The London Coffee Festival
With more than 250 artisan coffee roasters and gourmet food brands, there’s plenty of opportunity to get your caffeine fix at the London Coffee Festival. Attend workshops hosted by industry experts, sample different types of coffee and watch latte art demonstrations from world-class baristas.
From £60.
11 – 14 April.
The Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London E1 6QR
Guildhall Art Gallery – Anne Desmet: Kaleidoscope/London
Visit Anne Desmet’s show Kaleidoscope/London, the first solo exhibition led by a female artist at Guildhall Art Gallery. Taking inspiration from her experience undergoing treatment for breast cancer and exploring a fragmented view of the world through a toy kaleidoscope, Desmet’s new works feature digital collages derived from her earlier wood engravings, linocuts and hand-drawn lithographs highlighting London.
Free for a self-led visit, £10 for a guided tour.
Runs from 12 April to 8 September.
Guildhall Yard, London EC2V 5AE
The Future of Money – the Bank of England Museum
Held at the heart of this country’s economy, this free exhibition explores currency; from the first paper banknotes to the digital pound and beyond. As society has slowly shifted towards digital and contactless payments, what does this mean for cash and the future of money? Find out at the Bank of England museum, until September 2025.
Bartholomew Lane, London, EC2R 8AH
London Marathon
If you’re not partaking in the London Marathon this year, you probably know somebody who is. Support friends and family during their 26.2-mile run whilst stationed in front of one of London’s most famous landmarks. At Mile 22, participants run past the Tower of London, make sure you bring banners and posters!
Sunday 21 April.
London EC3N 4AB
Market Explorers Garden
Borough Market are hosting a series of educational activities designed to encourage children to think about the food they eat. There will be arts and crafts, seed planting and a ‘what’s in the box?’ game. The age recommendation is for primary school children. These events are free to attend and drop-ins are welcome. Running from 2 – 4 April, at 11am and 3pm.
8 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1TL
Adrianne Lenker with friends
Listen to American indie-folk singer-songwriter, Adrianne Lenker at the Barbican Hall on 27 and 28 April. Lenker is best known as the lead vocalist for the Brooklyn-based band, Big Thief, but she will be performing solo material from her new album, Bright Future.
Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS
Unforgotten Lives
Developed in partnership with Northeastern University London, the London Metropolitan Archives presents the stories of Londoners of African, Caribbean, Asian and Indigenous heritage who lived and worked in the city between 1560 and 1860.
These stories will explore a range of experiences, including enterprise, love and family life, discrimination, hardship, resilience and resistance. Unforgotten Lives provides glimpses into the lives of 3300 people discovered by the research project to date, presenting their stories and their importance in the history of London.
Free, no booking required.
5 – 24 April
40 Northampton Road, EC1R 0HB
UBA, Shoreditch
A playful and decadent new Pan Asian dining spot is landing on Great Eastern Street, Shoreditch. With a menu curated by globetrotting Chef Paul Greening, prepare to be taken on a gastronomic journey inspired by his travels. Featuring accessible sharing plates, enjoy silky sashimi and new-style sushi through to fluffy hirata buns and dim sum, gorgeous gyozas and soul-soothing ramen. Dishes range from £4.50 – £28.
61 – 67 Great Eastern Street, London EC2A 3HU
Opening on the 2 April. To book: www.sevenrooms.com/reservations/uba
Live at the Empire
Join Lou Sanders as she hosts Live at the Empire. The full lineup includes Alan Davies, Tim Key, Bridget Christie and Fatiha El-Ghorri. A must-see for comedy lovers and those in need of a good laugh.
Tickets from £18.50, 26 April from .
Hackney Empire, 291 Mare Street, E8 1EJ
No.3 Rooftop Restaurant X Natalie Coleman at Smiths of Smithfield
Farringdon pub, Smiths of Smithfield, is celebrating the relaunch of its No.3 Rooftop Restaurant with an exciting seven-course tasting menu experience, created by MasterChef 2013 winner Natalie Coleman, along with the pub’s Head Chefs, Stan Marshman and Tim Dela Cruz. Starting from 7pm, be welcomed with a trio of canapés followed by dishes including a Tare BBQ monkfish with mushroom XO and pickled morel; and Dingley Dell pork belly with roasted pine nut purée and beer pork jus, all with optional wine pairings. £79pp (£114pp with wine pairings).
19 April from 7pm-10.30pm
67-77 Charterhouse St, London, EC1M 6HJ
To book: www.smithsofsmithfield.co.uk/events
Gospel Motown Brunch at The Anthologist by Drake & Morgan
It’s the brunch you’ve been praying for! Raise your spirits with the Gospel Motown Brunch at The Anthologist by Drake & Morgan (Bank), complete with a spectacular live gospel choir and soulful Motown singers. Show R.E.S.P.E.C.T to the greats and sing along to everything from Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder to Sister Act and Beyoncé. Belt your heart out to all the classics whilst tucking into two delicious dishes and a welcome cocktail.
Tickets are £45 for two-courses and a welcome cocktail. Upgrade to 90mins bottomless drinks for an additional £25.
28th April from 12pm – 4pm.
The Anthologist by Drake & Morgan, 58 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7BB
To book: here
Crosstown
This year Crosstown is celebrating 10 years of making its delicious doughnuts and to mark their ‘Decade of Dough’ they’ve created a brand new doughnut flavour – Peanut Butter Caramel & Banana.
To celebrate the launch of their special 10-year flavour, Crosstown is giving away 800 of the doughnuts to the first 200 people who visit each of Crosstown’s Soho, Brick Lane, Battersea Power Station and Canary Wharf stores, from 12pm on 3 May.
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