Ed Cunningham

November 2025: Cool, crispy weather and far less daylight can only mean one thing - Sunday roast season is here. Not simply just a decent hangover cure, Sunday lunch is one of the most winter-y things a Londoner can possibly do. Our latest update to this list has prioritised the cosiest pubs in town, with extra points for roaring open fires, as well as nooks and crannies to hunker down in as the city gets darker, colder and way more snuggly. There are a couple of posh restaurants in the mix too, with a Nordic roast at the fancy Ekstedt at the Yard, and a proper meat feast at The Quality Chop House. We also have a brand new Number 1; the simple, spectacular roast at London’s OG organic pub, The Duke of Cambridge.  London’s best Sunday roasts at a glance: 🥩 Central: Duke of Cambridge, Angel 😇 North: The Angel, Highgate ⛪ South: Old Nun’s Head, Nunhead 🌈 East: The Nelson’s, Hackney 🍻 West: The Mall Tavern, Notting Hill Sunday lunch. There’s nothing quite like it. An elemental meal, one that Londoners take incredibly seriously. Debates about what constitutes the ‘perfect’ Sunday roast have been known to last for hours. There is no shortage of top roasts in London. We’ve rounded up the city’s best Sunday meals from a host of pubs, restaurants and breweries all around town. What makes a good roast? For us, it’s simple; a welcoming room is a good start, maybe in a pub with an open fire. Then it comes to the plate – we need perfect roast potatoes, well-cooked lamb, beef or por

As much as Christmas trees, turkey and a mildly overworked Santa have become staples of the festive season, so has the music that soundtracks this cheer-soaked time of year. Christmas songs don’t just endure – many end up becoming the crown jewels of an artist’s entire career. From golden oldies by Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Bing Crosby, to ‘80s icons like Wham! and The Pogues, to modern favourites from Ariana Grande and Leona Lewis, these tunes have embedded themselves into our seasonal rituals. What is the best-selling Christmas song of all time? That honour still belongs to Bing Crosby’s 1942 classic ‘White Christmas’. With over 50 million sales, it’s not only the biggest Christmas record in history – it’s the best-selling song of all time, full stop. Guinness World Records first crowned it back in 1955, and it’s held onto the title ever since. What is the most-streamed Christmas song of all time? Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ may trail Crosby in pure sales (a mere 16 million), but streaming has turned it into a seasonal juggernaut. It finally hit No.1 in both the UK and US decades after its release and became the first Christmas song to pass 2 billion Spotify streams. Hot on its heels: Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ (1.83 billion) and Brenda Lee’s ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ (1.27 billion). Are there any new Christmas songs for 2025? The past decade has delivered plenty of modern holiday staples, from Ariana Grande to Sabrina Carpenter to Cher. As

Europe is incredible for festivals, make no mistake about it. And what could be better? Travelling to festivals abroad means getting to explore somewhere new and see a bunch of cracking artists, as well as maybe – just maybe – enjoy better weather and cheaper beer. Europe is certainly not in short supply of some really brilliant places to party, from tiny, lesser-known spots in the Azores to headliner-packed fests in France and the Netherlands. There’s just one festival you’ll see sadly missing from our list – everyone’s favourite festival Glastonbury is taking a fallow year in 2026.  What is the largest festival in Europe? Glastonbury is normally thought of as the biggest festival in Europe (if not the world). But though it’s certainly the most well known, in terms of numbers, it’s not even the the biggest in the UK! The biggest in Europe is actually Donauinselfest in Vienna, Austria, which sees upwards of two million visitors a year. After that, it’s probably joint between Glasto and Tomorrowland in Belgium. The more you know! RECOMMENDED: 🎪 The best UK music festivals🎤 The best music festivals in the world🌃 The most underrated destinations in Europe🌤️ The best European city breaks At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide may include affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate gu

Even on the coldest, darkest days of winter, London is always bustling with fun things to do, with a jam-packed calendar of unmissable events to keep you entertained during most people’s least favourite time of the year. And yet, even we culture-mad London superfans have to admit that every once in a while it’s nice to have a little break from it all. When the capital’s hustle and bustle leaves you feeling a little drained, you can find some escape from the crowds and hordes of tourists by getting up and getting out just for a day. In dire need of crisp country air, a relaxing spa day or a gorgeous, long walk? These day trips from London are all under two hours from Zone 1 and will give you the relief you need this winter. RECOMMENDED: The best day trips from London Best winter day trips at a glance 🪄 Best for magic-lovers: Warner Bros Studio Tour 🎄 Best for the light deprived: Go Wild 2025 at Wakehurst  🍴 Best for the always peckish: Chapel Down Luxury Dining Experience 🏞️ Best for crowd haters: Broadway, Worcestershire 📱 Best for digital detoxers: Rocheser Christmas Fair

As the second-largest island in the Med (after Sicily), Sardinia boasts an enormous range of stuff to see, do, eat and drink. From the pristine aquamarine waters and dusty white sands of Costa Smeralda to the buzzing streets of Cagliari, Sardinia appeals to nature lovers, beach bunnies and urban explorers alike. Fittingly, hotels on the island cater to all kinds of visitors. Featuring spas, villas, city centre locations, family-run establishments and swanky five-star resorts – these are the best hotels in Sardinia. Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every hotel featured, we've based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, hotel amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Every week, a frankly silly amount of brilliant new restaurants, cafés and street food joints arrive in London. Which makes whittling down a shortlist of the best newbies a serious challenge. But here it is. The 20 very best new restaurants in the capital, ranked in order of greatness and deliciousness. All of them have opened in the past year and been visited by our hungry critics. So go forth and take inspo from this list, which is updated regularly. Check in often to find out what we really rate on the London restaurant scene. And look here for all the info about the best new openings in November. London's best new restaurants at a glance: 🍛 Central: Adoh!, Covent Garden 🍠 North: Belly Bistro, Kentish Town 🥟 South: Doma, Sydenham 🍝 East: Legado, Shoreditch 🥗 West: The Lavery, South Kensington November 2025: New additions include Sri Lankan fast food at Adoh! in Covent Garden, Chingford chophouse Gina, Filipino freshness at Belly Bistro in Kentish Town, indie disco turned gastropub the Macbeth in Shoreditch, Spanish smashers at Legado in Shoreditch and Balkan comfort food at Doma in Sydenham. Hungry yet? Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. RECOMMENDED: The 50 best restaurants in London. The hottest new openings, the tastiest tips, the spiciest reviews: we’re serving it all on our London restaurants WhatsApp channel. Follow us now to tuck in.

Whether you’re a fully-fledged railfan or just a traveller who loves convenience, 2024 has been an unmatched year when it comes to new night services. Countries throughout Europe, in bids to make travelling more planet-friendly and affordable, have launched countless sleeper routes this year, meaning most of us now have plenty of motivation to swap flights for night trains on our next trip. In other words, sleeper trains are back, baby, and at Time Out, we’re here for it. With the option to hop on a train, journey thousands of miles and wake up in your destination (hopefully with enough energy to go out and explore), night services are kind of ideal scenarios, right? And luckily, you’ve got us train afficionados on hand to point you in the right direction. So, pack your bag, embark your cabin and settle in – here are the most exciting sleeper trains we can’t wait to ride in 2025.  RECOMMENDED:🌤️The most scenic railway journeys in Europe🗺️The ultimate Interrail itinerary for Europe🚂The most beautiful European train journeys from London🚞The best train journeys in the world At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

Christmas markets are one of the most magical joys of the festive season. You’d have to be a defiant Grinch to be able to go to a top-tier festive fair and not feel some sense of seasonal inner warmth, whether that’s from the sight of glittering fairy lights, the sound of Christmassy tunes, or the thick smell of wafts of cinnamon and glühwein. Sure, mainland European spots like Nuremberg and Vienna might often top lists of the best Christmas markets around, but here in Britain we know a thing or two about the festive spirit. If you’re after magical places to eat, drink and shop Christmas, the best UK festive markets offer all of that and so much more. Alas, not all Christmas markets are created equal – and some certainly glimmer brighter than others. Here are all the best ones to visit in the UK for the 2025 festive season. Where is the most Christmassy place in the UK? Sprawling, sparkling major cities like Edinburgh, London and Birmingham house some of the best Christmas markets in the UK, however there are also quaint little towns and villages up and down the country which are filled with century-old pubs and fairy-lit lanes where the festive markets also have a more saturated glow. Handily, we’ve got a list of the UK’s most Christmassy towns, which you can read here. What is the oldest Christmas market in the UK? The oldest Christmas market in the UK was Lincoln, which dated back in 1982. The county town’s event, which included a funfair and Ferris wheel, was among the bi

Glastonbury 2025 was an edition that was well worthy of being followed by a year off. Headliners The 1975, Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo led an all-conquering weekend that was at the centre of political debates but overall ruled by standout pop performances. You can read Time Out’s review of Glasto 2025 in full here. Can’t wait for the next musical feast on Worthy Farm? We have sad news – 2026 will be a fallow year for Glastonbury, meaning there’s no festival. The next edition of Glastonbury will take place in the summer of 2027.  Glastonbury is the UK’s biggest music festival, attracting more than 200,000 music lovers to over 100 stages. It’s also notoriously difficult to get tickets for, with prospective festival-goers attempting all sorts of tips and tricks to improve their chances.  2026 may be a fallow year, but Glastonbury has already confirmed plenty of details about its 2027 edition. Here’s what you need to know. RECOMMENDED:🎪 The best festivals in the UK☀️ The best festivals in Europe When is Glastonbury 2027? The dates for the next Glastonbury Festival were officially confirmed in September 2025. The dates to keep free (if you’re planning that far ahead) are Wednesday June 23 to Sunday June 27, 2027. Who is playing Glastonbury in 2027? Currently it’s far, far too early for Glasto to have revealed any of its next lineup. Bookies reckon huge stars like Sam Fender, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift are among the best bets for 2027. When will Glastonbury 2027 tickets go on

Think treehouses are just for children? Well think again. You can fulfil your inner child’s dream with one of these unique elevated stays across the UK. Don’t worry, these getaways aren’t your typical treehouse with damp and woodlice. Think panoramic forest views, hot tubs under the stars, and interiors worthy of a design mag. Whether you’re after a five-star hideout suspended in the treetops or a rustic perch for some proper peace and quiet, these stays prove that nature and luxury can coexist beautifully. When is the best time of year to stay in a treehouse? Naturally, the warmer months are ideal for simpler, less-insulated treehouses – and for making the most of the great outdoors. That said, it really depends on the spot. If your chosen perch comes with heating (and you don’t mind a little nip in the air), you can head up there any time of year. In fact, winter stays have their own kind of magic: think frosty morning walks, crackling fires, and the bonus of off-peak prices, not to mention fewer bugs for the squeamish among us. Best treehouse getaways at a glance  🧸Best for families: Toad Hall treehouse, Norfolk 💘Best for couples: Tree Tent, Somerset 💫Most luxurious: Cherrybrae Cottage, Saint Fillans 💰Best on a budget:  Little Tree House, Gwynedd RECOMMENDED:💕 The best romantic weekend getaways in the UK🏞️ The most beautiful national parks in the UK🏊 The UK's best Airbnbs with pools👫 The best UK Airbnbs for big groups Who makes the cut? While we might not stay

Need a place to stay in London? We’re here to make it easy for you. Every year, a wealth of new hotels open in the capital – a testament to the fact that London remains one of the most desirable places to visit in the world. That can, however, make it rather tricky to decide which hotel to choose. But worry not: we have slept our way across the city and hand-picked our favourites, to bring you this ultimate list of London hotels, from Mayfair to Shoreditch, and from budget to blowout (butler included).  Newcomers to our list include the all-new July in Victoria, apartment-hotels which opened in July 2025, and eco-hotel 1 Hotel Mayfair, as well as a few old classics we’ve re-reviewed just for good measure (hint: The Dorchester is just about as great as we remembered). We’ve got a brand-new number one too, but we won’t give that one away just yet. For everything from genuine good value stays to all-out, Zone 1 luxury, you’ll find something on this list for every kind of trip. Superb bars, great architecture, world-class hospitality and the opportunity to have a home-from-home in the best city in the world await you – here are the best hotels in London.  🏘️ Looking for even more options? Check out our list of the best Airbnbs in London Which area is best to stay in London? It’s not just the range of hotels that’s so impressive – you’re also spoilt for choice when it comes to picking a neighbourhood to stay in London. The city is made up of a sprawling network of dynamic neighb

London is full of perfect pizza. The finest of fast foods, this delicious staple has been elevated far beyond its humble roots by great Italian restaurants in London, pop-ups, street food vendors and pub residencies, and we know just where to find these world-class wonders, because we’ve been eating our way across London in order to discover the best. Whether it’s delivered in a cardboard box or served in a swish restaurant, excellent pizza is hard to beat. Browse our list of the best pizza places in town and try not to drool on your screen. Recent additions to the Top 20 include some nifty kitchen residencies; Dough Hands at the Spurstowe Arms and Old Nun’s Head, Bing Bong Pizza at You Call The Shots in Hackney, Little Earthquakes at the Railway Tavern in Dalston, Lenny’s Apizza at The Bedford Tavern in Finsbury Park and Short Road Pizza at the William The Fourth in Leyton and Three Colts in Bethnal Green. You can find Ace Pizza at the Pembury Tavern in Hackney Downs, but they have also opened their first standalone parlour in Victoria Park. Try also; Spring Street Pizza in Borough for pizza with a Michelin-starred chefs touch or Carmela’s on Upper Street for a cosy slice. RECOMMENDED: The finest fish and chips in London.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

You can spot the building that hosts Archives from miles around, a repurposed 1960s industrial tower standing tall above Tottenham Hale’s retail parks and marshland. And it’s a worthy local landmark: since opening in 2024 Archives has regularly hosted blockbuster nights, from James Blake’s CMYK to the second edition of Eastern Margins’ festival Margins United. The space itself is an 8,500-square-foot ground-floor blank canvas with thick concrete columns and capacity for 1,600; the 360-degree soundsystem is solid, the dancefloor is well-proportioned and the outdoor/rest areas are sizeable. The only downside is the bar prices. When I was last here pints were flatly priced at a very steep £8.50 (and £7.50 for cans).

A country home amid gargantuan piles of slate, Plas Weunydd sits atop a hill overlooking not just an old industrial town but the vast landscape of Snowdonia National Park. Needless to say, the hotel is all about its location: the location on a map, sure (it’s pretty much at the dead-centre of Snowdonia and surrounded by all manner of outdoorsy activities) but also its topographical location, with views galore.  For my visit to Plas Weunydd, the approach by car saw me wind my way past the hills and valleys of the national park, through old mining town Blaenau Ffestiniog and most of the way up a not-unsteep hill. The hotel is perched near the top, at the same turning as much-hyped adventure attraction Zip World and a mountain-biking course.  Why stay at Plas Weunydd? If you’re in Snowdonia for an adventure or outdoorsy holiday (and this is very much a region famous for that), Plas Weunydd is extraordinarily well-located. Hiking, cycling, mountain biking, zip-wiring and more is almost literally on your doorstep – as previously mentioned, Zip World is across the road – while countless mountains, waterfalls, lakes or rivers in Snowdonia National Park are no more than a half-hour drive away.  The building itself was built in 1870 as the home of John Whitehead Greaves, the founder of nearby Llechwed Quarry. It was turned into a hotel in 2021, and it relaunched in April 2025 following further refurbishment. Plas Weunydd prides itself on being an adventure holiday base, but also for b

Prince Durairaj and Glen Leeson are good at this by now. Excellent, in fact. The pair have put together a small chain of top Indian eateries; Islington’s Tamil Prince and Tamil Crown, and the first Tamila in Clapham. Fourth time around with Tamila King’s Cross, the experience is more refined than ever. London’s second Tamila is at the other end of Caledonian Road from the Tamil Prince, and, like the Clapham edition, isn’t a ‘desi pub’ but a curry house for fast, casual dining and with an all-day menu. Without the loveable musk of an ex-pub, the space is much airier and restaurant-y, while the service is sharper and more attentive. Food-over-booze indicators don’t get much more obvious than Tamila’s massive interior window directly into the kitchen.  The dhal flashed all sorts of vegetables across your tongue, while paneer butter masala was creamy and mightily generous Our drinks flew out at an impressive pace. A bold harbinger of the strong, spiced flavours to come, the gunpowder margarita, boasting masala dust for salt and earthy smokiness, was sumptuous. The paloma had grapefruity sweetness but a proper, heaped dash of ginger that lingered powerfully.  Tamila’s dishes verge on the more generous side of ‘small plates’. On platters so spotless and shiny they’re genuinely mirrors, come miraculously un-greasy onion bhajis, each one just more than a mouthful of prickly, salty crackle. Retaining integral crispiness beneath dollops of mint chutney, one gets the impression that th

If you’re a history buff (particularly a pottery history buff), the surroundings of this DoubleTree alone will be enough to have you in awe. The hotel is attached to Etruria Hall, a neo-classical Grade II-listed structure once home to Josiah Wedgwood – renowned industrialist and the founder of Wedgwood, one of the world’s most famous pottery companies.  Etruria Hall is no longer a stately home but an events venue, and since the 1980s it’s been attached to a hotel. In 2020 that hotel opened as a Hilton, specifically of the DoubleTree brand – yet despite being part of an all-conquering global chain, it’s maintained plenty of character. Beyond the obvious (the in-house restaurant is called Josiah), the corridors and rooms come lined with nods to local heritage; bottle oven skylines, Stoke dialect phrases, that sort of stuff.  Stoke-on-Trent’s DoubleTree, therefore, not only occupies a special historical site but makes sure you fully aware just how special it is. But it’s also a comfortable, well-kitted-out place to stay. I stayed in a king guest room that was extraordinarily spacious and flawlessly clean, with a sprawling, comfortable bed, fast wi-fi, effective blackout curtains and a practical bathroom.  The staff couldn’t have been friendlier or more helpful, the common areas were bright and welcoming, and there was a very sleek indoor pool and leisure centre. There’s on-site parking, too.  Given the building’s age, some of Stoke’s DoubleTree is understandably rough around the

When Stoke’s Hilton Garden Inn opened in 2020 it was the city’s first and only Hilton. Admittedly it didn’t hold that title for long (the DoubleTree in Etruria was rebranded a month or so later) but you get the sense that this was a statement opening. A terracotta titan towering over Hanley, this Hilton Garden Inn cost £20 million and is part of the wider redevelopment of Smithfield – a mixed-use quarter named after the area’s old bottle works. Given it’s getting on for half a decade old, Stoke’s Hilton Garden Inn still looks and feels shimmeringly new. Sure, stepping into the lobby feels very much like stepping into any new-ish Hilton, anywhere, but this one is exceptionally well-kempt, making it very much a slick, shiny beacon of modern comfort.  I stayed in a ‘king room’ up on the sixth floor, a tidy and well-proportioned space with plenty of light and a bunch of amenities tidily packed in. The décor was pared back, minimalist(ish) and very much of-this-decade, and the room’s simplicity made it feel bigger. Stoke touches on the walls (images of pottery ovens and so on) reminded you where you were – as did my view, stretching out westwards towards Etruria, Burslem and Shelton. The rest was very much as one might expect of a somewhat new Hilton. The mattress was supple, the pillows and duvet ideally sink-in-able; the shower worked as required, accompanied by fragrant Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries and the flashy touch of an anti-steam mirror. The room was well insulated for so

Down the cavernous halls of Whitehall’s Old War Offices, surrounded by opulent Michelin-starred restaurants and the supremely swish Raffles hotel, lies Kioku Sake Bar – less blindingly flashy, sure, but just as high-calibre. The street-level accompaniment to Kioku’s top-floor, five-star sushi restaurant has the effortless style and homely hideaway calm of a Japanese listening bar, prim décor and lines of hundreds of sake bottles sitting beneath immaculately balanced light. And Kioku’s substance more than matches its style. There are over 140 sakes on offer, each affectionately described, plus a trim list of sake cocktails and a refined menu of innovative, Japanese-infused small plates. The drinks and food are entirely different to those of the upstairs restaurant Kioku By Endo, making the bar very much worth a separate visit.  Order this The Daikon Gibson suspends itself entirely on the front of your tongue, with silky and potent Ginjo sake ‘vermouth’ and tangy pickled daikon combining with clean Roku gin and yuzu tang. Kioku’s cocktails all exude a sense of craft – and this does even more so. Time Out tip Make the most of Kioku’s formidable sake collection and the bar’s in-house sake sommelier to explore the tipple. Discover how the vessel material affects each sake, get a taste of the many, many different styles and regional varieties – and find a new favourite.

Stepping into the atrium of The Conservatorium, it’s immediately obvious that this is a very special hotel indeed. Rich red brickwork meets sharp glass angles, heritage details fit snugly among silky modern luxury; from the fittings and furniture to the architecture, wherever you look something catches your eye. The Conservatorium’s sense of occasion is tied to the building’s history. Many of its cavernous halls date back to 1897, when it was built as a bank. In the 1980s it became a conservatoire, then it was reconfigured into a hotel by starchitect Piero Lissoni in the 2000s. It opened as a founding member of the luxurious Set Collection in 2011. The Conservatorium’s rooms, appropriately for a hotel inhabiting a building of many previous lives, vary massively – yet they share plenty of common ground. Whether one is in the basic ‘deluxe room’ or the three-floor, roof terrace-boasting ‘I Love Amsterdam’ suite, well-proportioned rooms boast plush beds, spacious bathrooms, bountiful storage and thoughtful, refined décor. My room was a ‘royal duplex suite’, with elegant double-height windows looking out onto the humming trams and cafés of Van Baerlestraat. The essentials – bed, space, storage, bathroom, toiletries – were all faultless. Little touches of Dutch-ness (decorative clogs, a Van Gogh coffee table book, Delftware ceramic plates) were unsubtle but still tasteful, restrained. Beyond the room, breakfast (served in the Lounge) was high-calibre and the staff were as helpful

What comes to mind when you think of a treehouse? Woodlice, splinters, cold – yes, probably all those things. But treehouses are also secluded and peaceful, dwellings a few feet up in the air that feel that bit away from the rabble below and closer to nature. And a treehouse, crucially, is all yours.  The treehouses of TreeDwellers in Cornbury, northeast Cotswolds, are treehouses in a spiritual sense. No, they aren’t up trees (nor do they even touch them), but they’re surrounded by them, sitting an impressive height above the forest floor. TreeDwellers takes the idea of a treehouse – as something special, private, embedded in nature – and turns it into a luxurious experience genuinely unlike anything, anywhere else. Pulling up to a TreeDwellers dwelling (a TreeDwelling?) has a supreme sense of occasion. This is the sort of architectural magnificence you thumb through in glossy mags, lustfully dreaming of one day giving it all up for. Handsomely curved tubes are perched atop stilts; inside is all sleek, clean wood and floor-to-ceiling windows, each and every convenience slotted in with impossible neatness. It’s all so stunning that you could easily be satisfied with the design and that alone, left gawping at it for days on end. But these treehouses aren’t just flashy façades: they’re comfortable and practical, too. You check-in with slick door-code entry, the heating is underfloor and toasty on your toes, everything you could possibly need is on a tablet (or on hand from delig

On the face of it, Portobello’s neat, proper Holy Carrot and Dalston’s fire-worshipping feast ACME Fire Cult share little common ground. ACME is roaring and showy, as much a swaggering religion as a restaurant; Carrot is prim as a perfume shop, soft clay surroundings fronting a menu that is plant-forward, ‘root to peel’ and sustainable.  But there’s a clear link between the two – namely Daniel Watkins. The ex-ACME founder is now executive chef at the first permanent home of Holy Carrot (previously known for its supper clubs and Knightsbridge residency), and brings his ‘fire and ferment’ ethos across the capital from one neighbourhood of cool to another.  More than just Holy Carrot’s first proper restaurant, it’s also a Watkins-helmed reboot – and it has plenty of his signature punch. From the off, the pre-starter ‘snacks’ offer a studied but unshowy sort of tastiness. Pillowy insides dramatically burst out of crisp ‘honey’ drenched Jerusalem artichokes; one couldn’t help but mop up the warming chilli ragu with ultralight koji bread. Two cold ‘smalls’ followed suit, both intricately flavoured: each mouthful of the smoked beetroot breathing freshness, each spoonful of the stracciatella with persimmon and bitter leaves with deftly measured amount of creamy tang and gentle crunch. This is innovation of a dependable, not reckless, sort Imprinted upon my memory the most, however, was one of Holy Carrot’s ‘larges’: the crispy celeriac with pickle butter. I know what you’re thinking

The Nobu brand, in a word? Dependable. Nobu Matsuhisa’s Japan-via-USA restaurant empire both draws celebrities and is a celebrity itself, but it’s best regarded for its high-quality dining: nearly 30 years after it opened, Nobu’s Park Lane spot remains one of London’s best places for sushi. These days Nobu isn’t just a restaurant chain but a hotel brand too, with two outposts in London. The Shoreditch one, which opened in 2017, was the first of these – not just London’s first Nobu hotel (since followed by Nobu Portman Square in Marylebone) but the first in all of Europe. The greatest compliment one can pay to this place is that the dependability of the Nobu name transfers seamlessly from restaurant to hotel. This is a sleek and comfortable choice, a beacon of minimalist taste in the midst of Shoreditch’s gaudy pick-me bars and tech-bro co-working spaces. Nobu as a chain is Nippon-by-’Murica, and its hotels are too – Japanese style meets American comfort and convenience. From the front Nobu Shoreditch resembles a Pacific battleship, from the side it’s a hillside Kyoto villa. And inside the hotel offers plenty of that same cultural middle ground: polished black wood, sleek furniture and a tea set in every room, but also huge plasma TVs, delightful staff and an in-house spa.  All aided, of course, by housing a Nobu restaurant, the chain’s third in London. You know exactly the deal here: a spoiled-rich clientele, sure, but also generous portions, attentive service (I did exceptio

If you plonked a point on a map denoting Stuttgart’s absolute centre, I’m fairly certain it’d be directly right on top of the EmiLu. Or it may as well be. Dead opposite the city’s Rathaus (town hall) and a few steps from Königstrasse (Stuttgart’s main shopping street), EmiLu is within easy walking distance of most city-centre sights. Just a couple of years old (it opened in 2022), EmiLu occupies an old mid-century city government building and gets its name by combining the names of its co-owner (Petra Luise Bräutigam) and her daughter (Emilia). A self-professed ‘design hotel’, it boasts 90 ‘unique and special’ rooms that range reasonably in price per night from €85 to €200 (£72 to £170). So, the good: EmiLu, with its focus on individual, tasteful design, is a handsome and neat establishment. The chic reception is kitted out with dark wooden furnishings, while the rooms are airy and uncluttered. Cuboid furniture and crisply-shaped décor work well with bare-material walls; an open shower-room (with a curtain) and a mini-bar cut into the corner wall fit the minimal, trendy vibe. In another positive, my room looked out over the atmospheric street below (with floor-to-ceiling windows and a balcony) but also boasted exceptional sound insulation – an entire crowd of football fans in the space outside were reduced to noiseless silhouettes. Elsewhere, EmiLu’s staff are delightful, the rooftop space is great for taking in Stuttgart’s skyline and the ‘fitness area’ is remarkably well-eq

Over the years, London has done a fabulous job of finding new uses for its many, many historically fascinating buildings. The Bankside Power Station is now the Tate Modern. Churchill’s Old War Office is a hotel and apartments. County Hall houses restaurants, an aquarium and That Shrek Thing. Another of those retrofits is the Great Scotland Yard Hotel, a Grade II-listed building which dates back to the 1820s and was once the Ministry of Defence’s old library. Sitting at an address best known for also housing the original headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the building has been a hotel for a while – though was spruced up a few years ago with a £75 million revamp.  Admittedly, the words ‘Scotland Yard’ do not exactly scream ‘mega-luxe five-star hotel stay’, but… maybe they could? This 151-room Hyatt is as deeply, thoroughly refined as hotels in this city get.  Each step of a stay at Great Scotland Yard is virtually faultless. The neat rooms are full of light, with floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies looking out over the turrets, towers and courtyards of the Palace of Whitehall. Full of modestly luxurious conveniences (like Chromecast TVs and fancy Japanese Toto loos), the rooms are also of a satisfyingly comfortable size: neither small and cluttered nor massive and awkwardly empty.  Beyond the rooms, Great Scotland Yard is far from a copy-paste Hyatt. Playing into the history of the building and address, the doors are slathered in a deep and polished police blue. The fo

In January Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro will head out for a huge sold-out tour of some of the UK’s biggest arenas – but the band aren’t stopping there. This week they’ve announced the biggest headline show in their 30-year career so far, which will be in London next summer. The venue for the gig is Finsbury Park, which in summer 2025 hosted the likes of Fontaines DC and Stereophonics. In north London Biffy will be supported by a stellar lineup including Nothing But Thieves, Don Broco and Marmozets. About the gig, the band said: ‘Finsbury fuckin’ Park - see you in July. This is going to be so special, don’t miss it…’. Below is everything you need to know about Biffy Clyro’s Finsbury Park gig next summer, including when tickets go on sale and the full lineup. When are Biffy Clyro playing at London’s Finsbury Park? The band’s biggest ever headline show will be on Friday July 3 2026. When do tickets go on sale? General on-sale starts at 10am on Friday November 28. You’ll be able to get them on Live Nation here. Presale An artist presale for fans of both Biffy Clyro and Nothing But Thieves will take place at 10am on Wednesday November 26. Ticket prices Ticket prices for Biffy Clyro in Finsbury Park haven’t yet been confirmed. For an idea of potential pricing, the band’s January arena tour tickets ranged from around £50 to £80. General admission for Kasabian, who’re also playing the park next summer, started at £72.80. Who else is on the Biffy Clyro lineup in Finsbury Park? Here ar

Just months after he delivered two mighty shows at London’s BST Hyde Park festival this past summer, country superstar Zach Bryan has announced that he’ll be returning to the UK in 2026. Bryan, who has new album With Heaven On Top arriving in January, will be bringing his With Heaven On Tour to stadiums in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The With Heaven On Tour will see Bryan conquer stadiums across North America and Europe, and the UK is set for six dates. Liverpool, Edinburgh, London and Belfast are the cities lined up for shows. Keen to see Zach Bryan on tour in the UK next summer? Here’s everything you need to know, from the dates and when tickets go on sale to presale info. When is Zach Bryan going on tour in the UK? The ‘Something in the Orange’ singer is in England, Scotland and NI in June 2026. What tour dates have been announced so far? Here are all the UK tour stops that have been confirmed: June 12 – Liverpool, Anfield Stadium June 14 – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium June 16 – London, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium June 17 – London, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium June 23 – Belfast, Boucher Playing Fields June 24 – Belfast, Boucher Playing Fields When do tickets go on sale? General sale starts at 10am GMT on Friday December 5. You’ll be able to purchase on Ticketmaster here. Presale details Here are all the presales to know about: Artist presale: register here to get early access at 10am on Wednesday December 3 AEG, venue and ticket agent presales: 10a

Next month central London will get a new five-storey food hall. Added to the city’s already-formidable street food scene will be Market Place Leicester Square, which has billed itself as one of the ‘largest and most ambitious food hall experiences the UK has ever seen’. The new food hall, which will sit right next to Leicester Square’s Odeon, will offer more than a dozen vendors. It’ll be the fifth Market Place venue in London, following openings at St Paul’s, Vauxhall, Harrow and Peckham (another Market Place food hall is also planned for Baker Street). So, what’s in store for Market Place Leicester Square? Well, among the 15 confirmed vendors are hyped bakery Bread Ahead, top-tier vegan Mexican joint Club Mexicana and Butchies, which is in Time Out’s roundup of the best places for fried chicken in London. Full list of vendors at Market Place Leicester Square Here is the full list of confirmed brands you’ll find at Market Place’s new West End opening. Bread Ahead Butchies Cheeky Burger Club Mexicana Crumble Mania Duck Shed Hide and Greek Hot Scotch Inamo Sukoshi Mister Lasagna Molo Soft Serve Society Strip Steak Thai House Yorkshire Burritos Market Place Leicester Square opening date London street food connoisseurs, mark your diaries: Market Place Leicester Square will open on Thursday December 11. Time Out’s guide to the best street food markets and food halls in London.  Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just f

Who hasn’t ever wanted to have a go at Gladiators? Ever since the show launched back in the ’90s, countless armchair athletes have reckoned they could do alright on legendary challenges like The Wall and Eliminator. Soon, if you live near Birmingham, you’ll be able to do just that. The Gladiators Experience is coming to the NEC, meaning that fans of the smash-hit game show (currently in its third revival) can test themselves on the show’s best-loved challenges. The ‘authentic’ experience promises iconic challenges including Hang Tough, Duel, The Wall, Travelator and Eliminator. The enormous immersive event will span a whopping 10,000 square metres, also offering a gladiator ‘training facility’ and behind-the-scenes insights into the show. The Gladiators Experience will be open to all ages, and it’s expected to launch in May 2026. This winter the Gladiators Live Tour is also touring the UK, with stops in Liverpool, London, Manchester, Glasgow and Birmingham. Photograph: Graeme Hunter Dom Bird, Senior Vice President at MGM Alternative Television said of the new experience: ‘Now, fans young and old will get one step closer to walking in the footsteps of their heroes, as we announce our brand new Gladiators Experience. ‘Based at the NEC Birmingham, everyone finally has the chance to test their skills on the iconic games - from Duel and Hang Tough, to The Wall, and of course the legendary Travelator. Come and see if you've got what it takes!’ Tickets go on general sale on Friday

November is nearly out of the way – it’s officially time to get excited about Christmas in London. For those who love getting immersed in all the city has to offer at Christmas time, there’s loads of markets to get you excited (and stocked with presents) for December 25. And no, we’re not just talking about Winter Wonderland. Christmas markets in the capital will start opening this very week, ready for you to get your festive shopping done nice and early.  Here’s a roundup of when every Christmas market that has announced its opening date so far for this year, and when it opens.  RECOMMENDED: The best Christmas markets and festive fairs in London. When every London Christmas market opens for 2025 Christmas in Leicester Square Tie in a visit to the towering pine tree in Trafalgar Square with a browse of nearby Leicester Square’s market. Each stall has seasonal treats, food and delicious drinks. The market is on from November 1 to January 4. Opening times: 10am-10pm. Southbank Centre Winter Market Southbank Centre’s annual Christmas market on the Queen’s Walk is back from November 3 to January 4. Expect the usual cute alpine-themed huts selling tasty dishes and festive wares by the river. Opening times: 11am-10pm Sunday to Thursday, 11am-11pm Friday and Saturday Covent Garden Christmas Market Beneath the West End pavilion’s gigantic signature Christmas bells will be stalls selling handmade crafts and artisan gifts. The festivities started on November 12 and will wrap up on Ja

It’s the end November and perfectly acceptable to start getting excited about the festive period in London. In fact, in many parts of the capital, the festive period is officially underway.  If you’re the type to savour the Christmas period (rather than panic about present-buying), there’s a lot to look forward to in the coming weeks. Some of London’s biggest and best festive markets have already started welcoming visitors, having opened at the start of November (find a full list of markets and opening dates here), and the capital’s iconic neighbourhoods are starting to sparkle with Christmas-themed displays, too.  But when exactly does each of London’s major Christmas lights displays officially turn on in 2025? We’ve got the lowdown. From Oxford Street and Covent Garden to Kew, here are the switch-on dates for the capital’s festive displays. RECOMMENDED: The best Christmas lights displays in London. When are London Christmas lights turned on this year? West End The first official display turned on in the capital this year was in the West End – specifically Piccadilly, Leicester Square, and St Martin’s Lane. The lights are on until January 6, and the festivities include a brand-new ice rink at Leicester Square. Switch-on date: Saturday November 1. Oxford Street The longest shopping street in Europe features, as before, 5,000 stars consisting of 300,000 LED bulbs. Once again, the street is partnering with Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH Charity) to raise funds for

London’s Radiohead fans, your time has finally come. Following the announcement of European tour dates back in September, those gigs are currently taking place, with the shows having started last week. Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Philip Selway, Ed O’Brien and Colin Greenwood are in Greenwich for four shows in total, stretching from November 21-25. Radiohead are in the midst of their first tour in seven years. The band last played London way back in 2016, when they stopped by Camden’s Roundhouse while touring A Moon Shaped Pool. The last time Radiohead played the UK at all was in 2017, when the band played a string of tour dates including Glastonbury and Glasgow’s TRNSMT. Heading to see Radiohead for their first London shows in nearly a decade? Here’s what you need to know about the gigs, from the timings to any remaining ticket availability. When is Radiohead at London’s O2 Arena? The four dates confirmed in the capital are as follows: Friday November 21 2025 Saturday November 22 2025 Monday November 24 2025 Tuesday November 25 2025 What time do doors open? Doors open at 6pm on all dates. The O2’s bars and restaurants will, as always, be open earlier. When will Radiohead come on stage? The O2 website says that house lights will be down from 7.30pm, and that the band will come on at 8.30pm. Timings are subject to change. For the first two shows at the O2, Radiohead came out stage at 8.30pm-8.40pm.  Who is supporting Radiohead at the O2? No support bands are confirmed for an

Kneecap’s meteoric rise continues apace. After a year in which the hip-hop trio has played Glastonbury, headlined Green Man and Wide Awake, and supported the mighty Fontaines DC at Finsbury Park, Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí have more planned for 2026. Today (November 24) Kneecap have announced they’ll be playing their biggest ever headline show in London next summer. Next June the West Belfast and Derry trio will be taking over south London’s Crystal Palace Park. They’ll be supported by a host of solid names, too, with the likes of The Mary Wallopers, Fat Dog and Biig Piig confirmed on the lineup. Up for seeing Kneecap’s hugest gig yet? Here’s how to get tickets for their Crystal Palace date. When are Kneecap playing at London’s Crystal Palace Park? Mark your calendars: the group are in town on Saturday June 27 2026. When do tickets go on sale? General sale kicks off at 9am on Friday November 28 2025. Get tickets on Ticketmaster here. Presale There are a few presales to know about. Find the details below: Artist presale – sign up here for early access at 9am on Wednesday November 26 O2 Priority – 9am on Wednesday November 26 Live Nation presale – 9am on Thursday November 27 Festival Republic presale – 9am on Thursday November 27 Ticketmaster presale – 9am on Thursday November 27 Spotify presale ­– 9am on Thursday November 27 Ticket prices Ticket prices haven’t yet been confirmed. For an idea of potential pricing, other headline shows at Crystal Palace Park next summ

Back in May 2024, ‘naturally fast food’ chain Leon announced bold plans to challenge Pret’s legendary monthly subscription service with a rewards scheme of its own. The Roast Rewards programme offered up to five free coffees a day for £25 a month – which, at the time, was cheaper than Pret’s £30-a-month deal. Last week, however, Roast Rewards subscribers received bad news: the programme is shutting down. Leon staff have apparently been struggling to keep up with the number of coffees being ordered through the subscription; by axing the scheme, the chain says it will instead focus on ‘quality, craft, and leadership’. For £25 a month, Roast Rewards members could get up to five barista-made drinks per day, plus 20 percent off food. It was initially more affordable than Club Pret’s deal, before the latter chain reinvigorated its rewards programme – offering 50 percent off coffees for £5 a month. In a statement about the end of Roast Rewards, Leon CEO and founder John Vincent said: ‘I want to bring LEON back to its original purpose and remove all the parts that don’t feel like LEON anymore. For me, that means getting back to serving food and coffee that’s good for you, good for our teams, and good for the planet. ‘We will return to the famous LEON welcome, the shorter waits, and the feeling that we have time for you. Ending Roast Rewards allows us to put our attention where it needs to be - which is putting quality back at the heart of the business and becoming pioneers on the hig

More than 50 years since they were founded, Squeeze are still thriving. The legendary band have just announced a new studio album called Trixies, set for release in March 2026, as well as a tour of some of Britain’s biggest arenas. Chris Difford, Glenn Tilbrook and co will play 16 shows in 2026, starting in Glasgow and finishing up in Brighton. And better yet, they’ll have a big name on support: folk rock icon Billie Bragg will be joining as a ‘special guest’. In the market for a Squeeze ticket? Here’s what you need to know about the tour, from when tickets go on sale to how much they’ll cost. When are Squeeze going on tour in the UK? Squeeze will play 16 UK dates across November and December 2026. What tour dates have been announced so far? Here are all the UK dates on Squeeze’s 2026 tour: Thursday November 12 – Glasgow, OVO Hydro Friday November 13 – Blackpool, Opera House Saturday November 14 – Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena Monday November 16 – Newcastle, O2 City Hall Tuesday November 17 – Stockton, Globe Thursday November 19 – Hull, Connexin Live Friday November 20 – Leeds, First Direct Bank Arena Saturday November 21 – Liverpool, M&S Bank Arena Monday November 23 – Manchester, O2 Apollo Thursday November 26 – London, The O2 Friday November 27 – Cardiff, Utilita Arena Saturday November 28 – Birmingham, Utilita Arena Monday November 30 – Swansea, Building Society Arena Tuesday December 1 – Plymouth, Pavilions Friday December 4 – Bournemouth International Centre Saturday De

Multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy has announced his biggest headline tour to-date. The Irish musician will play some of the biggest arena venues in Britain next summer as part of his 2026 EU and UK tour. Kennedy’s third studio album is set to be formally announced in early 2026. While the record is as-yet unnamed and without a set release date, you can get presale access to the upcoming tour by preordering it. Up for seeing Dermot Kennedy on tour in the UK next year? Here’s what you need to know, from the dates to when tickets go on sale. When is Dermot Kennedy going on tour in the UK? Kennedy is in Blighty for six dates across May and June 2026. What tour dates have been announced so far? Here are all the UK dates on Dermot Kennedy’s 2026 tour: May 29 – Glasgow, OVO Hydro May 30 – Manchester, AO Arena June 1– Cardiff, Utilita Arena June 2– Leeds, First Direct Bank Arena June 4 – Birmingham, Utilita Arena June 5 – London, The O2 When do tickets go on sale? General sale goes live at 10am GMT on Friday November 28. Purchase on Ticketmaster here. Presale details Here are all the presales to know about: Album presale – order Kennedy’s new album here to get early access at 9am GMT on Wednesday November 26. OVO presale – 10am GMT on Wednesday November 26 (Glasgow only) O2 Priority presale – 10am GMT on Wednesday November 26 (Birmingham only) Gigs in Scotland presale – 9am GMT on Thursday November 27 (Glasgow only) Spotify presale – 9am GMT on Thursday Novem

Victoria Park’s All Points East series of day festivals is already set for a very, very strong outing in 2026. Announced for next summer are New Zealand pop superstar Lorde, California alt-metal legends Deftones and US rap titan Tyler, the Creator. Added to that lineup today (November 21) are rock duo Twenty One Pilots. Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun played two dates at the O2 Arena earlier this year, but London seemingly can’t get enough of them. The ‘Stressed Out’ and ‘Heathens’ duo released their latest album Breach in September. Wunderhorse, REN, BBNO$, PVRIS and Nova Twins are among the other acts on the bill for Twenty One Pilots at APE – but this won’t be just a standard edition of the day festival. The event promises to have a ‘Banditø Camp’ with fan experiences and a community space, plus a B-stage performance space that has featured on Twenty One Pilots’ Breach tour so far. It’ll be their only headline appearance at a UK festival in 2026. In the market for tickets to see Twenty One Pilots at All Points East? Here’s what you need to know about the day festival, including the date, ticket prices and when they go on sale. When are Twenty One Pilots playing at All Points East 2026 in London? Joseph and Dun are in the capital on Sunday August 30 2026. When do tickets go on sale? General sale goes live on Tuesday November 25 2025 at 9am. Get tickets on Ticketmaster here. Presale There are two presales to know about: Amex Presale – open to American Express cardholders, from 10