Daniela Toporek

Afternoon tea is what makes a trip to London truly iconic – even if you already live here. You’ll find some of the best at London’s chicest hotels, restaurants, and art galleries - and we’ve worked out what makes an afternoon tea a truly memorable experience. It'’s not just perfect pastries, the most elegant of teeny tiny cakes and finger sarnies with the crusts cut off, but swish service, the option to have something boozy and bubbly and a picture-perfect, characterful room in which to enjoy it all. From The Ritz to a Caribbean restaurant in Walthamstow, the National Gallery and the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, there's truly something for every cake-munching tea-drinker in this round-up of London's best afternoon tea spreads.  Expect to pay in the region of £50 to £80 for the pleasure per person, but you'll be in for a treat if you go with one of our recommendations. Remember, many of the teas have set times for seatings, so booking in advance is always a good idea. RECOMMENDED: The best hotels in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor and knows all about tiny little cucumber sandwiches and drinking Champagne at 3pm. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. The hottest new openings, the tastiest tips, the spiciest reviews: we’re serving it all on our London restaurants WhatsApp channel. Follow us now.

Forget starchy and old-fashioned. London’s best wine bars are bringing the humble grape to cool crowds of discerning drinkers. Find cosy, bistro-style settings with great food, sophisticated bars that are perfect for date night, or hip Hackney hangouts where wine is the drink du jour. Discover everything from natural wines to grapes from far-flung vineyards, plus service from knowledgeable, approachable staff. One thing is for certain, you’ll find more than a bargain bin Sauv Blanc at these great grape-peddlers. RECOMMENDED: These are London’s best bars.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

There’s no getting around it: winters in the UK are bleak. From October until March things are pretty much forever grey, damp and cold, and don’t get us started on the 4pm darkness. But hey, maybe it’s all worth the wait when spring shines its golden, warm(ish) rays and those pink little flowers we all know and love reawaken from their seasonal slumber. That’s right: cherry blossom season is nearly here, folks. And it’s back to save us all.  What month is cherry blossom season in the UK? While peak blossom season normally starts in April and lasts through May, climate change has slowly been pushing the peak back, so don’t be surprised if you stumble on full bloomin’ trees as early as mid-March. Lucky for us, the UK offers some gorgeous green spaces for cherry blossom devotees, and we’ve rounded up the best, from Scottish parks to Cumbrian castles. RECOMMENDED:🌺 The best places to see wildflowers in the UK🌿 The best places in the UK to see wisteria💙 The UK’s top spots for bluebells🌤️ The best places to visit in the UK Ella Doyle is Time Out’s guides editor for the UK and Europe, based in London. At Time Out, all of our guides are written by experts. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

Bottomless brunch. These words strike excitement – and also a slight sting of terror – into our hearts. Endless quaffing of fizz, usually within a 90 minute time limit, and some hearty breakfast foods seem like the perfect backdrop to catching up with mates on a weekend. Simply bash your cash down and let the London restaurant of your chosing do the rest. Will you get drunk? Most likely. Will you be so full of food that you're worried you may explode? Also possible. Are you in? Yes, you are. In London, you’ll find bottomless bubbles and bloody marys, as well as options with red wine, and cocktails. The food doesn’t have to be straightforward breakfast stuff either. Brunch can be anything from bao to barbecue. Time to go hard then go home! All that sounds a bit too much? You could just stick to regular old brunch. RECOMMENDED: Find more great breakfasts in London.

As sister venue to Hackney’s tiny wine bar Binch, Godet can easily be spotted by its peachy-pink exterior and checkered curtains. Not only are the vibes ridiculously cool, with a weekend DJ (at a reasonable volume), Godet have collabed with Perk’d Up Burgers to serve up elite, cheesy, crispy-edged burgers and sides to complement a small, but mighty selection of reds, whites and oranges. 

After any event at any arena, there’s the dreadful aftermath of waste. The heaps of trash left behind by attendees, the paper and plastic containers, the empty vapes and an incomprehensible amount of everything else abandoned for poor cleaning staff to recover. Apparently, each person attending a football match can produce seven times more waste than they would in their everyday life. Thankfully, there’s A Greener Future (AGF), a non-profit company that helps events and venues reduce their environmental impact and become more sustainable. And there are places making positive progress. Later this month, five UK arenas will be recognised by AGF for their commitment to sustainability last year at the International AGF Awards.  AGF ranks the venues assessed by four variations of ‘greenness’. There’s the improver certification, which recognises great strides in the venue’s green journey and the ‘commenders’ certification, which honours well-managed, environmentally aware venues.  At the top level, the high commenders certification celebrates a high level of commitment to green practices and significant standards of sustainability. Outstanding certifications (the greenest of them all) demonstrate exceptional leadership and achievements in sustainable practices. The Forest Green Rovers’ New Lawn stadium in Stroud takes the top spot with an ‘Outstanding’ Greener Arena certification, with FIFA even describing the Rovers as ‘the greenest football club in the world’ for its solar panel

Making that after-work motive easier than ever, a new venue has opened in south London which is both a coworking space and a nightclub. Called Gaffe, it’ll be a one-stop-shop where you can work your job by day and boogie down by night.  The 150-person venue, also known as Commune Studios, says its goal is to become ‘a new home for the heads’. Featuring a custom-built high-end Funktion One sound system (and kitted out with acoustic dampening fabric and a five-layer soundproof wall), it’ll be available to rent on weekdays and be open for DJ workshops, studio sessions and birthday parties, while the weekends will be reserved for revelry.  Gaffe founder Luca Marchal said: ‘We see ourselves as a multi-purpose creative space and destination venue. Our focus is on intimate, quality-focused music experiences... When we say “heads”, we’re talking about people who are there for the art itself. It's about creating a space where the music and community take centre stage.’ Here’s what the space looks like.  Photograph: Maddie Corleone Gaffe started as a temporary space that held multiple nightclub events last year including Soft Club, a sober rave event. Marchal filed to make the venue permanent in 2024, but was initially denied by Lambeth Council after a resident whose flat is next to the arches said he had noise concerns and complained about broken glass on the floor the day after events. After tailoring the application to adhere to safety measures, like adding ID scanning and beefed-

Yep - you read the headline. ‘Zombie’ spiders have been found in the UK. Arachnophobes, this might not be the article for you.‘Zombie’ spiders might sound scary – but don’t worry your pretty little heads. Scientists have assured us we’re under no threat, and that they're completely harmless to humans. So, what exactly is a ‘zombie’ spider? And where have they been found in the UK? The arachnids become ‘zombified’ after being infected by a parasitic fungus called gibellula attenboroughii (named after everyone’s fave naturalist, Sir David Attenborough). The fungus latches onto spiders in certain dark, damp spaces – and in this case, spiders in cave systems across both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have become infected. The parasitic culprit was confirmed by scientists from the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI), the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and the Natural History Museum of Denmark.  The eight-legged zombies have been found hanging on walls and ceilings of White Fathers’ Caves, a series of caves spanning County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland and County Cavan in the Republic. Image: CABI Scientists say that the fungus changes spiders’ behaviour by altering dopamine levels and forcing them away from their safe environments to be exposed and left for dead. The eerie phenomenon is only affecting orb-weaving spider species right now, but CABI scientists are still studying how the fungus could affect future spider species and populations ac

Croydon’s award-winning rapper, Stormzy, has teamed up with McDonald’s for its ‘Famous Orders’ campaign, and is launching his own ‘Stormzy Meal’ in the UK – but his hometown gets the first bite.  Starting February 10, nine McDonald’s locations across Croydon will get a sneak peek at the £7.99 meal (price varies on location)This is the first-ever UK collab in the McDonald's Famous Orders campaign that started in 2020. Previous celebs awarded this McHonor include music artists BTS , Mariah Carey, Saweetie, Travis Scott and J Balvin, and YouTuber, Kai Cenat. Ian Stephenson, owner and operator of 11 McDonald's branches in south London, said: ‘We’re so proud of our homegrown hero Stormzy, so to be able to celebrate in Croydon early with McDonald's first ever Famous Order in the UK and Ireland, is an honour.’   ‘Rebranding our restaurant in North End is an iconic first and we can’t wait to welcome all our loyal fans down to ‘Big Mikes’ to order like the man himself.’  Here’s everything you need to know if you want to get your hands on Stormzy’s go to Maccie D’s order.  What is in the Stormzy McDonald’s Meal? The meal includes nine McNuggets and fries with BBQ dips, a Sprite Zero and the choice of an Oreo McFlurry or an apple pie for the sweet finish. Photograph: Red Consultancy Where to get the new McDonald’s Meal early? You can race to any of these nine McDonald's across Croydon to get an early taste of the rapper's order.  86/90 North End, Croydon, CR0 1UJ 67/69 Church Stre

Are you a history buff? A James Bond fanatic? An arts-and-culture aficionado? A lover of drinking in one-of-a-kind bars? All four of those? If so, we’ve got your dream London attraction. It’s called The London Tunnels, and it’s expected to be one of the most significant new attractions to open in the city this side of the millennium.  As the name suggests, The London Tunnels will occupy a series of underground passages. The tunnels were built during WWII to protect Londoners from the Blitz, and they stretch a mile under High Holborn and Chancery Lane. They may be hidden beneath central London’s streets, but they’re pretty huge: the ceilings are so high they could fit a double-decker bus.  The tunnels have been shut since the 1980s and they’re set to soon open to the public as a tourist attraction. With the help of WilkinsonEyre (the architects behind Battersea Power Station’s flashy revamp) London Tunnels CEO Angus Murray plans to open the tunnels up as a part-museum, part-exhibition-space and part-cocktail-bar, and it’s predicted to launch in early 2028.  So, how did we get here? After the war the tunnels were taken over by British Intelligence for its Special Operations Executive office (part of MI6), and the offices were supposedly an inspiration to James Bond creator Ian Fleming and his novels’ Q Branch. In the ’50s, the complex was transformed into the Kingsway Exchange Tunnels, a telephone exchange with the deepest underground bar in any city in the world, built for its

It’s February and the sweet scent of love is in the air – or maybe that’s just a rose-scented diffuser from one of London’s ever-growing number of Diptyque shops. And soon those scents will get even stronger: the French luxury fragrance brand has announced it will open its next London location in Canary Wharf on Valentine’s Day, February 14.  Bringing a Parisian eau de parfum to the air of east London’s skyscraper-ridden business district, Diptyque’s 48-square-metre Canary Wharf boutique will have the brand’s usual range of scented perfumes, candles and diffusers, plus bath and body care, home décor, stationery and more.  The Canary Wharf boutique is designed to mirror Diptique’s original location on Paris’s Saint Germain Boulevard, with warm, welcoming hues, wooden floors and checkered, wooden paneling by the cash desk. On the fragrance counter’s wall, there’ll be an original, hand-painted frieze by French artist Charlotte Bohn.  Image: Diptyque ‘Canary Wharf is an exciting, dynamic hub that blends an engaged community of professionals, tourists and residents within a prime location of continued growth and bustling energy,’ said Diptyque UK’s managing director, Amanda Morgan. ‘We are excited to welcome new and existing visitors in the area to Diptyque’s product offering, including personalisation and engraving services.’ The Canary Wharf boutique is located at Cabot Place, and opens Monday to Friday from 10am to 8pm, Saturday from 10am to 7pm and Sunday from noon to 6pm. D

Calling all birdwatchers and wildlife lovers, get those wellies on and your binoculars ready. England's Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has just purchased land to expand its nature reserve at RSPB Geltsdale to create a ‘Pennines paradise’.  That’s right, RSPB has got its hands on the final remaining third of Geltsdale, meaning the nature reserve there has grown to cover a whopping 5,500 hectares and has become RSPB’s biggest bird sanctuary in England. On top of that there’s a multi-million five-year plan to restore it to tip-top shape.  Ian Ryding, RSPB Geltsdale’s reserve manager, said: ‘We want to create a landscape that sings with life. From the bright carpets of wildflowers in the hay meadows to the gentle ripple of restored wetlands teeming with insects and birdlife, this vision is about bringing back the sounds, sights, and vitality of England’s truly wild Pennines.’ Plans for the restoration include revitalising moorlands and peatlands, expanding and regenerating woodlands by planting thousands of more trees, restoring wetlands, creating wildflower hay meadows, continuing to wildlife species and instil more fenceless grazing – all while combatting climate change.  David Morris, RSPB’s area manager, said: ‘This work isn’t just about protecting wildlife – it’s about creating a more resilient landscape. ‘Restored peatlands will lock away carbon, wetlands will reduce downstream flooding, and vibrant habitats will support species at every level of the food

Claridge’s, which already gives its name to one of London’s most iconic hotels and an equally legendary restaurant, has just announced a new venture – a bakery.  Claridge’s Bakery is scheduled to open its doors this summer on Brook’s Mews in Mayfair, next to Claridge's ArtSpace Cafe, and will specialise in British classics like jam and custard tarts, as well as Belgian buns, iced fingers and fresh-baked bloomers, granary and sourdough loaves.  Running the Claridge’s oven as executive baker and creative director is sourdough connoisseur and author Richard Hart. ‘My goal is to celebrate timeless British baked favourites in one of the most notable British institutions,’ Hart said. ‘Bread and baked goods are an everyday staple that brings people together and I can’t wait to share my take on it with Londoners and visitors to the capital.’ Photograph: If the bakery holds a candle to Claridge’s hotel and restaurant – both of which have received five-star reviews in Time Out – baked goods-loving Londoners will be in for a treat. The bakery is currently slated to open in ‘late summer’. Brook’s Mews, W1K 4HR. Did you see that three London artisan bakeries have been crowned the best in the UK for 2025? Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.

In big news for thrifty Londoners who don’t want to have to carry around both a bank card and an Oyster card to get discounted travel, TfL and Sadiq Khan are (finally) discussing integrating railcard discounts with contactless payment.  Londoners with 16-25, 26-30, Senior, HM Forces, Veterans or Disabled Railway railcards can currently only use their discounts on the tube, Overground and TfL Rail if they link them with an Oyster card. They also have to hunt down staff members at tube stations to initially link their Oyster card with these perks. In an effort to make train travel more convenient, the new integration would allow card holders to receive their one-third discount rates and reduced daily ‘caps’ with a simple mobile phone app or contactless bank card instead of having to carry an Oyster.  The news comes after Green group leader of the London Assembly, Caroline Russell wrote to Khan asking if there were any future plans to update the Oyster card by making it available digitally, or if there was a plan to ever add the railcard discounts to contactless cards. The former head of customer payments at TfL, Mike Tuckett, told MyLondon: ‘Due to the design of the contactless system, it’s not currently possible to associate concessions and discounts to contactless bank cards.’ While there’s still no word on if and when the integration would happen, Khan’s office responded: ‘TfL is working closely with the Department for Transport and Rail Delivery Group to progress work to al

What does it take to be the best restaurant in the UK? An impeccably curated menu? A stylish dining room? An over-stressed chef chain-smoking in the back of the restaurant like in movies and telly shows? Best to ask Restaurant Sat Bains in Nottingham, which was just named the country’s best restaurant for 2025 by foodie guide SquareMeal.  Serving modern British cuisine infused with little twists, turns and surprises inspired by the travels of chef Sat Bains, Restaurant Sat Bains sits on a tiny country road near the River Trent, just outside Nottingham. The red-brick, u-shaped former farmhouse is unassuming, isolated from the rest of the city, but step inside and you’ll find the restaurant, a private tasting room and the kitchen bench – an action-packed area within the pastry kitchen to the chefs in action. There’s also a lounge for pre-dinner drinks, a cigar hut and an urban garden and greenhouse. So, what’s the resto’s secret to success?  ‘The key is relevance and being proactive to push the boundaries of gastronomy,’ said Derby-born chef Bains. ‘We’ve always got to keep pushing and keep staying fresh.’ Bains strives to be flavour driven. To hell with pretty plates and culinary school techniques. What’s the point if the food isn’t good?  ‘The point of technique is to extract flavour’, he said. ‘You have the same ingredients as everyone else. You have to figure out how to make them stand out from the rest.’  Photograph: Laurie Fletcher What started as a simple catering cla

German Doner Kebab is taking over the UK with plans to open a whopping 25 more restaurants across the country in 2025. GDK, which is owned by Glasgow-based company Hero Brands, opened its first new outlet of the year in London’s Victoria Place Shopping Centre (attached to Victoria station). It became the 55th German Doner Kebab location in the Big Smoke and the chain’s 144th UK outpost.  GDK Victoria will also be the third lucky store in London (and 6th nationwide) to offer the restaurant’s new breakfast menu. Served until 11am, guests can take a bite of items like the ‘big breakfast wrap’, a flatbread stuffed with doner meat, free-range eggs, hash brown bites, onions, tomatoes, melted cheese and yogurt sauce. ‘We launched our campaign, “Doners worthy of the daylight”, last year, informing the UK public that GDK makes kebabs suitable to be enjoyed at any time of day,’ said GDK’s CEO Simon Wallis about the breakfast. ‘We wanted to give guests the opportunity to enjoy GDK at breakfast and developed a special range with items UK consumers know and love.’ The news comes after two successful years for Hero Brands. The company opened 16 GDK locations in the UK in 2024 and 19 in 2023, with plans to continue growth for the next five years. Now, now who will be crowned the quick-service, chain-opening winner – GDK or Gail’s? Only time will tell. Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel

Further encouraging Londoners to ditch gas and energy-guzzling cars for sustainable cycling, e-bike firm Forest will roll out three new e-bike models in the capital by the end of this year.  Gone are the days of passengers riskily perching on e-bikes’ handlebars or back wheels (neither of which are endorsed by Time Out, obvs). These roomier, upgraded models, put into production thanks to a £13m investment from firms Fintex Capital and B8 Venture Partners, will allow extra passengers to hop along for a ride, as well as providing extra storage space for cyclists.  One of the models – the Forest Duo – has a passenger seat installed behind the cyclist saddle, while the Forest Kid model offers child safety seats. For extra storage space, the Forest Cargo model has the classic front basket, as well as a built-in luggage rack to strap on additional luggage.  Forest is one of the most popular e-bike firms operating in London, and the company has plans to expand in Hackney. It currently has 15,000 bikes around the city and hopes to launch its first non-UK service in Paris by late 2025. Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel. Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.