What To Do Over The Christmas Break
See In The New Year
Blue Bar at The Berkeley
See the New Year in at The Berkeley's iconic Blue Bar. Thanks to a collaboration with Laurent-Perrier, you can expect a special drinks menu – champagne-inspired and featuring Cuvée Rosé – served to a soundtrack set by DJs. When the clock strikes midnight, guests will receive a complimentary toast. General admission is £70 – or for £195 you can enjoy a four-course meal in The Collins Room with dishes like hand-dived Orkney scallops and chocolate éclairs.
Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, SW1X 7RL
Visit The-Berkeley.co.uk
Meet Your Mates
Champagne brunch at Isabel’s
Stave off the festive hangover with a brunch at Isabel’s in Mayfair. It’s a three-course affair with dishes like smoked salmon on English muffins or burrata with homemade focaccia, followed by waffles with fried chicken or a wagyu burger. Offered on Sundays from noon to 4pm, the menu costs £100, with optional extras like Maldon oysters or Imperial Oscietra caviar. Every guest gets a half-bottle of Charles Heidsieck.
26 Albemarle Street, Mayfair, W1S 4HY
Visit IsabelW1.london
Take The Kids
Langan Brasserie’s Gstaad Wonderland
Mayfair spot Langan Brasserie has teamed up with English vineyard Nyetimber to transform into a Gstaad wonderland. Until the end of the month there’s a festive menu with the likes of pumpkin agnolotti and lobster thermidor gratin, alongside Nyetimber sparkling vintages. Meanwhile, kids will love the Santa’s Grotto Upstairs at Langan’s, featuring canine appearances by a St Bernard as well as a pop-up Sunday Cinema from the 17th with screenings for the whole family.
Stratton Street, Mayfair, W1J 8LB; until 30th December
Visit LangansBrasserie.com
Try Somewhere New
Sotto
This new speakeasy bar on Great Marlborough Street is underneath Italian restaurant Bocconcino Soho. Open every Friday and Saturday until 2am, it’s got slick interiors, a resident DJ and an extensive cocktail menu with a selection of spicy, herbal and umami-rich drinks – like the ‘Funghi Old Fashioned’ (rye whisky infused with wild mushrooms) or the ‘Avocado Amore’ with pisco, avocado, Italian lemon, chilli and basil foam.
59 Great Marlborough Street, Soho, W1F 7JY
Get A Culture Fix
Antony Gormley Body Politic at White Cube Mason's Yard
From Merseyside to Euston Road – not forgetting the Angel of the North – wherever you are in the UK, you're never too far from Antony Gormley’s sculptures. His latest exhibition, Body Politic, makes full use of the White Cube Gallery with his trademark figures sprawling across the two south galleries and the corridors in between. From iron bars to fired clay, Gormley is a master of all materials, making him one of the UK's most prominent sculptors.
White Cube Mason's Yard, 25-26 Mason's Yard, St James's, SW1Y 6BU; until 28th January
Visit WhiteCube.com
Grab A Bite
Sausage Fest at Double Standard
Decatur has been a fixture on the London food scene since 2014, bringing Louisiana and southern-inspired food to the capital. It’s just teamed up with The Standard hotel’s Double Standard diner to create a playful menu of hot dogs and American-inspired dishes. Choose from the smoky, creole flavours of the andouille campfire dog or a vegan muffuletta sausage on a toasted sesame bun. Lunchtime deals include a hot dog and Two Tribes beer for £16.50.
10 Argyle Street, King’s Cross, WC1H 8EG; until December 24th
Visit StandardHotels.com
Kick Off The New Year
Fat Tony’s Full Fat New Year’s Day Party
A heavy New Year’s Eve isn't everyone's style, but New Year’s Day is an equally good opportunity to kickstart 2024 on a positive – and less hungover – note. Join DJ Fat Tony, a luminary of the 80s and 90s club scene, as he hosts The Anthologist's day party, providing tunes accompanied by a two-course brunch. For those doing dry January, there are plenty of delicious mocktails and zero proofs on offer, too. Tickets cost £65 per person.
58 Gresham Street, City of London, EC2V 7BB
Visit DrakeAndMorgan.co.uk
Catch A Film
Ferrari
From director Michael Mann, this Christmas Day release tells the story of motor mogul Enzo Ferrari as he enters the 1,000-mile Mille Miglia race in the summer of 1957. A star-studded cast is led by Adam Driver – but look out for Penelope Cruz as Laura Ferrari, Shailene Woodley as Lina Lardi, Patrick Dempsey as Piero Taruffi and Jack O’Connell as Peter Collins.
Visit Picturehouses.com
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