Things to do in London this week
Discover the biggest and best things to do in London over the next seven days
Is the week ahead looking quiet? Not any more. Head out into the city and get a load of the hottest happenings taking place right now. You’ll be begging for a night off by Sunday, trust us. Here’s our pick of the newest restaurant openings, the best new museum shows and the latest art exhibitions, plus out-of-the-way events and gigs you really won’t want to miss. Let us be your social lifesaver for the next seven days. And if you’ve got a tip for something fun going on in London, tweet us your suggestion and help spread the word.
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Event of the week: Sink The Pink Street Party
Looking for a big outdoor party full of drag queens and pop music? Sink The Pink’s one-day fest in Finsbury Park should be right up your street. Nadine Coyle heads the bill, and is sure to be flanked by an army of all-singing, all-dancing, best-dressed drag stars.
Film of the week: ‘Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood’
Quentin Tarantino’s riotous alt-history of ’60s Hollywood is a glorious love letter to the movies. Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt deliver killer lead performances in what is a stellar film from the cult director.
Restaurant of the week: Casa Fofò
At just £39, the tasting menu at this Hackney eatery won’t leave you surviving on beans on toast for the rest of the month. Ex-Pidgin head chef Adolfo de Cecco has crafted an ambitious and surprising seven-course serving where even the extras (bread, petits fours) linger in the memory. And all in a single, relaxed room that turns the stuffy image of fine dining on its head.
Chihuly Nights
Dale Chihuly’s stunning glass sculptures have been exploding out of Kew Gardens’ glorious foliage since April. See them lit up after dark at these special lates and listen out for a soundtrack played by live musicians – including the UK’s only glass harmonica player.
Beyond Retro Garage Sale
Get ready to rummage! The vintage institution is bringing 20,000 items of retro garb to Peckham for this humongous sale. And with all items priced at £15 or less, you can get a whole new (old) outfit for less than you think.
Show of the week: ‘Evita’
Forget everything you know about ‘Evita’: this one properly rocks. A swaggering reboot of the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic, Jamie Lloyd’s production is a pumping adaptation edged with dirt, rust and grime.
The Spitalfields Journey
Get a behind-the-scenes look at some amazing spots on this annual jaunt around East End venues. This year, Britain’s oldest synagogue, Bevis Marks and Huguenot silk-weaver hangout Dennis Severs’ House will be opening their doors for a series of tours where the clocks are turned back to seventeenth- and eighteenth-century London. Booking required.
Bar of the week: Roof Garden St Pancras
‘Under the radar’ and ‘rooftop bar’ are two phrases not usually seen next to each other, but the Renaissance Hotel’s open-air spot is just that. Escape the hustle and bustle of Euston Road this summer and discover gin-tinged peace in the middle of King’s Cross.
The Cocoa Butter Club
Can’t make it to Sink The Pink’s Street Party? The cabaret night spotlighting queer performers of colour is decamping to the Southbank Centre for a free evening of burlesque, drag and sideshows set to neo-soul, R&B and Motown.
London Experimental Film Festival
London Experimental is a free radical film club dedicated to showing esoteric movies in unusual locations. Next up: a makeshift cinema in Islington Metal Works.
Howl at the Moon 10 Year Anniversary Street Party
The Hoxton pub is celebrating a decade of serving up craft beers, real ale and cider by throwing a huge street party. Expect live music, tasty helpings of street food and, of course, lots of the hoppy stuff.
Stranger Worlds: Science Fiction Late
Go on a VR journey to Mars, see exclusive planetarium shows, do a photoshoot with a Dalek and join talks on sci-fi at this space-themed late.
Show of the week: Elizabeth Prentis ‘I Don’t Like Broccoli (but I’ll Try Anything Once)’
The world around us is a terrifying shambles of politics, war and social media mundanity – and maybe Elizabeth Prentis’s revolting, light-hearted, kinky art is the perfect antidote. It’s super-sexual, gross, sticky and very good.
South London Chicken & Rum Festival
Expect an afternoon of cluckin’ good fun at this chicken and rum fest in Brixton. Tickets include free chicken wings and rum punch, while there’ll also be DJs and games. Sounds finger-lickin’ good.
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