What to eat, drink and do in London this weekend (July 26-27)

Metro

4 days ago

Welcome back to The Slice!
It's National Tequila Day tomorrow and we're celebrating hard at The Slice. So if the weather isn't doing anything to pick you up, at least a few sips of tequila will. Treat yourself to Mango Margaritas at Pergola Brixton and a Chilli and Cherry Margarita at the Miris y Maíz Paradise pop-up. Plus, we're telling you exactly where to find two for the price of one.
We're also trying not one but three new restaurant openings we'd be mad not to tell you about. Read on for our honest review of sleek seafood bistro Noisy Oyster, bakery-restaurant hybrid Hello Jojo and ZULA Burger all the way over from Istanbul.
Read on for a whole range of recommendations for 26-27 July in London, handpicked as always by 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.
The Slice newsletter also a brand new look! We'll still be in your inbox every week, bringing you all the very best things to eat, drink and do in the capital. So if you want get the next edition before anyone else, sign up here!
If you want to do it all on the cheap, you can also find our latest batch of exclusive hand-picked offers in partnership with Time Out here.
If you're looking for something to do this weekend, here are 13 of the best activities, dining, and drinking spots in the capital.
By Lola Christina Alao
I could have sworn I'd walked into an art gallery when I turned into Nicholls Clarke Yard in Shoreditch, home to Noisy Oyster. The monochrome, futuristic space wouldn't look out of place at Tate Modern. But the food is still the Beyoncé of the night. The ultra-sleek new seafood spot is brought to you by Anna Dolgushina and Madina Kazhimova, the duo behind Soho's Firebird.
The mini martinis are so smooth and delicious that I have to ration my sips, while oysters are served two ways: classic with shallot vinegar and lemon or dressed with smoked tomato water and horseradish crème fraîche.
As an oyster newbie, I play it simple. A luxurious bed of five oysters arrive, some from Cornwall and some from Ireland. 'If I don't like them, at least they were nice to look at,' I thought. Spoiler: I loved them. The Cornish oysters are smaller and more briny, but both are refreshingly tasty.
The rest of the dishes look handcrafted by God (and taste like it too): neon orange salmon roe sitting on top of creamy whipped butter and Guinness bread. Oh-so-crispy hasselback potato on top of generous lashings of bottarga and sour cream. And a sultry dessert I can't turn down: irresistible bites of vanilla soft serve with brown butter caramel, churros and caviar. A salty-sweet pairing of dreams. We're making some noise about Noisy Oyster… we want everyone to know about it.
💸 Oysters from £5.50, starters from £10, mains from £16. 2, Nicholls Clarke Yard, Shoreditch, E1 6SH. Book here.
By Sophie Laughton
It's not really a secret anymore, but it's about time I wrote about it after eating my way along it for three years. Home to the likes of Silk Road, Theos Pizzeria, and the formidable Camberwell Arms, Camberwell's Church Street can confidently claim to be one of London's foodiest roads. The newest neighbour on the block, Hello Jojo, fits right in. It's easy to spot with its bright blue facade and jolly red windows – and the colourful, characterful setting is a hint of the sheer joie de vivre in their cooking.
There are some absolute stunners on the menu: a huge hunk of warm ripple bread, pickled and sautéed courgettes over fresh ditalini pasta, and a surprising Bunny Chow doughnut (curried aubergine in a pastry? It works). My new favourite dessert is down to an underground South London honey network that apparently shows up at the back door to supply the restaurant – a pretty pale honey custard and jelly studded with tiny elderflower petals (you can try out their honey buns in the morning – Hello Jojo's a bakery too). Throw in the fact the house wine is £6 and the prices actually match the size of the plates and there's no surprise why they've had a very warm welcome so far.
Snacks from £4, mains from £8, desserts from £8. 31 Camberwell Church St, Camberwell, SE5 8TR. Book here.
SEA LIFE London and Resting Reef have teamed up to explore new ways to restore the endangered marine habitats, with families having their loved ones' ashes made into reef structures.
You can see the two coral reef displays at SEA LIFE London now, one of which is the largest clownfish tank in the UK. Find out more.
By Ross McCafferty
When you hear 'popular Istanbul chain comes to London' your mind immediately goes to the arm-based seasoning exploits of Salt Bae and his overpriced, Insta-friendly steaks. Nothing could be further from the vibe at newly-opened burger joint ZULA, in a bright airy space a stone's throw from Marble Arch station. There may have been something of a backlash against brioche in recent years, but at ZULA they are unapologetic about making their freshly baked brioche rolls the centrepiece of their burger offering.
I tried the basic burger (standard cheese, caramelised onion, pickle, and truffle mayo) and the fake mac (as the name suggests, a twist on the McDonald's classic Big Mac). Both burgers are fresh and tasty, though the buns are a little too overwhelming for the relatively thin, if obviously high-quality, patty.
The hidden gem of the small menu, however, is the frankfurter, a flavourful hot dog on a halved brioche bun with a fantastic mustard, relish, cheese and herbs topping. £15 for a basic burger and (admittedly delicious) cajun fries might not feel like the best value, but for London in 2025, and the speed of service and quality of the food, it's pretty decent.
Burgers from £10.50. Frankfurter hot dog, £10.50. 5 Old Quebec St, Marble Arch, W1H 7AF. Just walk in!
Best for: stunning views
We love a good deal at The Slice. And this is a fiesta we just can't refuse, with 2-for-1 margaritas, like the Toca (with el rayo blanco, fresh lime juice, agave and lava salt) and the Hibiscus (volcan blanco, cucumber, hibiscus, basil and lime). All at one of the most stunning spots in London, with 360-views over the city and beautiful green foliage.
From £16 for two margaritas. Madera at Treehouse. Book here.
Best for: a fiesta!
Revel in the sunshine as Pergola Brixton transforms into a tequila paradise for their Tequila Week, a five-day fiesta running from 23-27 July in partnership with Altos Tequila.
Expect expertly crafted cocktails that scream summer, like the Sparkling Elderflower Paloma and the Mango Margarita. Plus, when you're peckish, pop to Mexican spot Jalisco and enjoy some Mexican dishes.
Cocktails from £11.50. Pergola Brixton. Book here.
Best for: the fusion of the summer
A six-week summer residency lands at Paradise from 24 July. Expect a blend of Sri Lankan and Mexican flavours, like the coal roasted prawn with ancho-chilli.
Plus a unique take on tequila classic cocktails just in time for National Tequila Day – including a Chilli and Cherry Margarita, elevated with arrack, malu-miris chilli, pepper, chipotle and oat milk.
Food from £4. Paradise Soho. Book here.
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A new wine bar has opened in Fitzrovia… and it's tiny! One of London's smallest wine bars, in fact.
It comes from the founders of the Latin American restaurant group Crudo Cocina Latina and combines a curated wine list with bold Latin American small plates and snacks. Book here.
Little Fires is the city's newest Mexican-inspired cocktail and late-night bar on Bethnal Green Road. They've got an exciting menu full of bold Oaxacan snacks like tostadas, elotes and ceviche – as well as fun, vibrant drinks. Officially opening on 25 July. Book here.
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You probably don't know that Gaucho do an irresistible £15 steak deal. That's right. You can get a 180g expertly grilled Argentine rump steak, served with perfectly golden chips.
Available Monday to Friday, from opening until 6:30pm, across all Gaucho locations nationwide.
We know how you can get a free cocktail in Shoreditch until 5 August! In celebration of Eden Lounge by Sinners new all-day restaurant, café, co-working and social space, you can claim your free drink just by saying this secret password: 'Heaven or Hell'. Cheers!
Now's your chance to try the 'best' restaurant in the US as it officially comes to London for one day only.
Dining at the modern Mexican-British fusion restaurant will set you back £250, but you can expect to try delicious bites like a langoustine taco. Metro's specialist food writer Courtney tells you more here.
For one weekend only, Carshalton Lavender invites you to spend some quiet time picking your own lavender.
26-27 July, 10am-5pm. Tickets, £1.50 or £5 including your own bunch of lavender. Book here.
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Look forward to a summer of FREE events at Camden Market. On 27 July, Britain's Got Talent contestants will perform fun, uplifting songs at The Big Sing. It's a day of great music and community you won't want to miss out on.
From the team behind Prima Facie, Inter Alia stars Rosamund Pike (Saltburn) as Jessica Parks – a smart and compassionate eminent London Crown Court Judge. Jessica is forced to reckon her professional life and role as wife, mother, friend and feminist. More Trending
The play is described as a searing examination of modern masculinity and motherhood, and follows her as an event threatens to throw her life completely off balance. Will she be able to keep her family upright?
Inter Alia. National Theatre. Until 13 September. Tickets from £25. Book here.
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