Welcome back to The Slice – our exclusive guide to what’s on in London, where we bring you trusted reviews, sneak previews, and amazing deals and discounts.
This week we’ve tried our hardest to find late night spots in the city. And we’ve got some real gems on the list.
But it doesn’t end there. You can catch one of the 700 music gigs happening this week for Independent Music Week and support your local music scene, dive into some Victorian history – or try the sister to Slice-favourite pasta spot Padella.
Lunar New Year falls on 17 February this year, and it’s the Year of the Fire Horse! So we’ve got some ideas for how to celebrate, from Chinese feasting to city celebrations…
See you next week!
Welcome to the Slice
The Slice is your weekly guide to what’s happening in London, so if you’re looking for restaurant reviews, drinks deals or just a great new exhibition to visit on a rainy Saturday in the capital, we’ve got you covered.
Click here for this week’s edit of the best things to do in town.
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Things to do this week in London
If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, here are 10 of the best activities, dining, and drinking spots in the capital.
1. If you love Padella, try its equally delicious sister restaurant Trullo
As a years long fan of Padella, it took me a lot longer to try Trullo than it should have. Trullo came first – founded by the same team – opening in 2010 when the pasta scene hadn’t quite exploded yet. It’s a neighbourhood restaurant with a menu that changes often – though we’re confident that whichever menu you happen to get will wow you – including dishes you might recognise from the Padella menu, like the ultra silky Pici Cacio e Pepe. You’ll hopefully be lucky enough to have the fettucine with smoked eel on the menu when you visit. It’s a minimal dish packed full of flavour, with fresh lemon running through it. The nduja scallops are heavenly: just the right amount of tangy, and beautifully tender. Next, I get ready to eat the biggest piece of tiramisu I’ve ever been served, with the perfect coffee-mascarpone-sponge ratio and a generous sprinkling of cocoa powder. Combine all of that with the candlelit setting and you’ve got yourself the perfect romantic date.
Antipasti from £5.50, primi from £14, Oven and Grill from £26. 300 – 302 St Paul’s Road, Highbury & Islington, N1 2LH. Book here.
2. Sip on martinis at the newly opened St Pancras Martini Bar
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Sucker for Hogwarts-adjacent interiors? Then the Hawksmoor’s Martini bar might be for you. You’ll swap butterbeer for Martinis against the cathedral-like backdrop of St Pancras Renaissance Hotel – a snitch’s throw from Platform 9 ¾.
Don’t like them too dry? The House Martini is a medium-wet ratio with Ford’s gin (or Finlandia Vodka) and Dolin Dry. Meanwhile, their Direct Martinis are sucker punchy and glacier water-pure while the Vesper’s Vespa has a cushiony brightness to it. But, my go-to was the Pink Gibson, a lightly savoury sipper complete with a stirring wand skewering dinky pink onions. Accompanying bite highlights included the mushroom crostini with tarragon whipped ricotta, the celeriac nuggets with Porcini, and don’t get me started on the beef dripping hash browns. Martinium Leviosa!
Martinis from £12. St. Pancras, Euston Road, Euston, NW1 2AR. Book here.
3. Try healthy Taiwanese street food at Kung Fu Mama
By Vanessa Redmond
Kung Fu Mama is the new Taiwanese street-food spot from Ottolenghi co-founder Noam Bar-Chang and noodle specialist Chris Hsu — and yep, TikTok wasn’t lying, it’s so good. The whole place has that cool, canteen-style vibe, and the staff are ridiculously friendly, walking you through their small but mighty menu. Everything’s oven-baked, no deep-frying, no seed oils, low sugar and salt… but the flavours still hit hard.
I kick off with the crispy chicken bao, but the real showstopper dish is the whole soft-shell crab. It’s crunchy, juicy, messy, and completely worth it. Then came the handmade, sun-dried wavy noodles (Hsu’s speciality), topped with sesame-ginger chicken – bouncy, savoury, and dangerously addictive. The wood-ear mushroom salad adds the perfect crunchy-chewy contrast. I finish with the Assam Milk Tea, deep and just lightly sweet. Fair warning: you’ll be thinking about it the next day.
Big news… Kung Fu Mama’s second location will open this winter in Canary Wharf! Look forward to the same punchy Taiwanese dishes with nutrient dense, feel good components.
Noodles from £9.95, bao from £6.95. 80 Long Acre, Covent Garden, WC2E 9NG. Book here.
Bonus: What’s happening in London for Lunar New Year
It’s the Year of the Fire Horse! See how London is going big for Lunar New Year, a festival celebrated by many countries who follow the Lunar calendar, including In China and Japan.
London’s West End has kicked off their celebrations and there’s loads to look forward to, from the ‘Claim Your Luck’ spinning wheel, popping up daily across the area, to dance performances and Chinatown’s iconic parade. Find out all the details here! 17 Feb-3 March.
The London Museum Docklands presents their Lunar New Year Festival. On 21-22 Feb, gallop into the Year of the Fire Horse and listen to Chinese folktales, experience silent discos and hands-on crafts. Some events will be ticketed while other won’t. Find out everything you need to know.
4. Stay out late and indulge in some of London’s best late night spots
Frites Atelier
Best for: the bougie bite
I love carbs as much as the next person, but loaded fries have never really been my thing. Frites Atelier said they could change my mind, and boy, they did. They’ve taken loaded fries and turned them into a little luxury. Golden, double-cooked Dutch-style frites are piled high and topped with everything from Flemish beef stew to Parmesan and basil. The signature stew is the standout, combining a rich sauce and tender braised beef slow-cooked in beer – it’s warming comfort food at its finest. If you’ve got room, the beef croquette is delicious, crammed with filling and paired with truffle mayo, and I recommend washing everything down with the homemade pineapple and basil iced tea. Open until 3am, I can imagine this food would hit so hard after a night out in Soho… dare I say: it could be the ultimate midnight munchies spot.
Frites from £6.75 (with two sauces). The Flemish Beef Stew, £13.50. 34 Old Compton St, Soho. Just walk in.
Review by Courtney Pochin.
Rye Lane Bagels
Best for: the pre pay day lifesaver
Open until 4am on Friday and Saturday nights, Rye Lane Bagels is the tiniest and vibiest late-night food spot we know of in London. Owner Abhi is in the kitchen and on the decks, with tunes pumping as he lovingly prepares, generously fills, and neatly wraps each creation, with occasional pauses to mix the next track. On the menu there are classics – smoked salmon and cream cheese topped with capers and crisp cucumber, salt beef and pickle oozing with mustard – along with some more interesting fillings – lamb shoulder or butter chicken, anyone? They’re all priced at angel numbers, with a humble plain cream cheese costing £2.22, up to £11.11 for wagyu beef (worth it).
Bagels from £2.22. 100 Rye Lane, Peckham. Just walk in.
Review by Sophie Laughton.
Noodle and Beer
Best for: bowls of beauty
The newer Noodle & Beer (on Wardour St) is a real vibe, spread over two floors with a bistro-style space upstairs and a more intimate, glamorous bar and restaurant downstairs. And if you think the decor is nice, just wait until you try the food. The crispy courgette fries and beef jerky make for delicious starters – imagine crispy chilli beef from your favourite takeaway and salt and pepper chips but with a twist that makes them taste even better. Follow this up with the super king braised beef rib blanket noodles which are as much of an experience being served as they are to eat. Top tip for eating here? Bring a friend, come hungry and share everything. You won’t want to miss out on any of the fabulous flavours. And the best part? It’s open until 4am.
Small bites from £4.80, noodles & rice from £15.80. Spitalfields and Chinatown. Book here.
Review by Courtney Pochin.
Noodle and Beer will have an incredible menu of specials from 16 February to 3 March. Noodle and Beer Chinatown will be decorated with red garlands – and red envelopes will be handed out to all diners on 16-17 Feb at both restaurants, each containing a token – so you could just get lucky and get a free drink, dining discount or secret gift.
5. Support your local music scene at one of London’s gigs for Independent Music Week
It’s Independent Music Week, so it’s time to get out and support your local music scene. Over 236 independent venues are putting on over 700 gigs across the UK this week. Find out more.
6. Get a taste of Victorian History at Bankside’s Frost Fair
Fan of Victorian history? Come to Bankside’s Frost Fair. From 1605 to 1814, the surface of the River Thames froze over 24 times, which brought all river-based trade to a standstill. An impromptu ‘Frost Fair’ was born, with markets, food, drink, games and more. The tradition continues this Saturday, 11am-3pm at Borough Yards. Find out more!
7. Save money on some of the best restaurants in Hackney
This February, you can get 40% off some of the tastiest Hackney restaurants: like Tom’s Pasta and Corrochio’s. This is running as part of The Restaurant Festival curated by Acme Fire Cult and powered by dining app EatClub: a reason to explore new restaurants without having to splurge. Find out more!
8. Try some incredible sushi at discounted prices at SUSHISAMBA
You’ve still got time to make the most of SUSHISAMBA’s set lunch menu deal. Indulge in A5 Kobe Gyozas, Octopus & Chorizo Anticuchos and more in the Heron Tower’s luxe settings, all for £39 per person! Book here.
9. Meet some new people at one of Chuku’s dinners
Londoners have a reputation for not being the most sociable bunch, and Chuku’s are on a mission to tackle social isolation this winter. Owners Ifey and Emeka are hosting a free dinner series to bring people together.
The concept – named Ejikoro, Igbo for ‘connected’ – invites guests handpicked from a public callout to dine with up to five other strangers over a meal. Sign up here to join the table!
10. See immersive theatre show Dante or Die: I Do
★★★★★
Stuck for Friday night entertainment? Dante or Die: I Do comes to the rescue with an immersive theatrical whirlwind. Originally staged as a site-specific production in 2013 and now revived across Malmaison hotels nationwide, the show drops audiences straight into the gloriously hectic final ten minutes before a wedding.
Unfolding across multiple rooms and perspectives, theatregoers are swept from space to space as the drama unravels. Yet despite its frenetic set up, every scene is beautifully moving, weaving together moments of heartbreak, unexpected reunions and a deliciously messy ménage à trois. Superbly acted and masterfully directed, the play offers a striking reminder of just how absurd and quietly magical weddings can be. One not to miss.
Tickets, £35. Malmaison Hotel, Farringdon. Until 8 Feb. Book here.
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