The UK's first near-total solar eclipse in almost three decades takes place this month, with around 90% coverage visible from London. The eclipse begins shortly after 6pm, with Primrose Hill set to be one of the capital's best viewing spots.

Across the city; Wednesday 12th August

Visit RMG.co.uk

One of last year's standout residencies is back. Tasca returns to Shoreditch, transforming neighbourhood café Project 44 into a laid-back Portuguese and Spanish-inspired wine bar from Wednesday to Saturday evenings. Head over for seasonal sharing plates and low-intervention wines.

44 Commercial Street, Shoreditch, E1 6LT

Follow @Project44.London & @Tasca.London

The team behind Clerkenwell listening bar Space Talk have turned their attention to daytime dining and come up with Cremer – a cool Hoxton bakery and canteen. Expect excellent pastries, communal tables and seasonal lunch dishes in a relaxed space, complete with loaded bookshelves and a hidden garden.

1 Geffrye Street, Hoxton, E2 8JH

Follow @CremerLondon

Knife maker Allday Goods has teamed up with cult brewery DEYA to open The ALLDEYA Arms – a four-day Shoreditch pop-up inspired by the classic British boozer. There will be limited-edition beers, exclusive merch and plenty of pub nostalgia, from dark wood panelling to vintage beer mats. At the centre of it all, though, is a co-branded bar knife made using recycled plastic from DEYA’s brewery.

72 Rivington Street, Shoreditch, EC2A 3AY; 27th-30th August

Visit AlldayGoods.co.uk

Soho's newest Japanese opening specialises in hand rolls made to order using seasonal British seafood. The intimate 20-seat counter serves pristine sashimi, pressed scallops and inventive temaki filled with everything from Cornish crab to dry-aged beef tartare with wasabi mustard. Pair with London-brewed sake or Japanese-inspired cocktails.

7–8 Warwick Street, Soho, W1B 5LU

Visit Miokuru.com

Theo Clench's elegant Mayfair restaurant has launched a summer menu built around exceptional British produce. Look for duck with umeboshi and daikon or strawberry with kombu and oat, offered with inventive drinks pairings created to mirror the ingredients on each plate — including alcohol-free options from the ‘liquid kitchen’.

139 George Street, Mayfair, W1H 5LB

Visit IgniLondon.com

The Roundhouse hands over the mic to some of comedy's biggest names this month for a festival of stand-up, live podcasts and special shows. Frank Skinner, Diane Morgan, Katherine Ryan, Phil Wang and Judi Love are all on the bill, alongside plenty of rising stars. 

Chalk Farm Road, Camden, NW1 8EH; 1st-18th August

Visit Roundhouse.org.uk

Europe's biggest street festival returns for the summer bank holiday. Expect steel bands, sound systems, Caribbean food, colourful parades and millions of people filling the streets of west London in one of the city's defining annual celebrations.

Notting Hill; 30th-31st August

Visit NHCarnival.org

One of London's best barbecue pop-ups has found a permanent home. Hon's BBQ has taken over the former Silo site overlooking Hackney Wick's canal, where it’ll be serving Texan-style low-and-slow barbecue with a distinctly Hong Kong twist. Expect smoked ox cheek, Sichuan beef short ribs, pork ribs and mac & cheese studded with lap cheong, alongside a good wine list and soundtrack. Meat is sold by weight until it's gone, so arriving early is strongly advised.

Hon's BBQ, Unit 7 Queen's Yard, Hackney Wick, E9 5EN

Follow @HonsBBQ

Mike Leigh's brilliantly awkward suburban comedy transfers to the West End following a sold-out run at Stratford East. As ever, drinks, canapés, and questionable interiors will define British theatre's most iconic house party.

Harold Pinter Theatre, 6 Panton Street, West End, SW1Y 4DN; 12th August-19th September

Visit HaroldPinterTheatre.co.uk

Hackney Bridge hosts three days celebrating London's Black-owned food and drink businesses, with dozens of traders serving everything from Caribbean favourites to contemporary street food. Alongside the food, there will be live DJs and opportunities to shop handmade goods.

Units 1-28, Echo Building, East Bay Lane, Hackney Wick, E15 2SJ; 7th-9th August

Visit BlackEatsLDN.com

One of London's strangest museums opens after dark this month. Hidden inside the attic of an old church, the Old Operating Theatre offers visitors the chance to explore its Victorian surgical theatre, medical curiosities and fascinating collections after hours, complete with a pop-up bar to steady the nerves.

9a St Thomas Street, London Bridge, SE1 9RY; Thursday 20th August

Visit OldOperatingTheatre.com

One of London's most exciting one-day festivals returns to Southwark Park with an eclectic line-up spanning indie, electronic, experimental music and art. It’s curated this year by Blood Orange.

Southwark Park, Gomm Road, Southwark, SE16 2TX; Saturday 29th August

Visit RallyRallyRally.co.uk

London's biggest independent performing arts festival returns with more than 450 productions taking over almost 40 venues across the capital. Comedy, theatre, musicals, cabaret and improv all feature on a programme that's known for showcasing tomorrow's biggest names before everyone else catches on.

Various venues; 3rd-30th August

Visit CamdenFringe.com

Cate Blanchett returns to the London stage in Electra/Persona, a bold new production at the National Theatre fusing Sophocles' Greek tragedy with Ingmar Bergman's Persona. Directed and adapted by Benedict Andrews, and also starring Nina Hoss, it's already one of the hottest theatre tickets of the year.

Upper Ground, South Bank, SE1 9PX; 19th August-10th October

Visit NationalTheatre.org.uk