Welcome back to The Slice!
The clocks go back this weekend, which means an extra hour to soak up all that London has to offer. And there’s loads to do!
Why not start at free pasta at Emilia’s and free pizza and beer at new opening Box Piccadilly? Find out how to get your hands on them below.
We’re also telling you what we think of SINO, a contemporary take on Ukrainian cuisine – and one of Shoreditch’s hottest new restaurants Lagana, where the dips are out of this world.
And of course, Halloween is on its way! Take the fear out of finding your plans this year and take your pick of our best alternative Halloween events selection.
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 12 of the best activities, dining, and drinking spots in the capital.
1. Savour incredible breads and dips at new It-girl spot Lagana
When you put together leopard print seating, Instagrammable dim lighting, irresistibly creamy dips and paper guests can sketch on while waiting for food, you get Lagana (the name for a Greek flatbread). It’s the Pachamama group’s latest opening, and it’s simple yet delicious Greek staples with some fun modernisation. The Pink mini cocktail kicks things off, it’s enjoyably refreshing and makes an impact despite its tiny size. Aside from the cocktails, there’s also an enticing selection of spritzes and wine.
Ordering a few of the famous dips (also found at Pachamama’s Bottarga) is a non-negotiable. Generous swirls of the tzatziki with cucumber skin and dill oil, and the spicy feta and red pepper come out. They glisten in the candle light before we demolish them with bubbly, chewy pitta (order a few portions of pitta if, like me, you prefer a more even dip-to-bread ratio).
For mains, succulent citrus-y chicken sitting in a vibrant yellow puddle of lemon sauce is my star of the night. Pair it with their fresh Greek salad, full of toasted lagana, deliciously creamy feta and capers. It will make you never want a pre-made supermarket salad again. Dessert is truly special too – the caramel cheesecake is a huge piece of light and creamy heaven.
Bread and dips from £4, bigger plates and salads from £8. 19 Willow Street, Old Street, EC2A 3HU. Book here.
2. Warm up with Eastern European comfort food at SINO
I don’t think I’ve ever felt more at home or more warmly welcomed than at Sino. The team’s dedication to impressing their guests shines through every detail: from the impeccable service to the beauty of the space and the carefully considered tableware, everything feels designed to make your evening special. This contemporary take on Ukrainian cuisine honours the nostalgic comfort of Eastern European flavours, while embracing the sophistication of the modern culinary world.
Every plate tells a story of tradition reimagined with quiet confidence. The potato and sorrel waffle with smoked pike roe and cream cheese is softly comforting, yet playful in its twist. The sauerkraut dumplings could have gone either way, but they win me over instantly. The sauerkraut’s sharpness is precisely measured, offering a vibrant contrast that keeps the flavours alive.
And whatever you do, don’t skip dessert. The delicate honey cake with buckwheat chocolate melts into a velvety sweetness that brings the whole experience to a perfect close.
Small plates from £12, larger plates from £21.7 All Saints Rd, Notting Hill, W11 1HA. Book here.
3. Score a free slice of pizza and a pint at new Box Piccadilly
To celebrate the opening of Box Piccadilly, they’re treating you to 400 free pints of Budvar and 400 slices tasty Neapolitan pizza.
The new West End sports bar spans three floors with over 20 huge screens. Grab your free treats on 23 Shaftesbury Avenue from 5.30pm on 30 October.
4. London’s best… alternative Halloween events
art’otel London Hoxton presents: Dusk ‘til Dawn Vampire Screening
Best for: a spooky challenge
Think you’ve got what it takes to take on a 14-hour vampire film marathon? That’s right, from dusk on 31 October till dawn on 1 November, watch cult classics like Dracula and sip Kraken Rum ‘blood bag’ cocktails. Don’t worry, there’ll be snacks too to keep your energy up, like indulgent garlicky pizzas.
Tickets, £25pp (including entry, food, and drink). 31 October. Book here.
Barry’s x Arc Halloween Event
Best for: feeling scarily fit
Want to give yourself a healthy fright? Global fitness studio Barry’s is collaborating with Arc, the community sauna. Ditch the Halloween night out for a a scary edition of its ‘After Dark’ party series. Come energised for a 6.40pm Barry’s class at its Canary Wharf studio – then wind down from 7.45pm with an arc sauna session to the backdrop of music by a Barry’s DJ. Plus: sip on some drinks courtesy of Bar Lina, to reward yourself for your efforts.
Tickets, £45 (including Barry’s class, arc sauna session, DJ and drinks). Canary Wharf. 31 October. Find out more.
Beavertown presents The Lost Dimensions
Best for: an immersive Halloween
This year, Beavertown Brewery is inviting you to ‘leave normality behind and enter the wonderfully weird’. In a 90-minute immersive experience, you’ll get to enter five twisted rooms. It’s storytelling with a scary twist… There’s also a pop-up Beavertown Bar and a surprise guest headlining each night.
Tickets, £20. Kachette, Old Street. 31 October-2 November. Book here.
5. Try an Irish delicacy at Scaldy
By Dylan Mangan
Staff at a Chinese takeaway in Dublin wanted to make ‘something different’ to eat when they finished work, so they created the now infamous spice bag – essentially salt and pepper chicken and chips with added veg and curry sauce. That was in 2006, and over 20 years later the spice bag has walked the well-trodden Irish path to London.
Scaldy is the brainchild of half-Singaporean chef Max Spiro, who wanted to recreate the spice bags his Irish partner missed from home. And he’s succeeded. They describe themselves as London’s first ‘spice bag specialists’ – a tag that is difficult to disagree with.
Both the chicken and nontraditional beef spice bags are sizeable, succulent and – in another break from Dublin takeaway tradition – made with high-quality ingredients. Chef Max recommends the chicken balls as his favourite item on the menu. Forget the usual chewy, homogenous chicken balls. These are made with chicken thigh and the crispiest batter you can imagine. At just over a tenner for the chicken spice bag, Scaldy offers decent value for money – and the Guinness isn’t bad either.
Scaldy pops up at The Red Bull Pub every Wednesday to Saturday, following on from their successful launch in Feeney’s, Tower Hill.
Spice bags from £10.95. The Red Bull Pub, 116 Peckham High Street, Peckham SE15 5DH. Just walk in.
6. It’s World Pasta Day! Celebrate with a free bowl at Emilia’s Crafted Pasta…
For World Pasta Day, get your hands on a free bowl of pasta at the new Emilia’s Crafted Pasta Victoria branch.
They’re giving out 1,000 bowls on Saturday 25 but you’ll need to be quick! Head down between 12-4pm and 5-8.30pm.
7. …Or 1p Cacio e Pepe at Noci
It’s not quite free, but it might as well be! Noci is giving 300 lucky guests a bowl of their signature Brown Butter Cacio e Pepe for just one penny! Their silky Brown Butter Cacio e Pepe has been a classic from day one – hand-rolled pasta tossed in rich brown butter, creamy pecorino, and plenty of cracked black pepper.
Get yours between 3-5pm on Saturday 25 October at Noci branches in Islington, Battersea Power Station and Richmond.
8. Feed your fried chicken craving at Dave’s Hot Chicken
69m free chicken sliders (that sure is a lot of chicken!) are up for grabs across all Dave’s Hot Chicken locations. Make your way down to 40 Shaftesbury Avenue on Thursday 23 between 11am-9pm to get yours!
9. Visit London’s new social pub The Black Eel
A brand new pub is landing in east London. But The Black Eel isn’t just a pub, it’s a social hub and beer garden too.
Riley’s, the latest project from chef Billy Fisher who was previously head-chef at Lagom, will be in the kitchen serving up comforting Sunday roasts and more.
10. Celebrate Day of the Dead in true Mexican style at Corrochio’s
Want Halloween without the terror and mystery? Mexican restaurant Corrochio’s will celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with a whole weekend of celebrations.
Honour your loved ones who have passed with a communal altar, Day of the Dead party and more. 30 October-2 November.
11. Laugh for agood cause at the Josh Berry Charity Pub Quiz
A £100 George gift voucher and plenty more prizes are up for grabs if you’re smart enough for the Josh Berry Charity Pub Quiz on 27 October.
It’s in support of Shout, a 24/7 text messaging service for anyone struggling to cope. Find out more here.
12. See an Oscar-nominated performance IRL with Mary Page Marlowe
By John Nathan
★★★★★
It is not often that theatre gives you the chance to see an Oscar-nominated performance in the flesh. This UK premiere of Tracy Letts’ play, in which Andrea Riseborough and Susan Sarandon (in her London stage debut) are two of the five actors playing the title role, is a completely different animal from To Leslie, the 2022 movie that led to Riseborough’s Oscar nomination. Yet as Matthew Warchus’ 100-minute production unfolds, the coincidental similarities between Riseborough’s Leslie and her Mary Page are so vivid it is as if one of the most captivating movie performances of recent times had stepped out from a cinema screen and onto a stage.
Letts dissects the fictional life of his heroine into eleven scenes and scatters them seemingly at random so that they land in no particular chronological order. The sum of all these parts makes you leave Warchus’s intimate in-the-round production looking anew at your own life and all the people who have lived it so far.
Tickets from £25. Old Vic Theatre, Waterloo. Until 1 November. Book here.
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