Welcome back to The Slice!
It’s LGBTQ+ History Month, and there’s plenty happening in the capital. We’re shining a light on some of the wonderful LGBTQ+ owned businesses for you to support this month and throughout the year, and you can find out the best events that mark the celebration right here.
We’re talking gorgeous cakes at queer-owned bakery, Fink’s, slathered in all sorts of moreish cream and icing. The team tried a selection of their cakes, including their oh-so-rich Burnt Caramel Brownie, and we were indeed mesmerised.
And with Pancake Day fast approaching, we’re giving you the lowdown on where to find the best pancakes in London, including a selection of £10 pancakes that are absolutely as worthy and indulgent as the spenniest stacks.
Read on for a whole range of recommendations for February 8 and 9, handpicked as always by The Slice.
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This week in London
1. Indulge in some sultry cakes at LGBTQ+ owned bakery Fink’s
Ultra creativity is what you’ll find at bakery LGBTQ+ owned and run bakery Fink’s, run by Mat Appleton and Jess Blackstone. In the kitchen, things are run by head baker Adriann Ramirez (also known as Gay Nigella) and his team. Californian-born Adriann takes influence from a fusion of American and European cuisine for his baking style.
Visit their Instagram, a heavenly catalogue of their wonderfully baked from scratch goods, at your own risk. You’ll instantly feel compelled to make your way to your nearest Fink’s, ruining any healthy eating goals you’ve set yourself, but it will give you a taste of what you can expect: intricately made cream filled cakes, oozing brioche doughnuts, fabulous pastries, and huge sandwiches three times the size of Pret’s.
The Slice team tried their selections of cakes, and were big fans of the Spiced Buttermilk Banana Bread, oh-so-rich Burnt Caramel Brownie and Angel Baby Cake with a lush vanilla and almond filling. Other recent specials include a katsu fried chicken sandwich on focaccia, and maple pecan sticky brioche buns. Try Fink’s on your next bakery run, you’re guaranteed to be mesmerised.
Cakes from £3. Highbury, Clapton, Stoke Newington. Just head down, ready to indulge.
2. See a mural painted by the LGBTQ+ community at The Corner
Corner is a well-loved local spot in New Cross. It’s a queer owned coffee shop and cocktail bar with an art gallery and events space (a jack of all trades). And LGBTQ+ History Month is the perfect time to pay them a visit. In 2022, a mural inspired by the LGBTQ+ community was painted on the side of the building by a group of graduate artists from The London School of Muralism (LSoM).
Co-owned by partners Mark Osman-Barter and Tarek Merlin, they say the mural is a recognition of our shared differences, and our shared values. And there’s plenty going on at The Corner – their monthly book club, Queers for Books, celebrates community, intersectionality and radical reading. Find out what’s happening here.
117 New Cross Road, New Cross.
3. Free art at the Tate Modern
The Tate Modern is holding free tours of queer artwork designed to explore their collection through the lens of gender identity and sexuality.
There are three tours taking place next month, on 8 March, 15 March and 22 March, 3-4pm. To take part, meet on level two of the Natalie Bell Building.
4. Where to find the best pancakes in London
Boxcar Bread & Wine
Best for: a super sweet tooth
Boxcar is keeping things simple. There are plenty of weird and wonderful pancake combinations across the capital, but this is an option for those of you who like a pancake without all the fuss.
Think three thick, fluffy stacks of pancakes, coated in maple syrup, and served with tangy rhubarb compote (plus a dollop of silky crème fraîche). And for an extra something? Add on a slice of crispy maple bacon for the ultimate sweet and salty combo.
House Pancakes, £13. Add maple bacon for £4. Book here.
Where The Pancakes Are
Best for: doing it the US way
Forget fried chicken and waffles. Say hello to fried chicken and pancakes. St. Ewe Free Range Eggs and Where the Pancakes Are have teamed up to bring you a pancake special of dreams. Each fluffy stack comes with crispy Cornflake Fried Chicken with fried egg and rocket – choose from a brunch variation with avocado, hollandaise and house pickles or opt for an all-day alternative with fresh kimchi, sriracha dip and corn on the cob. And the best thing?
If you’re one of the first 25 customers at each of their branches, you’ll get some pancakes on the house. Expect queue giveaways, and games with plenty of prizes too!
The CFC – Cornflake Fried Chicken, £18.50. London Bridge, Fitzrovia and Battersea. Book here.
The Table
Best for: pancakes on a budget
Pancakes for a tenner? Yes please. For one day only, all pancakes at the independent all-day bakery The Table are £10. And boy have they got a selection – from their Brunch Club (made with crispy bacon, Cumberland sausage, free-range scrambled eggs, chives and maple syrup) to their Vegan Pumpkin Pancake (made with coconut yoghurt, caramelised pecans and plums). Their pancakes are super indulgent despite the price tag.
All pancakes, £10. Battersea and Southwark. Book here.
5. Flip out at Leadenhall Market for Pancake Day
Still thinking about pancakes? Join in on some lunchtime fun at Leadenhall Market’s 18th century pub, The Lamb Tavern, for its 16th annual Pancake Day race.
Teams of four will take to the alleyways of Leadenhall Market for a 20m relay, flipping around some doughy goodness. So get some of your mates or work pals together and send The Lamb Tavern an email to register your interest.
6. Take part in a 5k run with Gymshark (and get a sweet surprise at the end)
Come on, get your running shoes on. Join Gymshark and Plush Pancakes for a friendly 5k run, starting and finishing at the Gymshark store on Regent Street.
What’s in it for you, we hear you ask? Pancakes of course! You’ll be treated to some protein pancakes to help you refuel after all that running. 4 March, 6:30-7:30pm. Sign up here.
7. Go all out at trying food by world-renowned chef Akira Back at Mandarin Oriental, Mayfair
By Simon Gage
Well, there was never any doubt that it was going to be glamorous. It’s the Mandarin Oriental, for goodness’ sake! The new one! In Hanover Square. But still we weren’t quite prepared for multi-Michelin-starred Chef Akira’s Akira Back.
First of all, the room. Stepping down from the ground floor, it’s a huge atrium with amazingly designed walls that look like floorboards, only some of those floorboards have spun off into mid-air. Filled with light (well, during the day) and dotted with booths and tables and private areas.
But even that doesn’t prepare you for the food. We plumped for the vegan tasting menu, each course coming with a paired wine, which you really have to chug to keep up. Then comes a cavalcade of flavours from the truffle-y puff-pastry ‘pizza’, through sizzling tofu cakes and beetroot stacks with nine micro-chopped herbs for you to add, to desserts so dainty you could wear them as jewellery.
He had a lot to live up to, that Mr. Chef Akira, with all the buzz about this place. But lived up to it he has, and beyond!
Set lunch menu, £38pp. Small plates from £16. Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, 22 Hanover Square. Book here.
To mark International Women’s Day, Akira Back are holding an exclusive celebratory champagne and sushi deal for the month of March. Groups of two (or more), can enjoy the Chef’s selection of the finest sushi, sashimi and rolls alongside a glass of Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut each for just £60pp.
8. New Italian restaurant Nina is almost here
The masterminds behind zēphyr and Bottarga are turning their attention to Italian food with new restaurant Nina, a heartfelt homage to Italian heritage.
So what will be on the menu? Expect daily-baked focaccia paired with a luxurious parmesan butter, a delicate beef shin tagliatelle and more… we can’t wait.
9. Sample tasty eats at the new Market Halls (with 50% off)
A new Market Halls food court is opening in Paddington, featuring eight incredible food traders – from BAO Night Market to 2ft Fried Chicken. Plus they’ve introduced a soft launch offer of 50% off food & a welcome drink you’d be silly to miss.
Just make a booking for 3 March here (there will be three soft launch sessions available to book: breakfast, lunch and dinner).
10. Go beyond theatre at this otherworldly London shop
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As I take in the dimly lit room, a strong scent of incense lingers in the air. I wonder where it’s coming from, and what is about to happen next. It’s just past 8pm on a weeknight, and I am locked in a timeless shop with its austere owner and 9 strangers. All around us, in this ‘place you know but don’t fully recognise’ – as the curator fittingly describes it – is a worn collection of trinkets, shiny treasures with a story to tell.
If you’re a fan of immersive shows and Punchdrunk-esque theatre, then Vinicius Salles’ The Shop for Mortals and Fools is an exciting offering. Inspired by one of the greatest tragedies of ancient times – Euripides’ The Bacchae – this is an intimate, unsettling performance. Expect it to defy convention and go beyond traditional theatre, offering an exploration of power, gender, and fate. Very physically and unpredictably, the story unravels in front of you, with each participant’s journey shaped by the decisions they make.
Every object and line is layered with meaning, enough to keep you deciphering for hours afterwards. Most dates are sold out, but at the time of writing, there are a few tickets left.
The Shop for Mortals and Fools. Tickets, £20. Stanley Arts. Until 8 March. Book here. The show will also return later this year at a secret location. Sign up here for updates.
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