Top 10: Unmissable Events in London – 02.06.17By Angelica Malin
Looking for things to do in London this weekend? Well, your weekend starts here. There’s nothing we like better this time of year than festivals, summer feasting and getting our dancing shoes on. Diaries at the ready, here’s 10 unmissable events happening in London town this weekend:
Weekend Guide: Friday 2nd June
1. For a Birthday Party: Pop Brixton
What: Having started life as an unloved and disused car park, Pop Brixton is about to celebrate its second birthday, and what a two years it has been! The site is currently home to 55 independent businesses, with more than 200 local entrepreneurs having developed their start-ups at Pop over the past 24 months. And so, in traditional Pop Brixton style, the site will be getting into the birthday spirit with a three day party packed full of live music, party games and mouth-watering street food and drink.
Why: For one night only (2nd), two of Pop Brixton’s best loved regular resident promoters (No Long Ting and Reggae N That) are teaming up for a one-off collaborative event that will connect the dots between Reggae, Rare Groove, R&B, Dancehall, Soul and Hip Hop. Expect back-to-back DJ sets that bounce between genres and get everyone on their feet. On Saturday there’s the big daddy birthday party taking place all day, and come Sunday – a family-friendly fun day, blending music, movies, shopping and street food.
Where: Pop Brixton, 49 Brixton Station Rd, London SW9 8PQ
2. For Vermouth Tasting: After Hours at The Whitechapel Refectory
What: Early 2017 saw the Whitechapel Gallery team up with Luke Wilson and Cameron Emirali, the duo behind 8 Hoxton Square and 10 Greek Street, for The Whitechapel Refectory and After Hours – a café by day and wine bar by night. After Hours host fortnightly tutored tastings on Friday evenings to highlight some of the fantastic producers and suppliers that they work with across their restaurants.
Why: Taking place on Friday, it’s Regal Rogue Vermouth Tasting with founder Mark ‘Lord’ Ward. Regal Rogue is the world’s first quaffing vermouth. A distinguished blend of native Australian aromatics from the farthest frontiers, married with 100% Australian fine wine and untamed charisma. The resulting natural, fresh aperitif comes in four delightfully flavourful varieties: the undeniably Lively White, a fearlessly Daring Dry, the gallantly Bold Red and a rampantly Wild Rose. With multiple awards on their shelf, Regal Rogue launched into the UK in 2014 and is leading the charge of the vermouth renaissance.
Price: Not ticketed.
Where: 77-82 Whitechapel High Street, London E1 7QX
Weekend Guide: Saturday 3rd June
3. For a Summer Street Party: The Cheese Truck
What: On Saturday, Mathew Carver will be gathering together street food friends from across the capital for an afternoon of London brews, live music and of course the best grilled cheese in town to see in the summer months at Archie’s newly launched terrace.
Why: Situated in the grade 2 listed Victorian railway arches of Deptford’s Market Yard, Archie’s is the South East outpost of The Cheese Bar and Cheese Truck, just a stone’s throw away from Deptford station. Joining Mathew and the Archie’s team will be London’s newest sorbet maestros, Sloshed who will be plying guests with their signature boozy gin sorbets made with all-natural fruit and East London Liquor company gin, Kernel brewery, pairing their Table Beer with Archie’s classic grilled cheese sandwich.
Price: Free entry.
Where: Archie’s, Arch 12, Deptford Market Yard, London SE8 4BX
4. For a Footy Match: Hawker House
What: Juventus play Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League Final on Saturday at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, and the second best place to see the game is at Hawker House in Canada Water. As half of Hawker House moves outside, to the Land of Bamboo, Street Feast have taken over the Big Room for the night, brought in a giant screen and built stadium seating alongside their killer selection of street food and bars.
Why: Their giant LED screen and surround sound will create a premium viewing experience, with 10 bars to choose from serving craft beers and festival-sized cocktails all night. Hawker House is open from 1pm on Saturdays, with Big Room ‘turnstiles’ open from 6pm. Kick off is at 19.45. There are still tickets left, but grab ‘em quick – they’re selling like hot cakes.
Price: Tickets here.
Where: Hawker House Canada Street Canada Water London SE16 7PJ
5. For Late Night Thai: som saa
What: This Saturday, som saa will fire up the grills post 11pm and serve their favourite Thai street food dishes from the hatch for one of their ‘som saa lates’ sessions. The soundtrack for ‘lates’ will by no means be background, with the DJs from Yam Records taking the mantle this month.
Why: Once regular service has wound down, instead of closing the doors, the som saa kitchen team will stoke the grills back up and keep the woks going. The after hours menu focuses on street food classics and the uncompromising flavours of regional Thailand. From the wok section, feast on dishes like Khao Pad Naem, combining fermented pork, Asian celery and fried rice, and the street stall classic ‘Pad Grapow Gai’ with chicken, snake beans, holy basil, crispy egg and plenty of chilli, stir-fried and served over rice. And the som saa bar will be fully stocked with beer, and other liquid delights.
Price: Free entry
Where: 43A Commercial Street, London E1 6BD
6. For Cake with the Gals: Nyetimber x Balthazar
What: Nyetimber has teamed up with Balthazar’s Head Chef, Robert Reid, to create a taste of the restaurant’s famous brunch and afternoon tea at this summer’s hottest pop-up, The Nyetimber Garden Bar.
Why: The Nyetimber x Balthazar Rosé Brunch includes mini goat’s cheese and hazelnut croustade with red peppers, smoked salmon and lemon crème fraîche blini; a grilled courgette wrap with rocket, parmesan and sun-blushed tomatoes; figs wrapped in Bayonne ham; poached lobster with saffron; and half bottle of Nyetimber’s Rosé sparkling wine. Nyetimber x Balthazar Afternoon Tea features a a selection of sandwiches (classic cucumber, smoked salmon and lemon crème fraiche, coronation chicken and apricot, egg mayonnaise and watercress); scones; rhubarb and pistachio dacquoise; a raspberry macaroon and a lemon drizzle cake, all served with a 37.5cl half bottle of Nyetimber Classic Cuvee.
Price: Click here to purchase tickets
Where: The Nyetimber Garden Bar, Covent Garden, East Piazza
Weekend Guide: Sunday 4th June
7. For a Cocktail Masterclass: Cafe Murano
What: Angela Hartnett’s Cafe Murano will be hosting Italian cocktail masterclasses throughout June as part of London Food Month.
Why: The masterclasses will take place every Sunday in June at the Covent Garden restaurant, and will be lead by head barmen Adam Varga and Andras Gabor. They will explain the history of the cocktail, it’s variations and adaptations, whilst taking guests through the mixing, shaking and tasting of some of Italy’s most iconic drinks. First up: Negroni.
Price: Tickets are £35 and available here.
Where: 36 Tavistock St, London WC2E 7PB
8. For an Italian Banquet: Trullo
What: Trullo – the Islington restaurant from Tim Siadatan and Jordan Freida – will be transporting guests to summers on the Italian coast with a special Campania Feast on Sunday.
Why: Inspired by a trip the Trullo team took to the region earlier they have created a special menu which includes: mussel fritti; sea bass carpaccio with crispy capers; ricotta di buffala, datterini tomatoes and basil; and cuttlefish and raw artichokes. For the main event, dig into braised rabbit with caponata, and there’s Amalfi lemon tart for pud.
Price: For bookings please email enquiries@trullorestaurant.com
Where: 300-302 St Paul’s Rd, Highbury East, London N1 2LH
9. For Family Feasting: Gunpowder x Amandip Uppal
What: Gunpowder, the homestyle Indian kitchen in Spitalfields will welcome Amandip Uppal into the kitchen for a family feast on 4th and 5th June. Author of the cookbook ‘Indian Made Easy’, Amandip will join Gunpowder co-founder, Harneet Baweja and Head Chef, Nirmal Save for an evening of nostalgia that celebrates treasured family recipes and culinary traditions handed down through their ancestors.
Why: In the spirit of the traditional feasts they grew up with, dishes will be designed for sharing, and will draw on flavours and spices which reflect their respective time spent in India – from Harneet and Nirmal’s childhood to Amandip’s extensive travels, visiting relatives and exploring new communities. Championing local ingredients, the menu will include Gunpowder favourites such as Rasam Ke Bomb; Harneet’s Maa’s Kashmiri Lamb Chops; and Sigree Grilled Mustard Broccoli.
Price: Tickets are £35 and bookings are to be made via hello@gunpowderlondon.com
Where: 11 White’s Row, Spitalfields, London E1 7NF
10. For a One-Day Festival: Mighty Hoopla
What: Welcome to the freshest form of revelry as London’s leading club nights join forces for the Mighty Hoopla, bringing their pop phenomenon to East London’s Victoria Park for one super salacious big day out on Sunday. Gathering London’s primo alternative club nights and performance troupes, Sink The Pink, Guilty Pleasures, The Glory, Ultimate Power, Bongo’s Bingo, Masseoke, R&She, We Love Pop and more will take over four stages, with a stellar line-up of world renowned live acts and DJs.
Why: The Sink The Pink Soundsystem will feature a bespoke revue style show featuring Sophie Ellis Bextor with two more huge names TBA accompanied by the Sink the Pink queens. Charlotte Church’s Late Night Pop Dungeon will be in full swing plus the 90s rave up returns with Pump Up The Jam-ers Technotronic feat. Ya Kid K, Snap! (who hit No.1 with The Power and Rhythm is A Dancer) and ‘Where Love Lives’ hit-maker Alison Limerick. Other club nights making up this year’s Hoopla are the premier power ballad night Ultimate Power; the bingo party that’s taken the UK by storm – Bongo’s Bingo; huge karaoke night Masseoke; female only R&B night R&She, We Love Pop (does what it says on the tin); East End performance bar The Glory will take over the bandstand and many more troupes and dancers to be announced who spend most of their Monday’s picking glitter out of their hair.
Price: Tickets here
Where: Victoria Park, London
Photo Credit: Luke Dyson Photography