Welcome back to the Slice, your weekly guide to what’s on in London.
What’s the end of the year without a countdown? The Slice has been digging into the archives to find our favourite London spots of 2023, from moody underground bars and the finest fine dining rooms, to mindboggling VR shows and West End showstoppers. The best bit? They’ll all still be open next year…
Food & Drink
#10 Stanley’s Chelsea
The Slice says: More elegant than a pub, and more relaxing than a high-end bar, Stanley’s Chelsea is a West London oasis with exceptionally good food. The courtyard’s charming decor adapts to the changing seasons (it’s currently festooned with frosted foliage for winter) and manages to pull off a ‘too good to Instagram’ atmosphere. Everything is cooked, seasoned and presented to perfection. Dishes like the crab crumpet and the ham croquettes have no business being as spectacular as they are. Food this good, at this price, doesn’t come around often.
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Small plates from £4, mains from £19. 151 Sydney Street, Chelsea.
#9 Cafe KOKO
The Slice says: We’ve spent many a Friday night on KOKO’s infamous dancefloor, but now it’s Saturday afternoon’s turn in the spotlight. Round the back of the iconic Camden venue you’ll find a delicious slice of 1990s Brooklyn – all whitewashed brick walls, tile floors, and seriously cool artwork. Between the rather dignified hours 11.30am to 4pm, they spin RnB classics and serve up NYC-style pizzas and gooey Sicilian Baked Eggs topped with fiery nduja (make sure you get the mini roasties as a side!) while the super friendly team keep those bottomless mimosas well topped up. And all for just £35! We think this might be London’s ultimate hangover cure.
£35pp. Saturdays, 74 Crowndale Road, Camden.
Editor’s Pick: I was hungover when I visited, and those spicy, silky eggs saved my life ahead of an ambitious schlep around Regent’s Park. Or maybe it was the restorative power of my never-quite-empty mimosa… Sophie, Newsletter Editor.
#8 WC
The Slice says: It was with some reluctance that The Slice’s resident dating veteran shared his fave spot: WC, a pair of bars that have set up shop in two of London’s abandoned water closets (he likes the Clapham one). Expect original Victorian tiling, charcuterie boards stacked with tasty sharers and a very reasonable drinks list. It’s rather romantic for a loo! Finger’s crossed the date doesn’t go down the drain…
Cocktails from £8.50. Locations in Clapham and Bloomsbury.
Editor’s Pick: The atmosphere inside is calm and intimate, dimly lit and (thankfully) quiet enough so you can have an actual conversation – a rarity in a lot of London’s bars. Jeremy, The Slice writer.
#7 Cord by Le Cordon Bleu
The Slice says: Le Cordon Bleu is synonymous with culinary excellence, and the legendary school’s restaurant, Cord, is essentially a place to show off about that. And we mean show off – tables for two are aimed at a vast window into the kitchen, where toque-wearing chefs slice, dice and flambé for a captive audience. The theatre continues onto the plate; the Highland Venison is served fresh from the forest, sizzling on hot coals laden with smoking cinnamon sticks and an enormous plume of foliage. Let the sommelier pair with something excellent from the curated wine list and savour the performance.
Mains from £28. 85 Fleet Street, The City.
#6 Freak Scene
The Slice says: Scott Hallsworth is not only one of the best chefs in London, he’s one of the nicest blokes, too. After growing up in Western Australia, Scott trained in Michelin-starred restaurants as a teenager, perfecting Japanese cuisine, while retaining his straightforward and likeable Australian approach. With the help of The Last Leg star Adam Hills, Scott combined the two for Freak Scene, a stripped back and vibey ‘AustralAsian’ restaurant with a new branch at Parsons Green. Expect gleefully succulent pork belly and rare wasabi tobiko.
Mains from £10. 28 Parsons Green Lane, Fulham.
#5 Bandra Bhai
The Slice says: Sneak to the back of the striking Pahli Hill – a brightly coloured family restaurant on Fitzrovia’s Mortimer Street – and creep down a velvet lined staircase. The lighting gets moodier, and the neat painted artwork smudges into blurry punk photos of Bollywood celebs. You’re no longer in a posho enclave off Oxford Street – you’ve entered a centuries old smuggling den, resplendent with sultry live music and showy-offy peacocks. It’s all inspired by Mumbai’s coastal Bandra suburb, where illicit traders drank, sang and socialised while flogging naughty goods to European traders. Keep your eyes peeled for creamy rich mango cocktails, plus date and whiskey mixtures, vented in smoke and served delectably foggy.
79-81 Mortimer Street, Fitzrovia.
#4 Dans Le Noir
The Slice says: Dining in the dark might sound gimmicky, but as soon as you enter Dans Le Noir you realise there’s nothing else quite like it out there – no wonder the restaurant has remained eternally popular. And when they say ‘dark’, they mean pitch black. Upon arriving, you’re guided into the Farringdon dining room by a staff member who is themselves blind or partially sighted. Once seated, senses shift: noise becomes louder, smells stronger, and bizarrely, taste less clear. Dans Le Noir offers a unique, theatrical and memorable meal out, as well as affording a new appreciation for the difficulties faced by partially sighted people in a noisy, busy city like London.
Set menus from £52, 69-73 St John Street, Farringdon.
Editor’s Pick: I’ve wanted to dine here ever since that scene in About Time! Our reviewer was particularly impressed by the restaurant’s commitment to accessibility, from hiring visually impaired wait staff to providing tailored, allergen-free menus. Sophie, Newsletter Editor.
#3 The Silver Birch
The Slice says: Every London neighbourhood has a gem that locals would rather we didn’t shout about, and Chiswick’s is undeniably The Silver Birch. Fronted by Michelin-starred chef Nathan Cornwell, the food is inventive, eclectic, and highly seasonal, served in a parade of tiny, perfectly-portioned courses. Starters and mains on the frequently changing menu all feature descriptors like ‘foraged’, references to British counties, and flecks of genius. Though the à la carte is on the pricey side, the £42 lunch menu must be one of the best-priced fine dining experiences in London. Well worth the District Line trek.
Mains from £28. 142 Chiswick High Road.
#2 Apothecary East
The Slice says: Walking out of Apothecary East comes with a profound sense of smugness. Mainly because – aside from just having a delightful dinner – you will realise you have found THE new place to bring your friends for a sake bomb-fuelled feast. Vegetarian and vegan options outshine their meat and fish counterparts here – don’t get me wrong, the pork belly was succulent and the salmon dragon rolls were fresh and light, but the red pepper sushi and black cauliflower were simply outstanding. Truly wonderful service on top makes this a must-return – with pals in tow, of course.
Seasonal feasting menus start from £55 for two people. 36 Charlotte Road, Shoreditch.
#1 Akara
The Slice says: The interior of Akara is simplicity at its most beautiful. The cream colour palette, the walls and arches of exposed brick and the warm lighting create a sophisticated, effortlessly cool atmosphere. You might expect tiny portions of ultra-refined food in such a setting, but instead, every (generously portioned) dish is a knockout. The eponymous fritter, a staple West African dish that’s perfectly crispy on the outside and smooth on the inside, is miraculous; select from fillings including ox cheek and tiger prawn, paired with a rich, silky hot sauce. One for the must-visit list.
Akara from £7, mains from £10. 18 Stoney Street, Borough Market.
Editor’s Pick: This is the gem of a restaurant I always hope to find each time I sit down to review. It has it all, from the food (best I’ve had all year), to the decor and the reasonable prices. Take one bite of their akara and try telling us it doesn’t deserve top spot on this list. Jeremy, The Slice writer.
Events & Experiences
#5 Illusionaries
The Slice says: Reports of Canary Wharf’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. Hidden between its skyscrapers are some of London’s coolest cultural niches. The trippiest of these is the new Illusionaries project, a multi-sensory art ‘odyssey’ designed to stimulate pure awe. But it’s not all super deep and artsy. Illusionaries also works as pure, magical spectacle, with its crystal sharp projections and careful reflections giving the impression that you’re floating around the galleries. It’s all pretty overwhelming, and quite shockingly fresh.
From £27. Crossrail Place, Canary Wharf.
#4 Bubble Planet
The Slice says: Floating onto the London scene is Bubble Planet, an immersive exhibition that’s just opened in Wembley. Walking through its 11 themed rooms is like sinking into a Disneyfied bubble bath: everything has a pink-purple tinge and the imaginative landscapes look soft and toy-like. Kids run free, sending waves of balloons soaring into the air, leaving us adults to slither into the gigantic ball pit. There’s even a VR room where you sit in hanging egg chairs, transported to what can only be described as a five-year-old’s guess of what a ‘Bubble Planet’ might look like. The whole thing is a wonderfully whimsical escape from reality. Why should kids have all the fun? Check the trailer for the experience out here.
Adults from £24, kids from £16. 22 Fulton Road, Wembley.
#3 For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy
The Slice says: As life-affirming as it is gut-wrenching, this poetic drama refracts issues around young Black male identity through six boys at a group therapy session. With so many weighty subjects covered, what’s remarkable is how light on its feet the whole thing feels, thanks to Calais Cameron’s nimble, lyrical writing, beautifully expressive choreography from movement director Theophilus O Bailey, and the actors’ superlative ensemble playing. It’s a must-see – read our full five-star review here.
Returning to the Garrick Theatre in 29 February – 4 May. Tickets on sale now from £15.
#2 Horizon of Khufu VR Experience
The Slice says: You’re drifting down the Nile on a royal barge, watching fishermen casting their nets into the reeds as you float towards a gleaming white temple at the base of a vast pyramid. But this isn’t Ancient Egypt – you’re in Westfield shopping centre, undertaking an immersive expedition deep into the Great Pyramid of Khufu through the power of VR.
With an enthusiastic digital Egyptologist and a giant talking cat goddess as your guide, crawl inside the sacred tomb of the Pharaoh, soar above the necropolis, and even attend King Khufu’s funeral. There may not be quite enough facts to satisfy a true Egyptophile, but the sublime animation and infinitesimal attention to detail – the rising smoke of a funerary brazier, the shadows against the pyramid at sunrise, the sounds of modern day Giza humming in the distance – make this experience unmissable. You’ll need a head for heights, though! Watch the trailer here for a sneak preview.
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Tickets from £22 (50% off until 3 January), Westfield Stratford City, 157 Montfichet Rd, Stratford.
#1 Operation Mincemeat
The Slice says: This delightful wartime farce from young theatre company SpitLip tells the true story – also the subject of a Colin Firth film last year – of an ingenious World War II ruse by British intelligence that tricked Hitler via a dead body set adrift in the Mediterranean with fake documents. It’s both a gloriously silly pastiche of tally-ho wartime dramas, full of delightful wordplay and artful physical japery, and a sincere tribute to the efforts of those involved. Pure theatrical serotonin.
Editor’s Pick: Bonkers, blisteringly funny and heart-wrenchingly brilliant – this was the show I could not shut up about for weeks (apologies to my colleagues). Pro tip – sign up to get your name in the cheap ticket lottery. Sophie, Newsletter Editor.
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