London might still be hooked on small plates by night, but cool, casual sandwich shops are enjoying a moment in the daytime sunshine. New arrival My Favourite Sandwich is part of the Ross Clarke Collective – meaning it’s the brainchild of a chef with Fat Duck Experimental Kitchen pedigree and a CV that includes Dirty Bones, Señor Ceviche and The Rum Kitchen. The USP? Elevated takes on classic sandwiches – and the menu doesn’t disappoint. There’s aged steak meatball marinara with mozzarella; nang bang banh mi packed with chicken, pâté and Asian pickled slaw; and the primo coronation chicken, featuring smoked chicken, curried mayo and champagne-pickled raisins. For the daringly experimental, there’s also the ‘Eurotrash’ – fried mortadella, pickled onion Monster Munch and giardiniera pickles. 

141 Commercial Street, Shoreditch, E1 6BJ

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If you're heading to Cornwall for the Easter holidays (or any point before 2027), make time for SURF!, the exhibition that’s just opened at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall. Running for two years, it charts a century of Cornish waveriding – from 1920s pioneers and surf bans on local beaches to the rise of global surf champions and game-changing activists like Surfers Against Sewage. With 100 historic boards, unseen works by artists like Damien Hirst, and a deep dive into Cornwall’s influence on film, fashion and music, SURF! reveals how this wild coastline shaped a culture.

Discovery Quay, Falmouth, TR11 3QY

Visit NMMC.co.uk
 

If you’re still searching for the perfect Mother’s Day gift, why not treat her to a day of pure indulgence? For the first time since opening in 2023, The OWO’s Guerlain Spa at Raffles London is offering a selection of luxury spa day experiences. Choose from the bespoke Tailor Made Spa Day, featuring a personalised treatment journey, fragrance consultation and a champagne-finished salon experience, or the Decadent Spa Escape for Two, a blissful retreat complete with an Imperial Longevity Facial, private suite relaxation and an elegant afternoon tea of scones and sweet treats from the Raffles pastry team.

57 Whitehall, Westminster, SW1A 2BX

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Michelin-starred Scottish chef Tom Kitchin is bringing his acclaimed ‘nature to plate’ philosophy to London’s iconic Brown’s hotel. Guests at the Donovan Bar can try his menu of seasonal small plates showcasing Scotland’s finest produce. Highlights include Loch Creran oysters – hand-picked from the country’s beautiful West Coast – with a Highland Park vinaigrette, luxurious Highland wagyu tartare with caviar, and indulgent Mull cheddar straws. To elevate the experience, legendary bartender Salvatore Calabrese and mixology expert Federico Pavan have created bespoke pairings for them all, from a Highland Park old fashioned to expertly matched wines.

33 Albemarle Street, Mayfair, W1S 4BP; until 25th May

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We still know of no better place to pass an early season Sunday than a gastropub. The Brave is a bold new take on the classic British boozer from chef James Cochran. Blending his Scottish-Caribbean roots with a deep respect for pub culture, this Islington spot (formerly The Engle Field) marks Cochran’s much-anticipated return to the pass after closing his acclaimed 12:51 last year. Expect inventive twists on comfort food, like jerk-spiced chicken Scotch egg with Scotch bonnet jam, a Guinness and cheese toastie with pickles and roast Orkney scallop in a rich tikka masala sauce. For pudding? Vanilla ice cream with aged sherry and shaved truffle.

340-342 Essex Road, Islington, N1 3PB

Visit TheBraveLondon.co.uk

Henri, the Parisian-inspired restaurant by chef Jackson Boxer and the Experimental Group, has launched a new Sunday lunch menu. Featuring a dry-aged roast duck with all the trimmings (think duck fat fries and mushroom hollandaise), the menu celebrates Jackson’s playful take on French food and the best of British ingredients. Heads up: the duck must be ordered 48 hours in advance and in multiples of two (for example, half a duck crown feeds two people and a whole will feed four), which can be added directly to your booking on Henri’s reservation page.

14-15 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 8QH

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There’s a reason the Guardian gave this new exhibition at the RA five stars. Victor Hugo was a leading public and political figure in 19th-century France. His books Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame were printed worldwide. In private, his refuge was drawing – Hugo’s ink and wash visions of imaginary castles, monsters and seascapes are considered as poetic as his writing. His works inspired Romantic and Symbolist poets, and many artists including the Surrealists. This new exhibition follows Hugo’s preoccupation with drawing, from his early caricatures and travel drawings to his dramatic landscapes. It features some of his finest works on paper, which are rarely on public display and were last seen in the UK over 50 years ago.

Burlington House, Picadilly, W1J 0BD; until 29th June

Visit RoyalAcademy.org.uk

Coming to London for a limited 14-week run, this groundbreaking exhibition gives visitors the chance to explore ancient Egypt like never before. Including eight-metre-high projections, a world-premiere hologram showcasing the mummification process, a virtual reality experience and an interactive digital metaverse room, attendees will also be able to discover a selection of original ancient Egyptian artefacts from as far back as 4000 BC. Created in collaboration with leading Egyptologists and historians, the immersive journey is designed for children, families and history enthusiasts alike. 

Immerse LDN at Excel, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, E16 1XL; 28th March-29th June 2025

Visit TutankhamuExperience.com