The EFG London Jazz Festival is about to take over some of London’s best venues, including the Barbican, Vortex Jazz Club, the legendary Ronnie Scott's and new east London hotspot Soul Mama. Highlights at the latter include Jazz Jamaica blending jazz and reggae, a four-night residency from Atlanta’s Avery Sunshine, Rick Leon James’s first solo show since 2019, and an appearance by saxophonist Stephanie Lottermoser. Accompanying all the music, there’s an Afro-Caribbean-inspired menu including dishes like pepper prawns, scotch bonnet and mango chicken wings, and jerk oyster mushrooms.

40 Celebration Avenue, Stratford, E20 1DB; 15th-24th November 

Visit SoulMama.co.uk

The World Whisky Experience is a new event coming to London, suitable for beginners and aficionados alike. Visitors can enjoy exclusive tastings, expert-led masterclasses and interactive workshops, sampling whiskies from the US, New Zealand, South Africa, Taiwan, Finland and beyond. Tickets are £25.

Christ Church Spitalfields, Commercial Street, Spitalfields, E1 6LY; 15th-16th November

Visit EventBrite.co.uk

After making a success of Binch in London Fields, Sylvain Bertozzi has opened a second, larger bar. Godet on Essex Road takes over what was once The Seveney pub. Like Binch, Godet offers fine wine and craft beer, specialising in French and European wines and a rotating selection of UK craft beers on nine taps. Wednesday to Saturday, foodies can dig into smash burgers from Perk’d Up Burger, or there are charcuterie boards on offer. On a Sunday, there will be Galician beef and Dorset pork roasts. DJs play laid-back vinyl hi-fi sets from Wednesday to Sunday. 

382 Essex Road, Islington, N1 3PF 

Follow @GodetLondon

While we’ve all been fretting about AI, the robots have taken over Covent Garden – well, sort of. Japanese concept Yari Club has just debuted in London, offering yakitori served by a robotic machine. It’s the first UK restaurant to use this tech. The menu features eight yakitori skewers – like tsukune, kawa and momo – plus a prawn tempura skewer. Sides include chicken karaage, corn tempura, truffle fries and yuzu pickles.

57 St Martin’s Lane, Covent Garden, WC2N 4EA

Visit YariClub.com

A quarter of a century ago, Ridley Scott's Gladiator rejuvenated the 'sword and sandals' genre, but can he conjure the same magic a second time? This sequel picks up 20 years after the fates of Russell Crowe’s battle-worn gladiator Maximus and Joaquin Phoenix’s tyrannical emperor were sealed. Lucius (Maximus’s son, played by Paul Mescal) is back in Rome to avenge his father’s death and fulfil his own destiny after being enslaved by the Roman army. But in a city rife with hidden agendas, Lucius faces enemies at every turn. The cast also features Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen and Denzel Washington.

Visit PictureHouses.com

The Peruvian Pachamama group has gone Mediterranean again, following up Zephyr in Notting Hill with new Greek-inspired hotspot Bottarga in Chelsea . Bottarga brings an Aegean vibe with a younger, more laidback feel. The menu shines with authentic Greek ingredients including Amfissa olives, Epiros feta and Karavas Bakery rusks. Modern dishes best enjoyed mezze style include: saganaki tapioca bites with sesame and thyme honey; soutzoukakia with cumin yoghurt and spiced tomato sauce; and a whole grilled sea bass with amarillo butter.

383 King’s Road, Chelsea, SW10 0LP

Visit Bottarga.London
 

After years of popular residences and sell-out meal kits, AngloThai has finally gone permanent with its very own restaurant in Marylebone. As the name suggests, it combines Thai cooking techniques and flavour profiles with seasonal ingredients from across the British Isles and UK-grown Asian produce. Standout dishes include lion’s mane mushroom and sunflower seed satay; monkfish jungle curry with holy basil; and Ryall Farm hogget massaman and black fig. On the wine list you’ll find a host of low-intervention and biodynamic bottles from cool European producers.

22-24 Seymour Place, Marylebone, W1H 7NL

Visit AngloThai.co.uk

Restaurant group Big Mamma is on a quest to save London’s oldest Italian social club Casa Italiana, and it’s doing it the best way it knows: a big feast. This Thursday, Gloria’s squad has teamed up with the club for an Italo-themed Christmas bash to raise funds and awareness for the community organisation. Tickets cost £60 and include a four-course feast, plenty of wine and entry into the charity tombola.

Casa Italiana, 136 Clerkenwell Road, Farringdon, EC1R 5DL; 14th November

Visit EventBrite.com