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Welcome back to The Slice!
The London Marathon is this weekend. And while we’ll be cheering on the brave runners of London from home or on the sidelines, we know some of you will be out there putting your best foot forward. Find out where medalists can claim their post-race freebies for some much-needed refueling below.
The race isn’t the only thing hotting up this weekend. Where better to enjoy the heatwave than at one of London’s world class cocktail spots sipping on ice-cold inventive drinks? Find out which three cocktails are breaking barriers this year, as part of Diageo’s World Class GB Cocktail Festival.
Plus: We’ve all seen Pride and Prejudice… but what about Plied and Prejudice? We bring you our official review of the hilarious adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel.
Read on for a whole range of recommendations for 26-27 April, handpicked as always by The Slice.
Welcome to the Slice
The Slice is your weekly guide to what’s happening in London, so if you’re looking for restaurant reviews, drinks deals or just a great new exhibition to visit on a rainy Saturday in the capital, we’ve got you covered.
Click here for this week’s edit of the best things to do in town.
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This week in London
If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, here are 12 of the best activities, dining, and drinking spots in the capital.
1. Raise a glass at the UK’s First Negroni Bar
By Kate Rice
The reign of the spicy margarita is over, long live the negroni. The Alchemist Monument have opened the UK’s first negroni bar, bringing with it six variations of the cocktail from Negroni sour to a non-alcoholic No-groni.
Unsurprisingly, the Classic is a highlight, while the barrel-aged option is a subtle but refined twist on the much-loved original recipe. But it wouldn’t be The Alchemist if there weren’t some more experimental options.
Prefer a fruitier cocktail? The Paradiso is the perfect gateway glug into the negroni world. The chocolate orange in the Pressurised Negroni is a surprising addition to bitter Campari, and alongside an interactive dry-ice presentation, is a clear showstopper. If you’re looking for a quiet drink, it may not be the spot for you. But for fun tunes and good booze in the centre of town, this is a strong addition to the list.
Negronis from £13. 16-18 Eastcheap, Monument, EC3M 1BD. Book here.
2. Try some of the best cocktails at the Diageo World Class GB Cocktail Festival
Calling all cocktail lovers! The Diageo World Class GB Cocktail Festival is currently taking place across London until 27 April and there are some truly unique drinks on offer.
You’ll have the chance to try special menus crafted by top bartenders from Diageo’s top 100 list of best bartenders in Britain.
You can find these pros at a number of the city’s coolest bars, including Bar Kinky, The Connaught, Bacchanalia, The Donovan, and more – and each has its own limited-edition menu featuring drinks made with either Don Julio tequila, The Singleton Whisky or Seedlip.
Here are three standout spots to visit before the festival ends…
The Alchemist’s Smile at The Dover Yard
Best for: the best of both worlds (savoury and sweet)
Head bartender Daniele Mondelli has created some of the most creative and unique drinks I’ve ever seen, with a non-alcoholic and two alcoholic options to choose from. My favourite was The Alchemist’s Smile, which on paper sounds like everything I’d despise in a drink: single malt Scotch whisky, celery and coconut ‘toothpaste’, cucumber, chamomile and bergamot spray. But I guess that’s the alchemy of it all, somehow the ingredients came together to create something magical. The drink also looks fabulous — served with an actual toothbrush, topped with the celery and coconut paste. An all-round wonderful surprise.
Cocktails, £22. 1 Dover Yard, Mayfair. Book here.
The Mesa Redonda at Kwãnt
Best for: grapefruit fans
Two bartenders at Kwãnt made it onto the top 100 list, with Yvonne Chan and Francesco Cercato creating their own drinks to celebrate. Yvonne’s is called The Singleton After Rain and is a smoky and earthy drink, featuring whisky, cedar wood, eucalyptus, pine needle and oak moss soda. Francesco’s Mesa Redonda is a sharper carbonated cocktail with Don Julio Blanco, grapefruit and pandan — it’s a fun, pink drink with a strong grapefruit flavour and a nice fizz.
Cocktails, £18. 52 Stratton Street, Mayfair. Walk-in only.
The Seeds cocktail at The Rivoli Bar, The Ritz London
Best for: enjoying yourself without the next-day headache
If you were ever in need of an excuse to treat yourself to an evening out at The Ritz, this is it. Astonishingly, the world class drink here is a mocktail, so you won’t even have a headache the morning after. Bartender David Riera’s creation is called Seeds and contains Seedlip Garden 108, Blueberry shrub and Birch Soda Water. It’s a simple, yet visually striking drink with a deep, luscious red hue, containing a pyramid of ice that looks like a giant gemstone. The best part? It tastes as good as it looks.
Cocktails from £25. The Rivoli Bar at The Ritz London. Book here.
3. Taste Indian food with a view over the Tower of London
‘This is such a happy place,’ says Ab Fab actress Helen Lederer as we sit down at the Tower Bridge branch of Gunpowder, a small but mighty chain of modern Indian restaurants that has held a Michelin Bib Gourmand at its OG site in Spitalfields since 2016.
Looking out at the panoramic view over the Tower of London, where Guido Fawkes was held at his Majesty’s displeasure, we clink our huge G&Ts to ‘gunpowder, treason and plot.’ First, we tuck into crispy dosa balls with potato and spices atop a shot glass of sambal. ‘It’s like a delicious spicy bonbon,’ says Helen.
Other hits that arrive at our groaning table include saag with tandoori paneer, a grilled Barnsley lamb chop in Kashmiri ghee and marinated chicken served with Gunpowder slaw (which we both agree is tip-top). Despite feeling very full, I remind myself of the restaurant reviewer’s oath to try each course. Happily, the Old Monk rum bread and butter pudding is a star turn!
As a tribute to the much-missed India Club, on the last Sunday of the month, Gunpowder Tower Bridge and Soho will celebrate festivals such as Easter (27 April), Moatsu (25 May), Eid (29 June) and the Mango Season Festival (27 July) with six courses for £25.
Sharing plates from £21. 4 Duchess Walk, Tower Bridge, SE1 2SD. Book here.
4. Indulge at a once old-school chippy, now a rustic pintxo bar
A trip to Tollington’s on an unseasonably hot spring day made me feel like I’d just been on a plane to Spain rather than a sweaty Piccadilly line train. The tiny restaurant was once an old-school chippy, which has since been transformed into a rustic pintxo bar that wouldn’t look out of place on a back street in Barcelona.
It’s the second remodel from the team behind critically-acclaimed pub The Plimsoll, and their fishy sharing menu is designed for the perfect laid-back European dinner. Share steamed octopus salad with a fresh, zingy fennel dressing, a plump scallop in fiercely smoky chorizo oil, and catch of the day drizzled in peri peri sauce straight from the plancha (warning: the lamp-lit back room is not bright enough for effective filleting, so watch out for bones), plus little glasses of £2.50 Estrella to sip on.
Just promise to order the chips – top-notch chippy style chunks slathered in aioli and paprika-spiked bravas sauce.
Tapas from £5. 172 Tollington Park, Finsbury Park, N4 3AJ. Book here.
5. Get these London marathon freebies
It’s the annual London Marathon this week. If you’re braving it this year, plenty of restaurants and bars have got you covered as a little treat for running a whole 26.2 miles…
Lush stores in London are giving away two free products from their new magnesium range (a bath bomb and a massage bar) to help runners with their recovery. Head down between 27 April-30 April and show your medal to a member of staff.
Fancy a free pint? Vinegar Yard in London Bridge is offering a free pint to all 2025 London Marathon runners. Claim by showing staff your medal on race day.
Get a perfectly grilled Argentinian steak on the house at Gaucho from race day until 1 May. Just show your medal to a member of staff. Find plenty more marathon freebies here.
6. Get Tickets to Squid Game: The Experience
Tickets for Squid Game: The Experience go on sale this Friday. Fans of the hit Netflix show will have the chance to participate in their very own version of Squid Game at Immerse LDN.
You’ll make your way through five challenges inspired by the show across a 60 minute session including the famous ‘Red Light, Green Light’. Get your tickets here!
7. Try inventive cocktails at brand-new cocktail bar Parasol
Can London ever have too many cocktail bars? The more the merrier is what we say. New cocktail bar Parasol opens in Dalston on 1 May.
Look forward to late night cocktails, like the Yuk Fu which is a unique blend of El Gobernador Pisco, Green Chartreuse and lemongrass – plus a rotation of DJs.
8. Want 50% off pizza? Read on
Common Pizza UK, a new open-air pizza spot has just opened on Clapham Common, serving up NYC-style pizzas and deep-pan Detroit pies.
To celebrate its opening, you can get 50% off their menu for a whole month. Sign up to their mailing list to get their discount.
9. Try a Taiwanese bottomless brunch
Mr Bao’s new Taiwanese bottomless brunch menu involves a blend of classic breakfast dishes and punchy East Asian flavours. Think brunch dumplings made with Taiwanese sausage and smoked bacon, and spring onion pancakes. Yum!
Sharers start at £3.50 and bao at £4.80. Bottomless cocktails are £24 for an hour. Book here.
10. Get your hands on tacos and cocktails for £10
Gran Luchito has teamed up with renowned chef, Sophie Wyburd, for a one-night-only Mexican supper club.
Tickets are just £10 for a multi-course taco menu and cocktails, with all proceeds going to The Felix Project which tackles food waste and feeds people experiencing hunger. Book your spot here!
11. Find some cool jewellery at Coal Drops Yard’s Indie Jewellers’ Market
An Indie Jewellers’ Market takes place between 1-5 May, with over 80 designer-makers and boutique brands from across London and the UK.
From futuristic statement pieces evoking the Berlin techno scene; to elegant art deco-inspired design. Just head down to Coal Drops Yard in Kings Cross.
12. You’ve heard of Pride and Prejudice… well what about Plied and Prejudice?
Raise a glass to the Aussie cast of Plied & Prejudice, who have come from Down Under to turn Waterloo’s quirky underground venue The Vaults into a gaudy catwalk that’s part Pemberley, part RuPaul’s Drag Race. And with waiters bringing cocktails to your seat throughout the performance, you are fully encouraged to, as well as filming, heckling, and all the other naughty things you’re not usually allowed to do in the theatre.
The waiters aren’t the only ones running around; there are 20 characters in Plied and Prejudice, and only five actors. Cue hysterical costume changes and breakneck banter as Mr Darcy flips between various Bennett sisters and back again. Surprisingly, it’s all still vaguely faithful to the book, with a fair few references to movie moments Austen fans will swoon over (The wet shirt competition! The hand clench! Keira Knightley’s jaw!).
In all, a high camp, bawdy romp which should absolutely be enjoyed at least a little bit plied. And that’s without counting the after-party… Bottoms up!
Until 18 May. Tickets from £19, The Vaults, Waterloo. Book here.
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