There’s an IRL emoji party in London tonight

We love a good peach emoji as much as the next smartphone-wielding person so we’re pretty pumped to tell you that ultra-slick foodie magazine is launching an exhibition at Ace Hotel tonight, where you can be surrounded by your favourite edible emojis IRL.  

The colourful artwork in question is the handiwork of Swiss photographer Matthieu Lavanchy, whose depictions of the emojis for a banana, aubergine, avocado and cuppa appear in The Gourmand’s tenth issue. The mag’s always full of mouthwatering photos of carefully arranged grub and this will be no different. Don’t worry if the prints leave you peckish, there will also be IRL food alongside the emoji food – to celebrate a new menu in Ace’s Lobby Bar. 

© Matthieu Lavanchy

Sliders and canapés come in the form of smoked salmon scotch eggs filled with dill crème fraîche and grilled butternut squash, triple cheese and goat curd toasties. Wash it down with a cocktail from the fancy new drinks menu while Horse Meat Disco DJ Severino brings the underground disco beats. Excited? Replies in emojis only, please. 

The Gourmand Lobby Bar Emoji Gallery Launch takes place at The Ace Hotel’s Lobby Bar in Shoreditch tonight (Wed Mar 21), 7-11pm. Want to go? RSVP here now to get free entry. The exhibition runs until May 16.

Don’t fancy eating emojis? Try these bottomless brunches instead.