Not sure what’s on in London this weekend? Whatever the weather, we’ve got you covered. From cocktails, to brunches, markets to gigs, there’s something for everyone on our list of things to do in London this weekend!
Table Of Contents
Where to eat this weekend
From bottomless brunches to dining at the best restaurants in London, here are the food-focused events you should check out in London this weekend.
1. Be wowed by food and song at a gospel brunch
This Sunday (December 17), sit back and enjoy the soulful tones of Pergola on the Wharf‘s choir. The resident musicians return to Canary Wharf this weekend with gospel tunes, providing an uplifting soundtrack to your Sunday brunch.
If you don’t fancy chowing down on chilli chicken lollypops, Benedict muffins, or even a Sunday roast, you’re more than welcome to pop along for a drink or two, simply listen to the music, and enjoy the panoramic views.
2. Fill your stomach with a festive feast, without breaking the bank
Spanish restaurant Brindisa Kitchens has created a two-course menu, priced at £25pp. This limited-time-only menu comprises nibbles, a main, and a dessert: a mix of olives, pickles, and pan de pincel; Arroz al horno (rice with seafood or seasonal veg); and tarta de queso for dessert.
3. Treat yourself to a festive afternoon tea, with Japanese influences
The gorgeous five-star hotel, The Prince Akatoki, blends the experience of quintessential afternoon tea with Japanese influence this holiday season. Instead of simple sandwiches, feast your senses on the likes of turkey teriyaki sliders, shrimp tempura maki, strawberry and white chocolate mochi, and much more. The presentation and the flavours promise to delight.
Available daily, this afternoon tea starts at £55pp, and you can upgrade with optional extras, like a glass of sparkling sake or champers, alongside your tea.
Bars, pubs and nightlife to check out this weekend
Whether you’re looking to let loose at a day party or dance all night, here are the best drinking and party spots to try this weekend.
4. Channel summery Christmas vibes at an Aussie bar
For us Northern Hemisphere folk, Christmas under the hot sun in the height of summer isn’t on our calendar. However, at Soho bar Wacky Wombat, you can get a little taste of the Australian festive season. The team here have created their first seasonal menu since opening a few months back, drawing on ingredients native to Oz, and specifically championing their spin on egg nog.
5. Sample a range of Silverleaf signature drinks, inspired by art, science and design
The prestigeous Silverleaf bar, located at the five-star Pan Pacific hotel, boasts a special menu where cocktails merge the boundaries between art, science, and design. Why not head to the five-star spot near London Liverpool Street to try it yourself this weekend?
The menu is split into four sections – highballs, ferments, cocktails, and Silverleaf signatures – and each cocktail champions two ingredients in a minimalist style. For example, the highball section focuses on fresh fruit and scientific processes to create in-house flavoured waters as mixers. All drinks are garnished with paints, oils, and gels made in-house.
Top cultural attractions to visit this weekend
Here are all of the best art exhibitions, pop-up installations and culturally stimulating things to do in London this weekend.
6. Enter an alternate universe at Netflix’s Rebel Moon Orb
Are you ready for an extraterrestrial adventure this winter? In celebration of the hotly anticipated new sci-fi fantasy thriller Rebel Moon, Netflix is hosting an immersive pop-up at Potter’s Field from December 15–17 and entry is free. Located against the dramatic backdrop of London’s Tower Bridge, Netflix’s Rebel Moon Orb will give visitors a teaser of what’s to come with an epic audiovisual show that will come to life as soon as the sun sets.
Rebel Moon is due to launch on Netflix on December 22, but if you want to see this cinematic masterpiece on the big screen, then you can try your luck at winning tickets to the week-long theatre run at the pop-up. Simply scan the QR codes dotted around the Orb to enter the competition.
7. Visit London’s first permanent music art gallery – for free
London’s first permanent art gallery, dedicated to music art, opened its doors on Berwick Street, Soho, pretty recently. Muphoria is one of the free places to visit in London this weekend, and features work that celebrates the lives and careers of musical icons. Expect to see works inspired by Oasis, The Verve, Suede, The Ramones, Bob Marley, and Whitney Houston. International emerging and established artists are behind the works.
As well as browsing the pieces displayed at Muphoria, visitors can purchase some of the unique creations. This sings “Christmas gift for a music lover” to us.
8. Immerse yourself in Monet’s whimsical world
Step inside the Boiler House, Shoreditch, and you’ll step into the iconic works of Monet. The French artist’s glorious works get the 360-degree treatment at Claude Monet: The Immersive Experience, as the walls are illuminated with floor-to-ceiling projections, and sounds add a new dimension to the masterpieces.
Alongside admiring every brushstroke on a huge scale, there’s a virtual reality experience that’ll almost give you the chance to climb through the frame into his painted universe.
Candlelight Concerts
From timeless classical masterpieces to uplifting pop artists, magical movie soundtracks to smooth jazz, enjoy renditions of popular melodies at a candlelit venue this weekend.
9–10. Get into the festive spirit with a Christmas-themed Candlelight concert
Channel cosy, magical Christmas vibes at Central Hall Westminster this weekend with not one, but two, Christmas-themed Candlelight concerts.
The first, taking place on Friday (December 15), is Candlelight: Christmas Movie Soundtracks. Hear some of the most well-known Christmas scores and tunes from your favourite festive films, played live by the City String Ensemble – the setlist includes All I Want For Christmas from Love Actually, Let It Go from Frozen, and The Maestro from The Holiday, among many others.
The following night (Saturday, December 16), the live musicians will be joined on stage by ballerinas – at various intervals – as the grand hall is filled with the sounds of Candlelight: Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker & More. It’ll be a feast for all the senses as classical music plays, and ballerinas take to the stage lit softly by candlelight.
The hottest new openings in London
We’ve rounded up London’s newest bars, restaurants, food markets, and more for you to check out.
11. Unleash your inhibitions at a sultry new Mayfair club
The team behind Cirque Le Soir, The Windmill, and Reign, has now opened a brand-new spot in Mayfair. Dear Darling is a cocktail bar and lounge that oozes glamour, hedonism, and seduction. Across the two floors, the space tells a story of identity, lust, and loss; the bar-lounge represents the mansion of a widowed matriarch who conceals a kinky side…
The cocktail bar is open every Thursday–Sunday, while specialist performances, such as an intimate shibari show or Soho femme fatale, will take place on selected nights.
Weekend getaways or staycations
Looking for inspiration for your next day trip, weekend staycation or city tour? You’ll find it here.
12. Galivant through Europe’s best Christmas markets, without boarding a single plane
Feeling adventurous this weekend? Grab a rucksack and your passport, and head on a day trip or mini break to the continent. Thanks to Eurostar trains, you can get to some of Europe’s best Christmas markets in the same amount of time it’d take you to get from one end of the Piccadilly Line to the other.
Eurostar collated a suggested itinerary, which will see you visit markets in London, Brussels, the Netherlands and Germany in less than a week, but you can make like Rudolph and forge your own path itinerary.
Secret London Picks
The Secret London team’s top picks for more fun things you can do in London this weekend.
13. Hop into the Häagen-Dazs pop-up after some Christmas shopping
If you’ve left it until one of the busiest shopping weekends of the season to hit up Oxford Street, then you’ll most definitely need a treat to look forward to after battling the crowds. All month long, Häagen-Dazs has a pop-up ice cream shop at John Lewis on Oxford Street, ready to tempt you with an array of flavours – many brand new, and exclusively found at this pop-up in the UK.
Make your way to the third floor of John Lewis for flavours including caramel, biscuit and cream; coffee; and rum and raisin. Vegan-friendly sorbets, and Häagen-Dazs new Affogato (ice cream and espresso), will also be offered.
14. Refine your edible art skills
Looking for something a little different to kickstart your weekend? Icing Lates, a series of evening classes at Notting Hill and Belgravia’s Biscuiteers outposts, may just be the ticket. Taking place on ad-hoc weekday evenings, the sessions will provide an inside look at how these iconic biscuits are decorated, and even give you the chance to try the techniques out yourself. Oh, and you’ll get a glass of fizz too.
Whether you attend with a mate, date, or on your own, you’ll receive your a box of biscuits to take home, plus a 10% discount on a future Biscuiteers purchase.
15. Have a fun-filled Friday evening, thanks to Greggs (yes, that Greggs)
Ah, we do love a Greggs, here at Secret London. A sausage roll, a cheese and onion bake… and a cheesy 00s-themed evening out?! We didn’t have that last one on our regular order, but this Friday afternoon (December 15), the good people at Greggs will be hosting a fun evening out in Shoreditch. Greggs Presents: The Festive Rewind is a three-part throwback party, with each event taking place in a different city; London’s is all about the noughties, and will see none other than Steps’ H and Claire taking to the DJ decks.
If you’re lucky enough to get a ticket, you can shake a leg between 4.30pm-7pm, chow down on pizza slices from the Greggs’ Pizza Van, and sip on delightful Christmas cocktails. Find out more here.
For more brilliant weekend ideas, check out the most dazzling things to do this December in London.
Some features in this article have been paid for by Secret London’s friendly brand partners.
Also published on Medium.