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Mums go through a lot. Nothing will ever repay them for the times they nursed you back to health when you were sick, or forgave you when you didn’t call even though you said you would.
But we’re here to help you get close, with the best ways to make your mum feel special – from a roast dinner with a complimentary Bloody Mary to a wild bingo night.
Or take her for dinner and a show with a difference at The Room Where It Happens, where singing waiters bring the magic of the musicals (and your meal) straight to your table.
Plus: don’t miss cheap theatre tickets to some of the best shows out there, including the award-winning Hamilton and Starlight Express.
Read on for a whole range of recommendations for March 29 and 30, handpicked as always by The Slice.
Welcome to the Slice
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This week in London
If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, here are 9 of the best activities, dining, and drinking spots in the capital.
1. Take part in magical singalongs at The Room Where It Happens
Looking to paint the town this weekend? I know a whoopee spot. Former haunt of Oscar Wilde, 5 Greek Street has become a den of iniquity for musical theatre lovers, complete with singing waiters and late night hijinks. And as the curtains rise in the West End at 7.30pm, things here are already in full raucous swing (it’s Happy Hour). Get the show on the road with one of the mainstay cocktails inspired by the grande dames of the stage, from the Judy [Garland], a heady mix of Bourbon and sweet cinnamon roll syrup, and the suitably Wicked Cynthia [Erivo], served Elphaba green and spiked with Olmeca tequila.
Considering the concept, the food is impressive: a solid Sirloin with french fries and duck breast with potato gratin. But it’s all a bit difficult to concentrate on, so stick to their tasty sharers – crunchy buttermilk chicken, salt & pepper squid, and all that jazz. Note you may have to wait for your waitress to finish belting out I Dreamed A Dream before you get any of it. Talk about dinner and a show.
As the evening draws on, it’s time to gather around the piano for a gigantic sing-a-long of your favourite show tunes. Expect to wake up the next morning with a cracking headache, a hoarse voice, and vague memories of doing the Time Warp with a stranger. Oscar Wilde would be proud.
Small plates from £8.50, cocktails from £13.50. Open for Mother’s Day Bottomless Brunch for £45pp on Sunday 30 March. 5 Greek St, Soho, W1D 4DD. Book here.
2. Give your mum the best Mother’s Day she’s ever had
Dabbers Mother’s Day Bingo
Best for: mums who like to let their hair down
Dabbers is putting on a Mother’s Day event just for the bingo lovers. In this special edition of bingo, it’s time to treat the mother figures in your life – whether that’s your best mum friend, or your own mum, it’s time to make them feel one-of-a-kind. You can expect three hours of bingo, and the opportunity to win flowers, chocolate and pampering sessions throughout the game. Add on a bottomless brunch package if Mum’s feeling wild! Or add on a nail art session for some extra pampering.
Tickets from £13. Bottomless brunch, £27. Mother’s Day Nail Art, £25. Dabbers City and Dabbers Hackney. Book here.
Blue Boar Pub’s Roast Dinner
Best for: a traditional family dinner
We know you can’t beat mum’s roasts, but the Blue Boar Pub is giving it a go. The iconic Westminster pub is hosting a special Sunday Roast with all the trimmings. Choose between a 56-day aged Cumbrian beef with a Yorkshire pudding & bone marrow gravy, Berkshire pork loin with crackling & apple sauce, or veggie toad in the hole. And to make it extra special, mums will be treated to a complimentary Bloody Mary. Plus: instant cameras will be capturing those special moments during the meal, so you’ll be able to take home a print for memories.
Roast dinner, £29.50. 8 March. Book here.
Natural History Museum’s Afternoon Tea
Best for: nature buffs
Inspired by nature’s wonders, you can look forward to a selection of loose-leaf teas alongside coronation chicken sandwiches, vegan Superstraccia and pesto tart, Earl Grey scones and more. There are even nature-themed desserts, including an Earth pot filled with raspberry and chocolate, a dinosaur-footprint macaron and an ammonite cookie. You’ll also get views of the Evolution Garden, where the newest dinosaur Fern gazes down on an immersive timeline of life on Earth.
Inspired by Nature Afternoon Tea, £35. 30 March, 12pm and 3pm. Find out more here.
3. Join in on a Mother’s Day Concert
Momcozy is inviting new mums to step away from the nappies, night feeds, and endless to-do lists for an afternoon of relaxation at the ‘Your Journey, Your Rhythm’ Mother’s Day Concert.
There will be live performances from the Northern String Quartet, exciting giveaways, and a welcoming space to meet other London mums. 30 March, 1-4:30pm. RSVP here.
4. Eat Italian food where the footballers eat
Babbo has a new home on bougie St John’s Wood High Street. Sleek interiors and faultless service with warm smiles all around are what you’ll get here. But get your purse ready, it’s pricey. Given it was originally based in Mayfair, and is apparently loved by footballers, this is no surprise.
Regardless, there are some dishes that stuck with me, including the perfectly salted burrata. (So many restaurants assume that burrata doesn’t need to be seasoned. They think wrong!) Order this and you’ll be happy. And though the truffle pasta was let down by having more oil sitting at the bottom than I think should be in a pasta dish, the truffle shavings on top are very generous. The tiramisu is light and not too sweet, but lacking in coffee.
Don’t miss their charming terrace outside, perfect for the early peeks of spring we’re having.
Antipasti from £16, pasta from £22. 29-31 St John’s Wood High Street, St John’s Wood, NW8 7NH. Book here.
5. Eat viral noodles at Noodle & Beer
My favourite spot in Chinatown has always been Bun House, but it’s now got competition in the form of Noodle and Beer. The viral noodle spot from Shoreditch has launched a brand new location on Wardour St and it’s a real vibe, spread over two floors with a bistro-style space upstairs and a glamorous bar and restaurant downstairs.
The crispy courgette fries and beef jerky make for delicious starters – imagine your favourite takeaway’s salt and pepper chips and crispy chilli beef but BETTER. Follow up with the super king braised beef rib blanket noodles. These are an experience. The staff cut the meat off the bone at the table in front of you with scissors, then you must stir it all to evenly distribute the chilli, spices and garlic heaped on top. It’s packed full of flavour (heavy on the garlic), not too hot, and the meat is wonderfully tender. You’ll have serious FOMO if you ordered anything but them.
Top tip for eating here? Bring a friend, come hungry and share everything. You won’t want to miss out on any of the fabulous flavours.
Noodles from £14.90. 27 Wardour St, Chinatown, W1D 6PR.
6. Indulge at a chocolate market
A chocolate market at Toklas Bakery in central London will bring together some of the UK’s biggest chocolatiers. So what can you buy? Bars, bonbons, chocolatey bites and limited-edition treats from Toklas bakery including chocolate sourdough!
Traders such as much-loved Finks, Manchester’s Dormouse Chocolate Makers and more will be available. The market is free to enter and will run from 10am until sell-out.
7. Try a sliced southern fried chicken sandwich at Sandwich Sandwich’s second spot
Are sandwiches having a resurgence? It sure feels like it! Yet another sandwich shop is opening, and we’re here for it. Sandwich Sandwich’s second shop is here, and they’ve said it will be ‘the biggest sandwich shop in the UK’.
We like the look of their sliced southern fried chicken sandwich and their overnight roasted sirloin of beef sandwich.
8. Ride a vintage bus
Fancy a vintage bus tour courtesy of the London Bus Museum? A free one? On 29 March, you can ride a bus dating from between the 1930s and 1990s.
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The buses will be driving down the 19 route between Finsbury Park and Battersea Bridge. Get ready for some nostalgia.
9. Get cheap theatre tickets for World Theatre Day
London Theatre Direct’s Spring Spectacular means that theatre doesn’t have to be expensive. In celebration of World Theatre Day, you can choose from over 60 musicals and plays from only £15. From Wicked to Starlight Express, The Great Gatsby and The Book of Mormon, there are some great deals on offer.
Whether you’re a theatre newbie or a pro, now’s your chance to experience the beauty of theatre at incredibly low prices. But be quick! These deals are high in demand – you won’t want to miss out.
Find out more here. Launching 27 March.
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