30+ Best Things To Do In London This Weekend
By
1 day ago
The weekend is almost here – but how will you make the most of it?
It’s finally the weekend. How will you be spending it? Whether you’re in the mood for secret bars or exclusive pizzas, immersive exhibitions or pop-up experiences, there’s plenty going on in London to accommodate your desires. From new exhibitions to new activities (pasta making anyone?), here’s what to do in London this weekend.
This page is refreshed every week with the coolest new pop-ups, deals, events and more to enjoy on the forthcoming weekend. Most of the entries in this list have been tried and tested by the C&TH team, but it is not always possible to visit limited-time entries. In those cases, we include highly rated events, pop-ups and special menus from C&TH-approved brands and businesses.
Love to be first in the know?
Sign up to our weekly What’s On newsletter
What To Do In London This Weekend: 20–21 September 2025
Chelsea Arts Festival
The inaugural Chelsea Arts Festival is coming to down, bringing a slew of talented celebrity guests with it. Think Elizabeth Day, Ian McEwan, Sheila Atim, Lenny Henry and oh so many more. Taking over the streets of Chelsea from 18 to 21 September 2025, here’s a comprehensive guide to what’s on each and every day. Taking to the stage this weekend we have (drumroll please): Elizabeth Day, David Shrigley, Twiggy, Kate Bryan, Sally Phillips, Jordan Stephens, Matt Haig, Ekow Eshun, Philip Colbert, Jack Edwards, Marian Keyes, Yasmin Zaher, David Morrissey, Annie Macmanus, Malala Yousafzai, Lenny Henry and many, many more. Plus: live music, roaming entertainment, street food and an art market. Get your tickets here.
London Fashion Week
You might think this taste-making affair is only open to a selection of elite fashionistas – and that is the case with most of the shows themselves. But there is also a selection of events open to the public, from pop-ups and shopping hubs to panel discussions. Even at Chelsea Arts Festival, we have special screenings of fashion documentaries Twiggy and Quant, as well as a Q&A with the nation’s first supermodel herself. Here’s the C&TH pick of the public-facing events to know.
The Art Car Boot Fair
Before or after enjoying the pop-up Chelsea Art Market at Chelsea Arts Festival this weekend (plus all the arty talks on the agenda), art lovers should head over to Coal Drops Yard where London’s Art Car Boot Fair is returning this Saturday. In this special comedy edition of the renowned fair, Mr Doodle is set to arrive in his signature Doodle bus, while Rankin has a pop-up photography studio and more than 120 artists will showcase their work from the boots of their cars, including comedy legend Vic Reeves and playful contemporary artist Dion Kitson.
Details: 12–6pm, Saturday 20 September 2025 at Lewis Cubitt Square (Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross, London N1C 4DR). Tickets start from £5pp.
Brick Lane Curry Festival
After a nine-year hiatus, Brick Lane Curry Festival will be back in full force this weekend, spotlighting the famous street’s legendary curry houses and shining a spotlight on the rich culinary traditions of London’s Bangladeshi community. Think punchy flavours, live music, chef demonstrations and more.
Details: 19 to 21 September on and around Brick Lane. Sunday 21 September is the main day. Anyone can show up, but you can also register here for free for special discounts.
(© Johnny Stephens Photography)
New Late Night Bar
London nightlife is having a renaissance – especially late night luxury. The latest venue on the city’s scene is Bund, a slick lounge fusing 1930s Shanghai glamour with contemporary chic touches up in the clouds on the 28th floor of 22 Park Lane (above recently opened restaurant Shanghai Me). Expect a pan-Asian menu, a cocktail list drawing on Chinese zodiac, plus a curated bottle menu available from midnight, Thursday to Sunday.
Details: Bund is officially open from Thursday 18 September 2025. Weekend hours (Thursday to Saturday) are midday to 4am.
Aesop Pop-Up
Aussie cosmetics brand Aesop has launched a new fragrance – Above Us, Steorra Eau De Parfum – and is celebrating with an immersive pop-up in Shoreditch this weekend. In a nod to the scent’s celestial inspirations, Shoreditch Tab Centre will be transformed with new artworks by Jack Coulter, plus special readings that evoke the aroma’s story. Visitors will also receive complimentary vials of the fragrance, plus anyone who pops into Aesop Shoreditch can receive a limited-edition digital print by Jack Coulter.
Details: 11am–6pm on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 September at Shoreditch Tab Centre (3 Godfrey Place, London E2 7NT). Slots can be pre-booked here but walk-ins are also welcome.
(© James Moyle)
Chet’s x The Hundred
Buzzy Thai-Americana restaurant Chet’s – hidden at the base of The Hoxton in Shepherd’s Bush – has teamed up with cult Thai hotspot Night+Market and LA streetwear icons The Hundreds to launch The Hundreds Stacked, a month-long dinner menu and limited edition merch collection. Expect an indulgent double smash burger accompanied by moreish Khao Soi Queso Fries plus hard shakes fuelled by Johnnie Walker for one of London’s most indulgent treats this weekend. But trust us when we say you’ll need to be rolled out of the restaurant by the end.
Details: The men is available until 30 September at Chet’s, The Hoxton (65 Shepherd’s Bush Grn, London W12 8QE).
Five Points Brewery Tours
One of East London’s most beloved independent breweries is now inviting fans behind the scenes. Beer lovers and curious Londoners alike can step inside Five Points’ working brewhouse, learning the craft and character that make the brand a local institution, before tasting the goods with a expert guide. Complete your visit enjoying discounted food and drinks, and you’ll be a craft beer convert for good.
Details: Tours take place on Saturdays at Five Points (61 Mare St, London E8 4RG), lasting about 90 minutes. Tickets are £20pp.
The Grill at The Hero, Maida Vale
The Grill At The Hero
For a long wine-fuelled lunch that bleeds into dinner, The Grill at The Hero is our top pick this weekend, perched above the buzzy Maida Vale pub (where the elevated pub grub is also a big draw). Helmed by Public House (the same team behind dazzlingly successful joints The Bull in Charlbury and The Pelican in Notting Hill), The Grill is all white tablecloths and candles dancing in the wind, with speciality cuts of meat and fish cooked over an open fire and served with seasonal accompaniments collected from Public House’s Cotswolds farm. (The raw tuna with fresh cherries is delicately divine, while rich meats like beef short rib are elevated with revelatory freshness from green pickled cucumber.) Downstairs in the pub, the dishes are more British-nostalgic; think ham egg and chips, cheese and onion pie, steak and chips and more. Come Sunday indulgent roasts are served upstairs in The Loft.
Details: The Hero is open midday to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and midday to 10pm on Sundays at 55 Shirland Road, London W9 2JD.
New Listening Bar
London’s music scene is booming, and the latest listening bar on the scene is hidden beneath Virgin Hotels London Shoreditch. Seating up to 38, Hidden Grooves is a Japanese-inspired hi-fi listening bar celebrating the art of deep listening, offering music-themed cocktails, sharing plates and an extensive vinyl collection.
Details: Hidden Grooves (45 Curtain Rd, London EC2A 3PT) is open everyday from 8am to midnight, closing at 1am Thursday to Saturday.
Naomi Hobson, Delicate, 2024
See Aboriginal Art
While a solo exhibition wows audiences on the opposite side of the globe in Melbourne, catch work by Naomi Hobson, a leading light in contemporary Aborignal Art, at Rebecca Hossack Gallery in London this summer.
Details: Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 6pm at 2a Conway St, Fitzroy Square, London W1T 6BA. rebeccahossack.com
George Fouracres as Falstaff in The Merry Wives of Windsor at Shakespeare’s Globe (© Marc Brenner)
Visit The Globe
West End prices may be soaring but, with tickets starting at just £5pp, visiting Shakespeare’s Globe is always a good idea. Expect a more relaxed vibe than at other London theatres – emulating the atmosphere from the Bard’s day, might we add – with stellar performances from new and established thespians alike. Current plays include The Merry Wives of Windsor and Twelfth Night with Troilus and Cressida set to premiere later in the season.
Details: Matinee and evening performances play every weekend, with evening performances running all week too at Shakespeare’s Globe (21 New Globe Walk, London SE1 9DT).
Saturday Lunch Deal
Speaking of bargains, London’s loveliest group of wine bars, Humble Grape, has launched a special Saturday lunchtime deal, offering a burger and Bordeaux for just £20. Tuck into a delicious lamb burger with harissa aioli, cabernet sauvignon pickled red onion, rocket, and chunky hand-cut chips, whilst sipping on a fresh and full-bodied Château Franc-Baudron, Recto, 2020, A.O.C, Bordeaux, France – as chosen by Humble Grape’s expert sommeliers.
Details: Available every Saturday from midday to 4pm at Humble Grape’s Battersea, Canary Wharf, Crouch End and Islington wine bars.
Installation view of Cartier at V&A South Kensington | 12 April-16 November 2025 (c) Victoria and Albert Museum, London
V&A’s Cartier Exhibition
The V&A’s latest exhibition for fashion lovers has landed: Cartier features more than 250 objects, tracing the evolution of the maison’s art, design and craftsmanship since the three grandsons of founder Louis-Francois set to create the first globally recognisable jewellery house at the turn of the 20th century. Plus, it features this impressive tiara. To celebrate the archival jewels on show, The K Bar at The Kensington has launched a Hidden Gems cocktail menu; try the four bejewelled cocktails before heading to the V&A around the corner.
Details: Cartier runs until 16 November 2025 at the V&A South Kensington (Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL). Tickets start from £27 and can be booked at vam.ac.uk. Book a table at The K Bar at doylecollection.com
Jazz Brunch
On the last Saturday of every month, The Marylebone’s 108 Brasserie hosts a delightful Jazz Brunch. Expect champagne on arrival, bottomless appetisers and a pie room filled with decadent desserts – plus live jazz all afternoon.
Details: 12.30 to 4pm on the last Saturday of the month at 108 Brasserie (108 Marylebone Ln, London W1U 2QE) – meaning the next instalment is 27 September.
“NEST (II)” by Gabriele Beveridge at ‘Glassed in Dreams’ (© Isabel Infantes/PA Media Assignments)
Visit A Dreamy Art Installation
Brookfield Properties and The Association of Women in the Arts have teamed up to present a free-to-view installation in the heart of the city. Glassed in Dreams transforms the light-filled atrium of skyscraper 100 Bishopsgate with the dreamlike glass sculptures by conceptual artist Gabriele Beveridge, curated by Vassiliki Tzanakou. Blurring the boundaries between inside and out, the work explores perception, presence and collective experience.
Details: Glassed in Dreams is on display at 100 Bishopsgate until February 2026.
London’s Musical Theatre Bar
What is threatreland missing? A Broadway-worthy musical theatre bar – and our prayers have finally been answered. The Room Where It Happens blends old-world elegance in a transformed townhouse on Greek Street with the reckless, late night abandon of show tune lovers. Guests will sing and dance the night away from Thursday to Saturday, with professional actors as singing servers and a resident pianist igniting a singalong from 9pm.
Details: The Room Where It Happens is open Thursday to Saturday from 5pm to 2am at 5 Greek St, London W1D 4DD. Bottomless Brunch is served on Saturdays from midday.
Royal Gemmology Workshop
Fan of the Royals? This is the workshop for you. Hosted by the opulent Peninsula London, which opened just last year, the Crown Jewels Tour and Gemmology experience commences with a private guided tour of the magnificent crown jewels at their home, the Tower of London, where they have been guarded since 1661. Then return to the hotel and immerse yourself in the wonders of Garrard, the Royal family’s first Crown Jeweller. The Peninsula is home to a glimmering Garrard boutique brimming with beautiful gems, and guests can learn all about them in a masterclass led by the in-house gemmologist. After a chance to don replica Royal tiaras for yourself, end the experience with a delicious signature Peninsula Afternoon Tea to feel like royalty yourself.
Details: The Crown Jewels Tour and Gemmology experience is available for a maximum of three guests at a time, priced at £605 for groups of one to three.
Slow Sundays At Oren
Nothing says ‘winter’ like a warming stew. Head to Dalston’s beloved Oren this weekend to enjoy the three-course ‘Slow Sundays’ menu inspired by the slow-cooked stews and bakes of the Middle East, North Africa and Mediterranean. Start with a mezze of the restaurant’s classic small plates family-style, followed by warming mains and a pudding of spiced quince crumble.
Details: Available on Sundays at Oren (89 Shacklewell Lane, Dalston, London, E8 2EB), and priced at £32pp.
Build A Terrarium
Bring some brightness to your living space with your very own beautiful (and low maintenance) terrarium. If you fancy making your own, join Katie and Lucas in Tottenham for guidance and all the materials you need to craft your very own oasis.
Details: Sessions take place on Saturdays in Tottenham, priced at £70 per person. Find out more at wecandoo.uk
Marceline’s Champagne Cellar Raid brunch (Harriet Langford)
Waterside Champagne Brunch
Another weekend, another brunch – and this one is brand spanking new. Head over to Marceline in Canary Wharf this weekend to enjoy its delicious Champagne Cellar Brunch. Tuck into tasty treats (think croque monsieur, steak tartare, French toast and more) served alongside cellar price sparkling wines. Many bottles are reduced to less than half their usual list price, spanning a £35 Channing Daughters Bianco Pet Nat to £148 Dom Perignon and everything in between.
Details: Every Saturday and Sunday at Marceline (10 Water St, London, E14 5GX).
Hokusai Cakes at Rosewood London’s Art Afternoon Tea
Arty Afternoon Tea
Laze away a weekend afternoon with an arty afternoon tea at Rosewood London’s stunning Mirror Room. Carefully designed by chef Mark Perkins, the skill of renowned Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai is emulated across striking Art Cakes and dishes inspired by his landscapes and portraiture.
Details: Available every afternoon from midday to 5.45pm at Mirror Room (Rosewood, 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN).
Visit The Lush Perfume Library
A trip to Lush is always a sensory experience. Even before stepping across the threshold, the heady scent of bath bombs, jellies and creams trickles out onto the pavement – drawing in shoppers by the nose. But the British label is expanding its fragrance empire with the arrival of the Lush Perfume Library, which has now officially opened its doors in Soho. Read more about the new concept store here.
Details: Lush is open 11am–6pm from Monday to Saturday, and 12pm–6pm on Sundays (67-71 Beak St, Soho, London W1F 9SW). Find out more at lush.com
Play D&D
Whether you’re a total newbie, a Stranger Things fan, or a veteran player, RPG Taverns is the place to be for Dungeons and Dragons fans. Book ahead or just turn up with all materials provided, from Gamemasters to dice, minis, electronic maps, and an immersive living world, with sessions lasting anywhere from two and a half to three hours.
Details: RPG Taverns is open Tuesday–Sunday at COLAB Tavern, 16 Harper Rd, London SE1 6A. Tickets are £15.
Doggy Brunch
How better to celebrate the weekend with your bestie than heading to doggy brunch? Head down to Marylebone with your four legged bestie to try The Cavendish’s brand new weekend brunch, pawfect for pooches. Furry friends can tuck into the likes of white fish, chicken and peanut butter, while their owners enjoy classics like a full English and eggs royale.
Details: 1–3pm every Saturday at The Cavendish (35 New Cavendish St, Marylebone, London W1G 9TR).
Nobu Sushi Masterclass
Learn the art of sushi making from the masters this weekend in an intimate class (10 guests max) at Nobu Old Park Lane. Begin with a chilled glass of Champagne and watch the experts at work, before you roll out your own mat and craft one cut roll, one hand roll and three pieces of nigiri. Afterwards, settle down and tuck into your creations, plus some bonus iconic Nobu dishes, before heading home with a goodybag to remember the experience and continue honing your skills at home.
Details: Last Saturday of every month at Nobu Old Park Lane (19 Old Park Ln, London W1K 1LB). Slots are £250pp plus service charge.
© Rusne Draz
INKO NITO DJ Nights
Fancy starting the weekend with a bang? Every Friday, tucked away on Soho’s Broadwick Street, INKO NITO hosts vibrant and bustling DJ nights offering a mix of funk, soul, hip hop and deep house music alongside the unconventional Japanese robatayaki and sushi dishes that the restaurant is known for. Special dishes bespoke for DJ Nights will also be available, including Portobello mushrooms with smoked butter, sea bream with salsa rosa, Salmon teriyaki, and Kimchi rice.
Details: Every Friday at INKO NITO (55 Broadwick St, Carnaby, London W1F 9QS).
Tuck Into West London’s Best Roast
Big words, but the Sunday roast at Chelsea’s No. 50 Cheyne is (rightly) the stuff of legend. Tucked away on Cheyne Walk – a stone’s throw from the River Thames and Albert Bridge with the King’s Road to the north – this light-filled brasserie is brimming with pretty flowers, bright interiors, and a buzzy atmosphere. Begin with a glass of fizz or treat yourself to a cocktail, before tucking into the legendary roast, choosing between 40 Day Aged Beef Sirloin, Roasted Cauliflower Heritage, Cumbrian Chicken or the restaurant’s prized 100 Day-Aged Belted Galloway Beef Rib Roast, with a limited quantity available. With Executive Chef Iain Smith inspired by a desire to first find and then cook London’s best roast, you’ll find all accompanied with perfectly roasted classic sides: roast potatoes (super crispy yet buttery soft in the middle, just as they should be), Yorkshire pudding (with a surprise stuffing ball nestled inside), huge glazed carrots and hispi cabbage, with a generous serving of gravy to boot. Divine. Best of all, this well-priced, in-demand roast is available on Saturdays as well as Sundays – but you’ll still need to be quick to cinch your table.
Details: Roasts are available every Saturday and Sunday at No. Fifty Cheyne (50 Cheyne Walk, London SW3 5LR), with prices starting at £25 on Saturdays and £28.30 on Sundays.
MORE: London’s Very Best Roasts
© Emma Pharaoh
Eat Viral Pancakes
Apple Butter is a buzzy all-day dining spot and home to some viral pancakes that are worth going out of your way for. There’s the original branch in Seven Dials, or head to the newly opened venue on Langham Place – a stone’s throw away from Oxford Circus – for all the goodness in a slightly more tranquil spot. There’s a full menu of delicious, middle eastern inspired plates, plus an extensive menu of hot and cold coffees and speciality lattes; the cinnamon roll latte is a real treat. But the moment we’ve all been waiting for: the pancakes. There’s a daily special flavour of uber fluffy pancakes, spanning the likes of strawberry cheesecake, lotus and white chocolate, hazelnut praline and, if you’re lucky, sticky toffee pudding – a rich, gooey marvel with dates and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Divine.
Details: Find Apple Butter in Seven Dials (32-34 Monmouth St, London WC2H 9HA) and Langham Place (4-5 Langham Pl, London W1B 3DG). Tables are walk-in only. Good luck! applebuttercafe.com
Islington Square Saturday Market
Every Saturday, Islington Square is overtaken by a carefully curated weekly market in partnership with Urban Food Fest. Visit for mouth watering street food, unforgettable desserts and artisanal products alongside creative crafts for all the family.
Details: Every Saturday from 11am–5pm at Islington Square (116 Upper St, London N1 1AB).
Learn To Make Gelato
Say hello to warmer days with a gelato making session. Join Elisa and Fabiano in Wandsworth to learn all about the art of gelato and sorbet making, before tucking into your creation – 500g of it, no less.
Details: Sessions take place on Wednesdays and Sundays in Wandsworth, priced at £65 per person. See all of the details at wecandoo.uk
The Leo Green Experience
Live music and jazz fans should flock to QT this weekend, where The Leo Green Experience celebrates the best sax solos centre stage, putting a high-energy sax twist on the biggest hits of the last 30 years. Featuring table service delivering an array of small plates and cocktails, there’s an old school vibe with an easy breezy air: think drinking, dancing and eating while Leo and his band raise the roof.
Details: Every Friday and Saturday evening from 7.30–9.15pm and 9.45pm–1am at QT (Middle Eight Hotel, 66 Great Queen St, London WC2B 5BX). Tickets are £25 for general admission, or £35 for seated table service.
Sound Healing At The Mandrake
Seeking some serenity? Experience the transformative combination of Reiki and Sound Healing every Saturday at The Mandrake Hotel, guided by skilled sound healer Maria Lodetoft. Expect Reiki healing amid the soothing soundscape of alchemy crystal singing bowls, producing tones and frequencies thought to align the chakras, calm the mind, and open the heart.
Details: Every Saturday at 11am at The Mandrake Hotel (20-21 Newman St, London W1T 1PG). Places cost £40pp.
Columbia Road Flower Market
Brighten the gloomy winter days with a trip to London’s premiere flower market this weekend: Columbia Road. Taking place every Sunday between Bethnal Green and Hoxton, it attracts people from far and wide in droves and for good reason, offering a glorious slice of unchanging London life, with reasonable prices across flowers and bulbs, succulents and houseplants. With a rainbow of vibrant colours, it’s hard to resist succumbing to the classic Instagram shots. Afterwards, head into Shoreditch, or grab a bagel on the ever-popular Brick Lane.
Details: Sundays, 8am–2pm at Columbia Road, Bethnal Green E2 7RG. Find out more at columbiaroad.info
Go Bowling
OK, OK, a generic weekend suggestion – but London’s bowling alleys are some of the nation’s best. Whether you’re looking to host a big birthday blowout, make plans with friends or you’re in need of new date ideas, you’ll bowl everyone over with these spots.
Learn To Make Pasta
Wondering what to do in London next weekend? Try your hand at the Italian art of pasta making at Pasta Evangelists’ Pasta Academy in Farringdon. Expect to learn all about the best ingredients and techniques, and eat your creation at the end, too. Read our review of the Beginners’ Class here.
Details: Pasta Evangelists’ Pasta Academy (62-63 Long Lane, Barbican, London EC1A 9EJ). These classes are extremely high-demand, so your weekend activity will inevitably be booking ahead for a future weekend.
Still wondering what to do in London this weekend? Sign up to the C&TH What’s On newsletter for the hottest ideas delivered directly to your inbox
