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It’s oh-so-festive in today’s list as we approach the two week lead up to Christmas. That means the Christmas lights are up, a few mulled wines and Baileys hot chocolates have surely been sipped, and you’re probably gearing up for the work Christmas party.
So there’s loads to do… including watching Sophie Ellis Bextor perform at a Christmas pop-up in Richmond while munching on Tikka-style pigs in blankets.
It also wouldn’t be Christmas without a Christmas sandwich so we’ve been on the hunt for our favourite. Join us in trying one or use it as inspiration on how to use your Christmas leftovers!
Get stuck in below!
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Click here for this week’s edit of the best things to do in town.
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Things to do this week in London
If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, here are 13 of the best activities, dining, and drinking spots in the capital.
1. Feel festive with a Christmas afternoon tea at The Parlour at Great Scotland Yard
The Great Scotland Yard festive afternoon tea will be sure to get you in the Christmas spirit. The calm decadence of the Parlour with a twinkling tree in the foyer sets the tone for an evening of relaxing indulgence. Enjoy unlimited tea for your whole sitting – from spiced Darjeeling, to earthy jade sword, and warming blackcurrant and chamomile (I got the latter twice).
Turkey sandwiches with a not-too-sweet cranberry sauce come a close second to the chestnut and Montgomery cheddar Yorkshire puddings. Freshly baked plain and cranberry scones follow, with boozy mulled wine and blackberry jam, which will cleanse your palate before the cakes and pastries.
Prepare yourself for three rich offerings – the orange and hazelnut white chocolate Christmas tree gives a complex blend of your favourite festive flavours… and is also a joy to look at before tasting.
Festive Afternoon Tea, from £65.00pp. 3-5 Great Scotland Yard, Westminster, SW1A 2HN. Book here
2. Indulge in Ukai’s festive menu
By Rebecca Cook
Does it feel like everybody but you is either planning a trip to Japan or just returning from one? Well you can experience an authentic taste of the Land of the Rising Sun on Portobello Road without even going on a plane. Inside Ukai are intimate tables, live music and a menu so good you’ll probably need the attentive staff’s help to make a decision.
First up it’s lobster tempura with a yuzu mayo that makes me want to pour the leftovers into my handbag. Then a platter for sashimi and sushi lovers. The black cod miso – marinated overnight – is melt-in-your-mouth buttery. Next it’s pork belly so tender it will flake apart on your chopsticks, but it’s worth that extra effort to get it from plate to mouth.
For the finale leave space for the refreshing passionfruit mochi, with one of Ukai’s signature cocktails to water it all down. Go with an empty stomach!
Festive menu, £60pp (minimum of two guests). 240 Portobello Rd, Notting Hill, W11 1LL. Book here.
3. Get your best pals together for some Christmas darts fun
Flight Club Victoria’s spectacular and secluded Winter Paradise terrace is the perfect place for a Christmas get-together with friends and colleagues. The festive floral colours of the luscious foliage and the exclusive private cabins nestled within make it the ultimate winter playscape. Take in the surroundings of the terrace while sipping on one of their seasonal offerings – A Little Bit Lychee is a particular delight – before heading inside to show off your skills on the oche.
Expect an evening of high drama and endless laughter as you get to grips with the various game modes. Don’t leave without checking out Limbo – Flight Club’s brand new game that tests players’ nerve as they attempt to go lower than the score set by the previous player. Just how low do you dare to go? But if you can’t make it down this side of Christmas, fear not – grab your spot now for the ultimate New Year’s Eve celebration! Will you start 2026 with a bullseye?
From £13pp for a 60 minute game. Minimum group size of 6 for festive period (17 Nov-24 Dec). Various locations. Book here.
4. Try one of London’s tastiest Christmas sandwiches
Honey & Co
Best for: a deli sandwich done right
Ultimate festive comfort is what you get in Honey & Co’s turkey sandwich. It layers roasted turkey, sausage, homemade cranberry relish and red cabbage slaw between light and pillowy focaccia. The crispy onions bring this heavenly sandwich to 9 out of 10 territory. And you won’t want to share it.
The Loaded Focaccia Turkey Sandwich, £12.50. Available at Honey & Co. Studio, Honey & Co. Daily and Honey & Spice (Warren Street) until lunchtime on Christmas eve. Find out more.
Review by Lola Christina Alao.
Outback BBQ
Best for: gravy fans
The Turkey sandwich to beat this season for me belongs to Outback BBQ at The Hawke Pub in Victoria Park. It’s smoked turkey crown, gravy, cranberry hot honey, chicken skin chicharrón, caramelised onion mayo on a brioche bun.
With turkey soaked in brine then smoked for a whole day, this sandwich treats the favourite Christmas bird with the respect it deserves to deliver a mouth-watering treat that you’ll be dreaming about till next year.
Smoked turkey bun, £14. Available at The Hawke Pub in Victoria Park until mid January. Find out more.
Review by Andy Gaudion
Dom’s Subs
Best for: if you like your sandwiches with a kick
Dom’s Subs are embracing a different kind of Christmas this December with a festive Vietnamese-inspired sandwich. Rare roast beef and a spicy beansprout salad are packed into a soft roll which comes with an exquisite mulled Pho broth to dip the whole thing in – a warming, spiced addition you’ll want to drink straight from the cup.
The Let it pho, let it pho, let it pho!, £13. Various locations. Find out more.
Review by Dylan Mangan
5. Learn how to make some of London’s best restaurant dishes in the Order Up cookbook
The new ORDER UP cookbook (£15, with £7.50 from each sale being donated to Hospitality Action and £7.50 to the restaurant it’s purchased from) is filled with the city’s best-loved recipes. Stand outs include Tom’s Pasta and their famous lasagne and Walnut & Banana Bread from south west London favourite Brickwood.
6. Get 50% off select dishes at Hackney’s newest Italian restaurant, Hoax
A brand new sexy Italian restaurant offering 50% off select dishes this week? That sounds like heaven to us.
HOAX and its ‘secret’ cocktail bar opens on Kingsland Road in Hackney this Saturday. With discounted dishes like cacio e pepe and tiramisu, we have high hopes. Get their offer when you make a booking for 13-20 December.
7. Try pigs in blankets with a twist and see the iconic Sophie Ellis-Bextor in Richmond
A FREE festive pop-up comes to George Street in Richmond this Friday at 12-2pm. Get complimentary foodie treats from the Ocado truck, including Tikka-style pigs in blankets.
Oh, and did we mention there’ll be a special performance by Sophie Ellis-Bextor? It’s gonna be a merry time!
8. See Santa… in the sky!
Now your children really can join Santa in the Sky. Watch the magic in their eyes as you are whisked through Mrs Claus’s home.
Then look forward to one of Santa’s little helpers guiding you to an exclusive London Eye pod to meet Father Christmas for a magical ride over the city skyline, complete with challenges and a complimentary gift from the Big Red Man himself. £79pp, book here.
9. Enjoy free screenings of some of the most famous Christmas films at Box Park Wembley
Get into the festive spirit with FREE film screenings at Boxpark Wembley this week! Catch classics like The Polar Express, Elf and Home Alone. Book here.
10. Head down to The Science Museum for a science-themed evening
The Science Museum is staying open for a Christmas Late this Friday, where you can browse their shop for presents, experience their new out-of-this-world gallery and so much more!
11. Experience the perfect family day out for fans of Ancient Egypt history
Ramses and the Pharaohs’ Gold is arriving next year and it’s making just one stop… NEON at Battersea Power Station.
It’s an incredibly rare chance to see artefacts from ancient Egypt. If you’re looking for a family day out this is one to keep on your radar. Bookings opened today, get your tickets here.
12. Experience Hanukkah on Trafalgar Square
ChanukahLIVE! lands on Trafalgar Square on 16 December, put together by the Jewish Leadership Council.
Expect fresh doughnuts and live music – all communities are welcome and the event is FREE. Find out more.
13. Watch one of London’s festive favourites, A Christmas Carol
This cockle-warming take on the great Christmas parable is now an annual favourite. It’s adapted by Jack Thorne (Harry Potter And The Cursed Child) and features stage stalwart Paul Hilton (Olivier-nominated last year for An Enemy Of The People) as cantankerous miser Ebenezer Scrooge.
Until 10 January. Old Vic Theatre, Waterloo. Book here.
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