzy Cinema in Brixton in November 2022. Vegan bites on the menu include oyster mushrooms battered in tandoori chickpea batter, loaded fries topped with a jerk plantain mushroom mix, and onion and tomato salsa. Secure a table on Sunday when the En Root team cooks up a selection of roasts followed by slices of a mango lassi cheesecake.
Address: The Railway Tavern, 7 Station Rise, Norwood, London SE27 9BW
Website: enrootldn.co.uk
Dates: Open now