August 2021 Guide: What to Do, Eat and Drink in LondonBy Iona Goulder
Get your diaries out, people. From a new wine club to a lobster-led dinner, here’s what’s happening in the capital in August 2021:
1. For a Special Dinner: Wun’s Tea Room x BFI
The Lowdown: Soho restaurant Wun’s Tea Room & Bar will host ‘Wong at Wun’s’, a series of intimate dinners celebrating the BFI’s month-long retrospective of legendary film director Wong Kar-Wai. The last one in the series (4th August) focuses on 2046 – a Hong Kong romantic drama film focusing on several women who enter a science fiction author’s life over the course of a few years.
Descending to the neon-lit basement restaurant, on arrival you’ll be welcomed with a glass of Prosecco and a string quartet, artfully orchestrating the film’s soundtrack throughout the evening. Drawing on film references, the kitchen will be banging out a menu of small plates and an unmissable cocktail duo.
Where: 23 Greek Street, Soho, W1D 4DZ
Wong at Wun’s is priced at £48pp per person and includes a welcome drink and all plates, excl service. Bookings can be made via this link.
2. For a Tasting Menu: The Cinnamon Club
The Lowdown: In celebration of its 20th anniversary, The Cinnamon Club, will be serving a special tasting menu at the 2001 prices of £45 throughout the month of August. The stunning eight-course menu has been designed to take attendees on the 20-year journey of Vivek Singh’s flagship restaurant, showcasing its evolution whilst following its philosophy of innovation, quality, and seasonality.
Dine on decadent courses such as spiced lamb mille-feuille, grilled Spencer Gulf king prawns in a curry sauce, and the 20th-anniversary special: a showstopping dish of succulent slow-braised lamb leg with nutmeg and pepper sauce. There is also a dedicated vegetarian menu elevating season produce. A premium wine pairing is also offered for an additional £85 per guest with vintages carefully chosen by wine expert Laurent Chaniac.
Where: The Old Westminster Library, Great Smith St, London SW1P 3BU
The celebratory menu offer will be available Monday to Thursday, with lunchtime slots of noon to 2:30pm and dinner slots from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. Book here.
3. For a Lobster Menu: FishWorks
The Lowdown: August means lobster season and what better way to treat ourselves this summer than with this luxury dish sans the usually hefty price tag. At FishWorks Restaurant & Fishmonger they’ve sourced the best lobsters and created a special set menu to celebrate the king of crustacean showcasing the vibrant red fellow in all three courses (yes, even in the dessert).
Available throughout August, diners will embark on a three-course lobster trail like no other for £39 per person starting with a twist on the British classic – a lobster cocktail, mixed with avocado, baby gem and Marie Rose. Follow with a creamy black ink risotto with lobster before finishing with the pièce de résistance: a lobster cheesecake for dessert with red wine reduction – trust us on this one
Where: Fishworks Covent Garden, 2-4 Catherine St, Covent Garden, London WC2B 5JY
Book here.
4. For a Pop-Up Terrace: Rathfinny Estate x The Soho Hotel
The Lowdown: Rathfinny Estate, established in 2010 by Mark and Sarah Driver, dedicated to producing some of the world’s finest sparkling wines from a perfect site in Sussex, England, is pitching up at The Soho Hotel until 20th August.
The Rathfinny pop-up is a celebration of Sussex in Soho. Enjoy refreshing summer cocktails created by the Refuel Bar Manager using Rathfinny Estate’s Seven Sisters gin and vermouth, including Picnic on Chalk Cliffs, made with Seven Sisters gin, Sipsmith London Cup, berry shrub and lemonade or a Seven Sisters Negroni, with Seven Sisters gin, Cocchi Americano, Pampelle and crème de fraise. There will also be a selection of small plates of fresh seasonal produce perfectly paired with the wines and cocktails.
Where: 4 Richmond Mews, London W1D 3DH
Tickets are £12, including a glass of Rathfinny or a cocktail of your choice. Book here.
5. For a Wine Club: The Hippodrome Casino
The Lowdown: For the first time, cornerstone of the West End, The Hippodrome, is offering unprecedented access to its wine cellar and little black book of exciting winemakers with the arrival of its wine Club, curated and hosted by sommelier and Head of Wine, Salvo Russo.
Launching on 24th August, Wine Club will bring a plethora of the world’s finest winemakers to the heart of London, offering guests the chance to meet the producers and makers shaping the future of wine and viticulture. Hosted by Salvo and the guest producer, each evening will take guests on a journey of discovery, transporting them to the expansive vineyards of Argentina, California and the resplendent Napa Valley. Guests will also receive exclusive discounts allowing them to buy bottles directly from the guest winemakers.
Where: Cranbourn St, Leicester Square, London WC2H 7JH
Tickets are £80 and extremely limited. Purchase here.
Photo credit: Alex Charovas Photography
