Welcome back to The Slice – our exclusive guide to what’s on in London, where we bring you trusted reviews, sneak previews, and amazing deals and discounts.
It was Blue Monday this week, and if January dullness has you feeling a bit down in the dumps, you definitely won’t be feeling the same after you read this week’s issue. We’re putting the spotlight on the London spots that are making us feel all warm and cosy inside, even when the streets are downright miserable.
Start by slurping a nice warming bowl of Khao Soi at a brand new Thai restaurant. Or turn the heat up with a new Curry House menu which mixes Goan spices with flame-grilled classics.
We’re also telling you about Roka’s great value set menu, where you can get dishes like baby chicken with lemon miso for just £26.
See you next week!
Welcome to the Slice
The Slice is your weekly guide to what’s happening in London, so if you’re looking for restaurant reviews, drinks deals or just a great new exhibition to visit on a rainy Saturday in the capital, we’ve got you covered.
Click here for this week’s edit of the best things to do in town.
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If you want to do it all on the cheap, you can also find our latest batch of exclusive hand-picked offers in partnership with Time Out here.
Things to do this week in London
If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, here are 11 of the best activities, dining, and drinking spots in the capital.
1. Try live fire restaurant Acme Fire Cult reimagined as a curry house
Chef Andrew Clarke usually prefers to be in Goa at this time of year, but for 2026 he’s brought the vibrant flavours of southern India to East London for a little heat. Don’t be alarmed by the giant tarpaulin-covered terrace, while Acme’s concept is largely al fresco, the flames from the huge wood-fire ovens, blankets and a steady supply of pints from 40ft Brewery keep things toasty (trust me, I visited during Storm Goretti).
The limited-time Curry House menu cleverly mixes favourites from the grill with subtle South Asian updates. The same concept behind their loveable Marmite bread is applied to pillowy naan (apparently Andrew’s bread of choice before they started using sourdough from Dusty Knuckle Bakery next door).
Hot small plates include fat butterflied prawns marinated in gentle Goan spices and sweet Roscoff onions with lentil daal and a mountain of parmesan. For bigger plates, there’s a beautiful monkfish skewer in fragrant Vadouvan butter and a hearty lamb chop swimming in soupy Anglo-Indian Railway curry. Spice levels are well balanced, designed to warm the bones without scorching your insides – the perfect remedy for a bleak January evening.
Small plates from £12, curries from £24. The Bootyard, Abbot Street, Hackney, E8 3DP. Book here.
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2. Try innovative Caribbean food courtesy of Chef Nathaniel Mortley at 2210 by NattyCanCook
Opening at the end of last year, 2210 by NattyCanCook is the debut restaurant by Nathaniel Mortley, following stints at Jason Atheron’s City Social and The Arts Club, and a sold out residency at The Greyhound in Peckham. The fine-dining style Pan Caribbean restaurant goes beyond rice and peas, and brown stew chicken – with inventive dishes like roti with scotch bonnet infused butter, chewy with a kick from the butter and wiri wiri melt-in-your-mouth tender lamp rump.
Newer additions to the menu post soft launch include Natty’s Traditional Oxtail and a Sticky Toffee Pudding with ginger tuile, chocolate and coffee foam. The final treat, a deep fried apple crumble, is moreish and tasty though too rich for me to eat without sharing. But the verdict is in… Natty can cook. They’re currently also doing a Sunday Service, where you can choose between the likes of a turkey wing, 15 hour confit pork roast, or lamb rump with a choice of rice & peas or jollof rice with chimichurri roasties, yorkies, honey glazed roasted veg and tempura broccoli.
Starters from £5.50, mains from £25. 75 Norwood Rd, Herne Hill, SE24 9AA. Book here.
3. Indulge in a meal at Roka without breaking the bank
Greeting us with comforting white miso soup, Roka’s new £26 express menu follows up strong – with a cracking crispy prawn, avocado maki and a choice of baby chicken with lemon miso, seabream fillet with red onion and miso or baby back pork ribs with sansho.
Opting for the latter two, fresh off the robata, the fish is crispy succulence with a kick, visually too, from the pickled red onion. A mountain of tender pork ribs has me soon defeated despite the deliciousness (yet I still found room for mochi). Designed predominantly with wood, with a theatrical open kitchen, the room is calm, the food phenomenal and especially at these prices, find out for yourselves why Roka rocks.
Express lunch menu, £26. Tues-Fri, 12-3pm. Until 28 Feb. Roka Charlotte Street, Mayfair, Aldwych and Canary Wharf. Book here.
4. Taste some of the best winter warmers in London
KHAO-SO-I
Best for: bold flavours
Khao soi isn’t just any old bowl of noodles. Named after the famous Northern Thai curry soup dish, KHAO-SO-I is bringing some extra vibrancy to Fitzrovia. Sit at the counter (the best way to experience KHAO-SO-I) and watch the chefs work their magic as they theatrically light up tender chicken thigh, pork belly and more. We don’t think you can go wrong with your choice of meat, fish or tofu for your Khao Soi but we love the braised beef shank, which falls apart effortlessly. Whatever you choose, you’ll get an assortment of toppings including coriander, shallots and crispy noodles – plus a small jug of coconut milk in case it’s too fiery for you!
Gub glam (starters/small plates) from £8. Khao soi from £19.50. Book here.
The Cheese Barge
Best for: cheese lovers
The Slice loves the Cheese Barge, Paddington’s floating temple to the stinky stuff. During the colder months, they serve bubbling pots of Gouda & Lincolnshire Poacher or Mayfield & Maida Vale Fondue every Thursday (check their Instagram for monthly specials). Priced at £30pp, your molten meal comes with an array of dippables: cubes of crusty sourdough, new potatoes, cornichons and your choice of truffle mushrooms or cauliflower. Watch out deal hunters – for Restaurant Month, they’re running an exceptional value 3-course set menu for just £24.50: ‘Not-so-French’ onion soup, Tartiflette with pungent, buttery Maida Vale cheese, and a silken olive oil and chocolate mousse for dessert.
Small plates from £4.50. Sharing dishes from £32. Book here.
Ivan Ramen
Best for: your food blanket guaranteed to warm you up
Brought to you by ramen legend and winner of Netflix’s Chef’s Table, chef Ivan Orkin is here to make waves in the London ramen scene. Your ramen masterpiece – whether you go for the tori paitan with a rich chicken broth and egg yolk or maybe the tonkotsu with shoyu-braised pork chashu – will come out quickly despite how busy it is. The noodles have the perfect bite and a slight chew, and the soup light and flavourful. But don’t sleep on the small plates. Even though we’re here to tell you about the ramen, we just can’t miss the opportunity to spread the word about the soy garlic fried chicken with crisp edges and a citrus-y kick. Tables are close together which adds to the buzzy atmosphere and everything is done on a walk-in basis.
Small plates from £5, ramen from £16. Just walk in!
5. Make the most of Toklas’ No Corkage Mondays being extended
No Corkage Mondays have been extended at Toklas! For the first time, it will run through the whole year. The offer applies to dinner bookings and there’s a suggested limit of one bottle per person. Book here.
6. Look forward to sushi restaurant Temaki expanding the family… to Mayfair
Temaki Brixton’s loyal following will be glad to hear that a second branch will be opening in Mayfair next month. The menu is expanding with new dishes like crispy rice and wagyu sliders, but don’t worry, you’ll still be able to get their iconic handrolls.
7. Last chance to get a half-price steak at Heliot Steakhouse
You’ve got just one Monday left to experience half-price steaks at Heliot Steakhouse! Get your hands on 50% off all Argentinian steaks by booking here.
8. Experience a truly special meal at The Clink Restaurant at HMP Brixton
Cyrus Todiwala OBE will cook a special multi-course menu alongside The Clink’s students at The Clink Restaurant at HMP Brixton. The restaurant is inside a prison, where inmates are trained up on hospitality skills to set them up for the real world.
Thursday 12 Feb, 5:30pm – 8:30pm, £80pp. Book here.
Bonus: What’s on for Burn’s Night in London
Get a night of poetry, whisky and Scottish flavours at RAILS. You can get a traditional three-course feast featuring Neeps & Tatties and more. From £38pp, 12-10pm on 23 Jan.
The London Kilt Run is back, for its fifth annual event. It’s a 10k social run, starting and finishing at the Robert Burns Statue in Victoria Embankment Gardens. Just don’t forget your kilt! Find out more here.
9. See Canary Wharf light up
A FREE light trail has arrived in Canary Wharf, and it’s celebrating its 10th anniversary. For 11 evenings, you can see the area lit up alongside evocative permanent artworks. Winter Lights in Canary Wharf, 20-31 Jan, 5pm-10pm each evening. Find out more.
10. Tackle a freezing cold challenge for an incredible cause
Are you up for a freeeezing challenge? Take an icy swim (or dip) at Tooting Bec Lido (31 Jan) and Parliament Hill Lido (7 Feb) to raise money for homeless charity Crisis, and help someone get off the streets this winter. Find out more.
11. Watch Woman In Mind, starring Olivier Award winner Sheridan Smith
★★★★★
By John Nathan
What are we to read into Sheridan Smith’s second consecutive show about a woman having a breakdown? The first, a musical called Opening Night, was about a star actress going off the rails. It opened in 2024 and followed Smith’s own troubles, which led to her getting, then regretting, some major tattoos. Many of them are proudly on show here as she stars in Alan Ayckbourn’s dizzying black comedy. This time Smith plays housewife Susan who we first encounter sprawled on her lawn having received a blow to the head after standing on a rake.
In Michael Longhurst’s hallucinogenic 40th anniversary production of the play, Susan’s concussion is conveyed by Andrzej Goulding’s stunning video design which blurs the lines between her conscious and unconscious mind. Trapped in a life with no love and no purpose Susan may no longer be able to stay sane. Comedian Romesh Raganathan is terrific as local doctor Bill who valiantly attempts to keep Susan from losing her marbles. But the evening belongs to Smith, whose command of comedy and tragedy is unmatched. If theatre has become therapy for the extremely talented star, we can only hope that it is as beneficial to her as it is to us.
Tickets from £40. The Duke of York’s Theatre. Until 28 Feb. Book here.
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