The August Bank Holiday weekend is almost here, and London's food scene is making a strong case for staying in the city. From a new Mayfair steakhouse and a three-day chef pop-up to Notting Hill Carnival, a pie party and a Sunday trip to Andalusia, here's what to eat and drink in London this week.
Mayfair Gets a Live-Fire Steakhouse
Cordelia's Mayfair is a new steakhouse taking over the old L'Atelier Robuchon site on Clarges Street on Wednesday bringing the theatre of live-fire cooking to London's most affluent neighbourhood. The menu will have an emphasis on British cuts, aged in-house, as well as Galician beef, Finnish Sashi, and Italian Parmesan-fed beef. Head Chef Jordi Sebastianelli and his team will be working front and centre at the restaurant's open charcoal grill. Later in the evening, DJs and live music will turn Cordelia's into more of a late-night hangout... it is Mayfair, after all.
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The Final Week of Plated Dining Festival
If you're looking for an excuse to eat your way around Chelsea and Knightsbridge before August disappears, you have until the end of this week to make the most of Plated. The month-long food festival brings together more than 30 restaurants, bars and hotels across the two neighbourhoods, with exclusive menus, limited-edition dishes and dining offers running until 31 August. Over at Sticks'n'Sushi Chelsea, you can get stuck into a special Temaki Mori hand roll experience, while Willett's at The Cadogan is offering £2 oysters and sausage rolls during its daily 5–7pm Willett's Hour. It's basically a very good excuse to spend the last week of summer eating your way around west London!
Get your Mexican fix
If you're after something a little less formal, Crudelia is bringing its female-led Mexican street food pop-up to Bruno in Victoria Park until Sunday 30 August. Chef Kat's menu takes inspiration from her Oaxacan roots and London kitchens, with the kind of comforting, flavour-packed food that makes a very convincing case for extending summer indefinitely. It's a particularly good one to have on your radar if a trip to Victoria Park already sits in your Bank Holiday itinerary.
Quince Bakery's Pie Party
If you've somehow made it through the Bank Holiday weekend without eating enough, there's one more reason to leave the house on Monday. Quince Bakery is hosting its third annual Pie Party on Bank Holiday Monday, 31 August, bringing together some of London's best independent bakers for one gloriously pie-filled afternoon. Anna Higham will be opening the ovens to guest bakers including Bake Street, Decatur, Lucky Yu Bakery and Hamblin Bread, with each bringing their own pie to the table for one day only. The event kicks off at 12pm and runs until sold out, so this is one where arriving hungry, and preferably early, is probably a good idea.
Take a Sunday trip to Andalusia
Luna, the Shad Thames wine bar, bistro and bottleshop from the founders of Legare, is launching Eurosummer this Sunday 30 August, a new series of kitchen takeovers celebrating European food and drink. First stop is Andalusia, with a sharing menu of Gildas, gambas al ajillo, marinated octopus and churros, alongside a Spanish wine list featuring Cava, Txakoli, Rioja and, naturally, plenty of Sherry. The series continues in September with a trip to the Greek Cyclades.
Warm up for Carnival with Saxon Sound System
If you're planning to make a weekend of Notting Hill Carnival, Boisdale Canary Wharf is getting the party started a little earlier with a Carnival warm-up on Saturday 29 August. The evening will feature the legendary Saxon Sound System, bringing a taste of Carnival's sound-system culture to Canary Wharf ahead of the main event. It's a good option if you fancy getting into the spirit of the weekend before heading west on Sunday and Monday. And, as you'd expect from a Boisdale party, there'll be plenty of food and drink to keep you going while the music takes centre stage. Boisdale Canary Wharf's Carnival Warm-Up takes place on Saturday 29 August.
Make a day of Notting Hill Carnival
And then, of course, there's the event itself. Notting Hill Carnival returns over the Bank Holiday weekend, taking over west London from 29–31 August with its usual combination of music, dancing, colourful costumes and plenty of Caribbean food. While the Carnival itself is reason enough to head west, come hungry. This is the weekend for jerk chicken, curry goat, roti, fried plantain and patties, preferably eaten while wandering the streets rather than sitting politely at a table.
