What To Book In London This September

GO ON A BAO BAR CRAWL HERE: Bao Fitzrovia

This September, cult Taiwanese restaurant group Bao Fitzrovia is hosting three different international bars and celebrating with a trio of specially-paired dishes and late-night openings. Each guest takeover will serve a cocktail inspired by their corner of the globe, paired with a one-off bao. The first collaboration on 5th September will see Copenhagen-based Empirical Spirits take over Bao’s u-bar to create a bespoke cocktail served alongside a fried chicken bao served with Empirical Sauce. Monday 12th September will see RŌNIN bring a taste of Hong Kong to the restaurant. Famous for fish, seafood and Japanese spirits, RŌNIN will create a drink inspired by its Japanese whisky collection, which will be matched with a shirako tempura bao. Closing the series on 19th September is Katana Kitten, a new Japanese-American bar in New York. The team will be serving ‘KK-Panda Fizzes’, ‘Toki Highballs’ and Sencha G&Ts alongside a mortadella katsu sando bao. To celebrate each occasion, Bao will be open one hour later than usual, with the last food orders taken at 11pm.

31 Windmill Street, Fitzrovia, W1T 2JN; 5th, 12th and 19th September 

Visit BaoLondon.com

GET ARTY HERE: London Design Festival

London Design Festival is a citywide event that takes place over nine days every September. Free to attend, the festival is made up of over 400 installations across the design spectrum. Of this year’s projects, we’re intrigued by Bao Bao Issey Miyake presents ‘Bao Bao Voice’ at Protein Studios in Shoreditch: an interactive multi-sensory event that displays the aesthetics of the brand’s iconic bags in an immersive experience. Merging product with movement and sound, users will engage with the structures, shapes and textures of the bags like a musical instrument. Elsewhere, The Penthouse by Roksanda Ilinčić  will offer one-of-a-kind access to a refurbished triplet of Grade II-listed, cast-iron gasholder guide frames in King’s Cross. Visitors will be able to explore the three-bedroom duplex penthouse and view an elegant blend of furniture, art, ceramics, books and objects from artists and designers including Lina Bo Bardi, Alanna Wilson, Charlotte Perriand and Caroline Denervaud.

Various venues; 14th-22nd September

Visit LondonDesignFestival.com

EAT FOR A GOOD CAUSE HERE: Kricket

This September, Will Bowlby, chef and co-founder of Kricket, will welcome five chef friends to his restaurant in west London’s Television Centre to cook up a series of feasts in aid of Apne Aap Women’s Collective, an anti-trafficking organisation that serves women and their children in Mumbai. Priced at £40 per head, tickets will include a welcome cocktail and three-course sharing menu, with each restaurant’s chef merging their cooking style with Will’s modern take on Indian food.

The events include Kricket x Anglo Thai on 3rd September; Kricket x Pierre Koffman on 10th September; Kricket x Flank on 17th September; Kricket x Perilla on 24th September; and Kricket x Valentine Warner on 1st October.

101 Wood Lane, White City, W12 7FR

Visit Kricket.co.uk

GET IMMERSIVE HERE: The Wolf Of Wall Street

An immersive production of The Wolf of Wall Street is opening this autumn. The new show is based on the memoir of infamous 90s New York stockbroker Jordan Belfort, whose life was famously depicted by Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie of the same name by Martin Scorsese. A cast of 16 will play multiple characters as featured in Belfort’s memoirs, from his Stratton Oakmont players to the FBI, bringing to life the highs and lows of his millionaire lifestyle. The City venue spans 2,000sq m, four floors and 25 rooms, plunging audiences into a world of greed, power and excess. Guests will also have the option of experiencing the food, drink and trader schemes of a millionaire lifestyle or – for those brave enough – the chance to take Belfort down with the FBI. Adapted and directed by Alexander Wright (The Great Gatsby), the show will preview from 5th September.

5-15 Sun Street, Liverpool Street, EC2N 2PT; previews from 5th September

Visit ImmersiveWolf.com 

GET HEALTHY HERE: Ladurée

Ladurée, the 150-year-old luxury French pastry brand, and classically trained, plant-based chef Matthew Kenney are partnering up to create a healthy new menu. Three vegan dishes devised by Matthew will be added to Ladurée’s offering from 25th September. Of the main menu we like the sound of ‘Malibu Mezze’ (beetroot hummus, baba ganoush and red pepper cream cheese served with fennel and chia crackers) and the ‘Venice Beach Salad’ (pumpkin, lentils, kale, rocket and almonds with vegan herb chevre and harissa vinaigrette). The ‘Super Healthy’ collection will also include four macarons that incorporate superfoods and healthier ingredients: we like the sound of the lactose-free macaron made from almond milk.

Various locations across London; from 25th September

Visit Laduree.co.uk

HEAD TO A NEW WEEKLY EVENT HERE: RIBA

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the launch of The Architects Underground, a new weekly evening event taking place at 66 Portland Place. Entertaining, enlightening and occasionally controversial, the event will celebrate architecture as an everyday art form. Short, engaging ‘chapters’ on architecture, design, visual arts, music, TV, film and theatre will precede a notable guest speaker each week. The autumn 2019 programme will include an exploration of influential album Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by Giles Martin, the son of Beatles producer Sir George Martin; award-winning architect and designer of the recent A.I. Show at the Barbican, Anna Liu, presenting ‘Nature Speaks’; and an exploration of visual effects as an art form, from Oscar-winning special effects master Paul Franklin, who created the cityscapes for Inception.

66 Portland Place, Marylebone, W1B 1NR; from 11th September

Visit Architecture.com

TRY A HOT NEW POP-UP HERE: Mortimer House

This September, Mortimer House will host its third guest chef residency with ex-Hide head chef and Great British Menu contestant Luke Selby. After two successful chef residencies with Elizabeth Haigh of Kaizen House, and Oli Brown of Duck Duck Goose, Luke will be joined in the kitchen by his two brothers Nathaniel and Theo, both of whom have been sous chefs at Hide. Launching on 6th September, the Selby brothers will showcase a fine-dining menu shaped around Luke’s refined cooking style, and will include a main course of roasted native lobster, fennel and smoked butter sauce, with tempura claw and ponzu – Selby’s Great British Menu dish, which was awarded 10/10 by Angela Hartnett. Other highlights include chestnut agnolotti with mushroom consommé, pickled walnut and root vegetables; and crème brûlée with spiced early autumn fruit soup. The residency will run Friday and Saturday nights, and will also offer a Sunday lunch service for the first time at the venue.

37-41 Mortimer Street, Fitzrovia, W1T 3JH; from 6th September

Visit MortimerHouse.com

CELEBRATE OKTOBERFEST HERE: Electric Ballroom

Camden Oktoberfest will be taking over Electric Ballroom later this month, transforming the club into a traditional Bavarian beerhall complete with long wooden tables and bunting. New for 2019, Herman ze German will be on hand to provide authentic wurst throughout the event. Alongside giant beers and endless sausages, guests can expect music from The Old Dirty Brasstards, a ten-piece drum and brass ensemble playing covers, classics and oompah favourites. All of the above will be supported by Club De Fromage DJs while challenges and competitions will run from 2-9pm across the four separate event dates – 28th September and 5th, 12th and 19th October. Full fancy dress is encouraged. 

184 Camden High Street, Camden, NW1 8QP; 28th September, with further dates in October 

Visit CamdenOktoberfest.com

GET CREATIVE HERE: Petersham Nurseries

Petersham Nurseries is continuing its 15th anniversary celebrations with a ‘Bee Mindful’ workshop. Taking place in partnership with candlemakers Cire Trudon, the full-day workshop is centred around the honeybee and will be led by a select group of specialists. Activities will include: a tutored raw honey tasting session with Sarah Wyndham Lewis, co-founder of the sustainable beekeeping practice 'Bermondsey Street Bees'; a hands-on introduction to honey preserves and fermenting by chef and author Rachel de Thample; a lesson in how to plant a bee garden with Martin Ogden, head of horticulture at Petersham Nurseries; and an insight into table styling ‘The Petersham Way’ with Petersham’s global buyer Ronny de Koning, using flowers and bee attracting plants from the garden. A honey-inspired lunch and refreshments by head chef Ambra Papa will also be provided, and all guests will depart with their handmade preserves and a limited-edition Cire honey-inspired candle.

Petersham Road, Richmond, TW10 7AB; 26th September

Visit PeterhsamNurseries.com

FIND YOUR PERSONAL STYLE HERE: Under The Influence

Fashion, celebrity and TV stylist Gayle Rinkoff, renowned interior expert Lisa Dawson and celebrity makeup artist Caroline Barnes are joining forces to talk guests through finding their personal style, key trends and investment pieces across their areas of expertise whether that be in your wardrobe, in your home or what’s best for your skin. At Under The Influence, guests are invited to join the trio at Mortimer House for a night of insider knowledge, Q&As, mingling and bubbles – plus they’ll be a great goodie bag to take home. 

41 Mortimer Street, Fitzrovia, W1T 3JH; 12th September

Visit Eventbrite.co.uk

LEARN TO SHUCK OYSTERS HERE: Wiltons

The 2019/2020 oyster season is fast approaching and what better way to celebrate than with an oyster masterclass at Wiltons – which received a Royal Warrant for supplying oysters to Queen Victoria in 1836 and continues to do so. Two oyster masterclasses will take place on 9th and 23rd September. Under the guidance and expertise of resident oyster master, Tommaso Sicurro, you will be able to differentiate your native oyster from your rock oyster, learn the health benefits and sample a range of oysters from around the British Isles as well as busting the myths that surround the opening and eating of oysters. You will also learn how to shuck these celebrated mollusks. The class lasts for 90 minutes includes an informal yet informative presentation, a dozen oysters, a glass of champagne and two glasses of white wine.

55 Jermyn Street, St James's SW1Y 6LX; 9th and 23rd September 

Visit Wiltons.co.uk

BOOK TICKETS FOR THIS: Evita

With a chart-topping score including ‘Don’t Cry For Me Argentina’, ‘Oh What A Circus’, ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall’ and the Oscar-winning ‘You Must Love Me’, Jamie Lloyd is mid-way through directing Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic musical Evita at Regent Park’s Open Air Theatre. From a life of poverty to spiritual leader of the nation, Eva Peron was loved, hated, derided and venerated. Dividing the Argentinian people with her patriotic speeches, her ambition, glamour and magnetism established ‘Evita’ as the world’s first major political celebrity.

Inner Circle, Regent’s Park, NW1 4NU; until 21st September 

Visit OpenAirTheatre.com