A heatwave, a bigger and better Darjeeling Express, free iced coffees, and two for one ramens. London summer has been the gift that keeps on giving.
Spice up Your Tuesday with Hawksmoor Martini Bar & Long Island Bar NYC Collab
On Tuesday, the Martini Bar at Hawksmoor St. Pancras is teaming up with New York’s legendary Long Island Bar. Liam Davy, Head of Bars at Hawksmoor, will be joined by Long Island Bar owner Toby Cecchini who is also widely credited with creating the modern Cosmo cocktail we all know and love. Toby is one of the most influential figures in contemporary cocktail culture and has written extensively on food, wine and spirits for publications including The New York Times, GQ and Food & Wine. For one evening only, guests will be able to enjoy a special menu featuring Hawksmoor Martini Bar classics alongside some of Toby’s signature serves from across the pond, with the likes of his Beefsteak Martini and The Long Island Gimlet staying on the cocktail menu throughout the month of July. The collaboration will also see Long Island Bar’s infamous burgers making a special appearance for the night. All cocktails are £10! Don't risk it, book your table at thehawksmoor.com.
Bar ALTA, ALTA's Chilled Little Sister, Opens its Doors
The ground floor of Soho's Michelin Guide Listed ALTA will become Bar ALTA from tomorrow, June 23rd. The more casual floor will offer guests a different style of dining, designed to capture the relaxed aperitif and pintxos culture of Northern Spain. Think Grilled Flatbread with Green Romesco & Manchego, Spiced Cecina with Kampot Peppercorn Oil, and Corn-Fed Chicken with Fermented Chilli & Chicken Crumbare to share. To match Bar ALTA’s unfussy dining style, the restaurant's ground floor now has additional high-top and counter seating with kitchen views. Drinks will remain central to the Bar ALTA experience, with a greater emphasis on wines by the glass, alongside a rotating selection of vermouths and sherries. Bookings now open here!
Uncle Hon’s BBQ World Cup Screening Series
Uncle Hon's BBQ is hosting a series of live England World Cup screenings on a 150-inch screen. Not only that, but for each match, the kitchen smokes a signature dish from the opposing nation's cuisine. Doors open at 5pm on all match days and food is served street style, with benches and communal tables. For tomorrow's England vs Ghana match, on the menu is Kyinkyinga - grilled meat, onion and pepper skewer coated in a traditional spice mix served with rice, salad and pickles. Supporters of all teams are warmly welcomed and if there's reason to celebrate, stay on for DJ and dancing after the final whistle! Book your table here.
National Ceviche Day
Bored of Sunday roasts? This Sunday is also National Ceviche Day, and what better place to celebrate than Señor Ceviche! Highlights on their limited-edition menu for the occasion include the tuna ceviche with coconut and ají amarillo, sea bass tiradito with coriander and spinach emulsion, and a tropical ceviche of sea bass and octopus with mango and sweet potato purée. Guests can pair their ceviche with Señor Ceviche’s signature pisco cocktails, including the Nikkei Iced Tea, Señor Negroni and Lima Espresso Martini, as well as fruity pisco-infused shooters to finish. While it sounds a lot more exciting than beef and gravy, if you can't make it on Sunday, the menu runs from today until 6th July to showcase Peru’s most iconic dish.
Gordon Ramsay's Phone Box Takeover
On Friday 26 June, Gordon Ramsay Hell's Kitchen is taking over a phone box on Shelton Street with Hell's Hotline. For one day only, members of the public can pick up the phone and find Gordon Ramsay himself on the other end. Depending on which call they get, they'll either walk away with a prize or a classic Hell's Kitchen roasting. Ten prizes are up for grabs throughout the day, including an overnight stay at The Cumberland Hotel with dinner at Hell's Kitchen, the Idiot Sandwich experience for two, and dinner for four. The activation is free to attend and runs from 10am–6pm!
Be the first through the door at Birchwood
Will Devlin's first London venture has officially landed in Covent Garden, bringing the chef's acclaimed farm-to-table approach from Kent to the capital. Housed inside The Conduit, Birchwood launches as an all-day café and wine bar serving produce-led dishes sourced from Devlin's own farms, alongside natural wines, pastries, sandwiches and seasonal small plates. With sustainability at its core and a rooftop restaurant still to come later in the year, Birchwood is one of the most anticipated openings of the month, and a welcome addition to London's growing crop of ingredient-focused restaurants. Secure your table here!
Ivan Ramen Reopens In Farringdon
After its refurbishment, Ivan Orkin's London ramen shop reopens this week with a tachigui (standing-eating) concept and more importantly, a 2 for 1 Shoyu Ramen or Veggie Truffle Ramen until Sunday! If you've missed one of London's most influential ramen names, this is the week to revisit it.
Taste The Orient Festival
Today marks the start of the week long, city-wide celebration of Asian food and drink. Taste the Orient Festival brings together more than 40 restaurants and bars for a programme of exclusive menus, cocktail pairings and limited-edition collaborations. Created by The Orientalist Spirits in partnership with London Cocktail Week, the festival showcases flavours from across East and Southeast Asia through special dishes, tasting experiences and one-off drinks available only during the event. Free to attend with no tickets or wristbands required, it's a no-brainer really. For more information on participating bars and restaurants such as Sticks n Sushi, Lucy Wong, and Map Maison, visit the Taste of Orient website.
Darjeeling Express Opens the Doors to its New Location
Asma and her all-female team have been on the move! The new Darjeeling Express opens its doors today on Rupert Street, the side-street off China Town's main strip that is also home to the likes of Speedboat Bar. The 130-seat venue spreads across two floors, making it a size up from the Kingly Court location. The restaurant will be serving all of Asma's recipes we know and love. If you're new to Asma and the Darjeeling Express, you can watch her show Secrets of the Curry Kitchen, where she shares the secrets behind her restaurant kitchen’s most mouth-watering dishes.
Zoo Nights Street Food Pop-Ups
Returning for a series of adults-only evenings at the London Zoo, Zoo Nights combines after-hours access to the animal exhibits with a lineup of street-food traders, pop-up cocktail bars and summer food stalls spread throughout the grounds. Taking place on Friday 27 June, the event gives visitors the chance to wander the zoo without the crowds whilst eating, sipping, and enjoying the live entertainment.
FREE ICED COFFEE. WE REPEAT, FREE ICED COFFEE
Saving the best 'til last, KitchenAid arrives on London's South Bank and across the city with two days of free iced coffee. The KitchenAid Iceperience lands at Bernie Spain Gardens (just next to the OXO Tower) on Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th June, from 8am to 8pm, and it's completely free to attend. Visitors can create their own personalised café-quality iced coffee using the KitchenAid KF4 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine with Iced Coffee, plus there are exclusive recipes from Food Network's very own Ravneet Gill (@ravneeteats). Beyond the drinks, there are ice sculptures, summer vibes, and on Thursday evening, iced coffee-inspired sundowners as the day winds down. Two lucky visitors will also be in with a chance of winning a KitchenAid KF4, worth £899.
KitchenAid, the heatwave saviour we didn't know we needed.
