5 Things You Need to Eat in London This WeekBy Alicia Grimshaw

This week is a double whammy. We have a bank holiday weekend and Thursday marks National Burger Day (yes, actually a thing apparently). Let’s celebrate the extra day off and the glorious taste of red meat by eating 5 of the best things London has to offer this week. Getting food delivered is a great idea, getting all sorts such as home essentials is also a great idea to get delivered to your home, with couriers from Absolutely this can be possible. Happy munching, people:

1. For a New Lunch Menu: Merchants Tavern

What: Merchants Tavern, the restaurant in the heart of Shoreditch from head chef Neil Borthwick and Angela Hartnett, has launched a new lunch menu. Available seven days a week, the new lunch offering features seasonal dishes, alongside homemade pies and British puds.

Why: The new lunch menu from Neil features sandwiches, light salads and hearty bowls of pasta for those looking to grab a light bite. While those looking to settle in for a more leisurely lunch, tuck into the Merchants Tavern’s classic deep fried oysters, and a selection of seasonal main courses and desserts. Other dishes on the menu include: braised cuttlefish, nduja, borlotti beans and celery, chicken and pork pie, with greens, girolles and creamed potato (for 2), and hanger steak, salad and potato skins. And for dessert try their dreamy lemon meringue pie.  

Where: 36 Charlotte Rd, London EC2A 3PG

2. For a New Opening: Cure + Cut 

What: New delicatessen Cure + Cut officially opened last week on Monmouth Street on Seven Dials. Dream team Jerome Armit and Chef Rufus Wickham (former Head Chef of Sam’s Brasserie and Kettner’s), are behind this new foodie venture, and have curated a menu of authentic deli favourites.

Why: Cure + Cut’s baked goods include muffins filled with fig and honey, peaches and cream, and coffee, banana and hazelnut, displayed on a counter alongside double butter croissants and their incredible signature smoked bacon cinnamon roll. At lunch, try the home smoked, pepper-cured Longhorn pastrami, teamed with pickles and Tewkesbury mustard on soft white rye, or the smoked salmon and Croxton Manor cream cheese on Cure + Cut’s oven-fresh bagels. They also serve a mean key lime pie, and the tiramisu shouldn’t be missed.

Where: 36 Monmouth Street, Seven Dials, London WC2H 9HB

3. For a New Doughnut Flavour: Crosstown Doughnuts 

What: New flavour klaxon: this month sees Crosstown launch a brand new seasonal flavour in collaboration with independent London Distillery, Sipsmith, using their recently launched London Cup. Crafted from their award-winning London Dry Gin, London Cup is a refreshing summer punch infused with Earl Grey tea, borage, lemon verbena and a host of other botanicals.

Why: Crosstown’s Sipsmith London Cup doughnut celebrates the perfect union of two independent producers that pioneered big trends in the London food and drink scene. The new doughnut features Crosstown’s signature sourdough base infused with Sipsmith gin and lemon. Hand-made fresh every day, Crosstown create all their jams, compotes and fillings onsite.

Where: Locations here 

Photo Credit: Maz McEwan

4. For a New Picnic Hamper: MK by Muriel’s Kitchen 

What: Putney is not just home to leafy pastures and pretty looking bridges, this yummy mummy hangout is home to MK by Muriel’s Kitchen, which is now open on Putney High Street. This healthy pit stop boasts a carefully curated menu that puts the emphasis on quality, British ingredients and dishes made to authentic family recipes at purse- pleasing prices.

Why: With the weather set to be a scorcher this week, it only feels right to get involved with their grab and go picnic. There’s a fine selection on salads on offer including the veggie friendly beetroot and goat’s cheese, and quinoa with green beans and butternut squash for the vegan hunnies. And let’s be honest, no picnic would be complete without a tempting array of sandwiches – choose from salt beef on rye; tuna with homemade mayonnaise, or the chicken club. Sweet treats come from MK’s pastry team with delights such as the British strawberry and cream pot, or the gluten-free Nutella chocolate cake. Pimp up your picnic with the protein pots such as egg, roasted chicken, prawns or tofu.

Where: 95 Putney High Street, Putney, SW15 1SS

5. For a New Vegan Joint: Rawligion

What: Ok, so we may be slightly late to the Rawligion party (this place opened last month) – but we’ll tell you this now, it’s worth a visit for all the plant power goodness. Rawligion, as the name suggests concentrates on providing delicious nourishment in its rawest possible form. Bringing food trends of America’s East Coast to Central London, this fast-casual dining restaurant dishes up breakfast, lunch and sensational nut milks.

Why: It may be free from gluten, dairy and animal products, but the food is certainly not free from fun or taste. The Lebanese box is their most popular item, and we can see why. The 18 hour dehydrated falafels include pumpkin seeds, sun dried tomatoes and tahini, all nicely balanced with a creamy hummus and tabbouleh. Their kelp noodles with hemp and pesto, and courgette marinara are a refreshing alternative to over refridgerated supermarket salads. And we’re never one to turn now a healthy spin on a millionaire’s shortcake. Rawligion’s caramel shortcake is made with lucuma, buckwheat and coconut sugar, and damn us – it tastes mighty fine.

Where: 3 Tottenham Street, W1T 2AF

One for luck… 

For a Delivery Service: Jinn

What: Jinn is the all new on-demand courier service that enables everyone to have the best of their city on their doorstep in under an hour. It’s not just a service to order a pizza deal and a cheesecake for dessert – the app allows you to buy the latest fashion trends, cracking food and essential groceries.

Why: Stores available include everything from Selfridges and Zara, to some of the city’s finest street food such as The Melt Room and Roots Juicery. In celebration of  National Burger Day on Thursday (25th), discover the best burger joints in London with the help of Jinn. Its wide restaurant offering means you can sample the best burgers in town from joints including Patty & Bun, Big Fernand, Band Of Burgers, Meat House London, Fatburger, Burger & Lobster and Tommi’s Burger.

Where: Download the app here

For French Riviera Vibes: Summer Sky Riviera at Searcys at The Gherkin

What: Looking for drinks with a difference? Then you must visit The Gherkin. Elevated 180 metres above street level, in one of London’s most recognisable skyscrapers, Level 40 at The Gherkin has has quite the transformation. Think: oysters, gin cocktails and French fancy. Yes, that’s right, the bar has been transformed into a timeless and atmospheric scene from the 1950’s French Riviera. It’s seriously cool; inspired by the Côte d’Azur, the venue oozes glamour, classic chic and sophistication in an elegant environment. There’s everything from nautical striped sun loungers to palm trees and candles to create the perfect date feel. 

Why: Come for all the delicious drinks. Federico Geniale, mixologist extraordinaire, has designed a limited edition cocktail menu in association with Tanqueray No. TEN – the perfect summer sip. Cocktails include The Slush, a Verbena tisane mixed with Tanqueray No. TEN, grapefruit and green Chartreuse, and the Provence Spritzer with homemade lavender cordial with Cointreau, lemongrass infused Tanqueray No. TEN, Rosé de Provence, and soda.

There’s some fantastic food, too – designed by executive Chef Barry Tonks, formerly at the Deux Salons, expect a foodie journey through Provence. To start, Nice is summoned with a fresh and classic seared tuna, followed by a St. Tropez speciality of wild sea bass and soupe au pistou a la Provencal. To complete the journey, Marseille is represented with a classic Bouillabaisse: day boat caught fish stew with rouille, croutons and Gruyere. A complimentary Anchoiade will be served on dry ice, for guests to enjoy upon arrival. Dreamy. 

Where: 30 St Mary Axe, London EC3A 8EP