What To Do This Weekend 07.12.22
TAKE THE BOYS OUT
The King’s Head
If it’s fallen on you to plan this year’s Christmas meet-up with the boys, EatWith has you sorted. The online platform is the place to find private and bespoke dining experiences in and around the capital. Catching our eye right now, chef Jon Villar is hosting supper clubs at a private dining room in the King’s Head, a Shoreditch pub turned members club. Up to 12 guests can tuck into a six-course pan-Asian menu featuring the likes of Cornish crab dumpling laksa; braised turkey and chorizo ‘dolmades’ with sticky rice, vine leaves, tom yam and coconut broth; and dark chocolate and peanut butter parfait with miso toffee sauce. Tickets are £60pp, excluding drinks.
257 Kingsland Road, Whitmore Estate, Shoreditch, E2 8AS
Visit EatWith.com
SUPPORT A GOOD CAUSE
Crisis Christmas Pop-Up at Savile Row
Crisis has launched its Christmas appeal to raise vital funds to tackle homelessness, an ever more acute problem as the basic costs of living ramp up. The charity has opened a fashion pop-up on Savile Row where you can shop new items, old-season stock and samples from luxury brands like Burberry, Mr Porter, TM Lewin, Sunspel, Barbour, Grenson, Hamilton & Hare, Thom Sweeney and Jimmy Choo. New stock will hit the floor daily, with the team is aiming to raise £125k. You can also donate your own pre-loved items if they’re in good condition, or donate to Crisis online.
27 Savile Row, Mayfair, W1S 2EX; until Wednesday 14th December
Visit Crisis.org.uk
TRY A NEW WORKOUT
Substation Bouldering Centre
Climbing is big news these days. Give it a go at the new Substation Bouldering Centre in Brixton, which has a 1,000 sq.m state-of-the-art climbing wall for all abilities. There’s also a 12m overhanging wall, two training boards for beginners, a circuit board and a lattice rung for strength training. Up your skills in the training room with its cycling, rowing and skiing machines; build strength with free weights and the squat rack; then recharge at the café with a juice or protein shake. On Wednesday 14th December, there’s a Christmas pub quiz to get new members involved, while DJs play in the main training room every second Friday of the month for up-tempo workouts and post-climbing drinks. Memberships starts from £75 a month, but you can also drop in for single pay-as-you-go sessions.
Unit 13, Ellerslie Square Industrial Estate, Brixton Hill, London SW2 5DZ
Visit Substation.co.uk
MEET YOUR MATES
Pretty Decent Beer
Forest Gate taproom Pretty Decent Beer is opening a second site in Walthamstow on Friday 9th December. The bigger new space is attached to a state-of-the-art brewhouse with 20 different craft beers on tap. Get to know pale ales like ‘Christopher Nolan Might Have Been Onto Something’ and ‘I Could Get Better In T*sco For A Quid’, or try AF and GF alternatives, natural wines, and food from its rotating kitchen, kicking off with Neapolitan-style pizzas from local boys It’s Not Big Dough. To celebrate the opening weekend, DJs have been summoned and all pints are £4.
Unit 10 Uplands Business Park, Walthamstow, E17 5QJ
Visit PrettyDecentBeer.co
ENJOY SOME FESTIVITIES
Jermyn Street Christmas Market
Jermyn Street is hosting a Christmas market on Sunday 10th December from noon to 6pm. The whole street’s being pedestrianised to make way for performers, gospel singers, DJs and LED jugglers. Kids will be impressed by the giant snow globe, while adults will appreciate the street food from Kerb and English sparkling wine from Nyetimber. Jermyn Street’s retailers, restaurants and galleries will all get involved – look out for sweet treats from a Fortnum & Mason tuk-tuk, and festive cocktails at Sunspel.
Jermyn Street, St James’s, SW1Y 6JE
Visit JermynStreet.net
ZODEE MEDIA
FILL YOUR BOOTS
Coal Office Bottomless Sunday Roast
Coal Office in King’s Cross has created a Jerusalem-inspired roast dinner with bottomless drinks. The restaurant, known for its sharing plates of Middle Eastern grub, will serve Turkish coffee-braised brisket with harissa carrots and new potatoes with smoked butter every Sunday throughout winter. Hungry diners can add on handmade kubalah to start (a soft Yemeni brioche served with tahini, grated tomato and schug) and finish the meal with ‘Ma Ha Louz’ – hazelnut ice-cream with buckwheat crumble, milk chocolate and feuilletine. Choose from free-flowing beer, wines or cocktails like a ‘Mulled Quince Highball’.
2 Bagley Walk, King’s Cross, N1C 4PQ
Visit CoalOffice.com
James Moyle
TUCK INTO ALPINE TREATS
Chouffemas At Funky Cellar
Belgian beer brand Le Chouffe has opened a pop-up terrace at Spitalfields bistro Funky Cellar. The ‘Chouffe Forest’ is decked out with pine trees and vintage ski posters and decorations, while Belgian music will help transport you to the Alps. Diners can try Le Chouffe’s selection of beers with Alpine-inspired dishes like truffle raclette, croque monsieur and croque madame, and a special toastie filled with cheese and ham from Bayonne. We’ll be keeping it classic with a white bloomer filled with ham, cheese and free-range eggs.
10A Lamb Street, Spitalfields, E1 6EA; until Tuesday 3rd January
Visit Chouffe.com
Nic Crilly Hargrave
BOOK AHEAD
London Christmas Beer Festival
Grab tickets now for the upcoming London Christmas Beer Festival. On Friday 16th to Saturday 17th December at Tobacco Dock, you can sample and buy beers from 50 of the UK’s best independent breweries – including Brick, Signature Brew, Mondo, Hackney Brewery, Brew by Number and Vault City. As well as plenty of limited-edition Christmas brews, you’ll find natural wines, ciders, craft spirits, canned cocktails and Christmas snacks. Keeping you upright, there’s fried chicken from Tendril, posh kebabs from 10 Greek Street or sandwiches from Dom’s Subs. Tickets are £20pp.
Tobacco Dock, Wapping, E1W 2SF
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