Pride, Secret Gardens & 20 More Things To Do In London In June 2024
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6 months ago
Whatever you fancy getting up to, London has you covered
If your May was a washout, you might be joyfully welcoming the beginning of June. Don’t let us down now, weather! Rain or shine, there’s plenty to get up to in our capital. Here are the best things to do in London in June 2024.
Best Things To Do In London June 2024
Garrison Chapel at Chelsea Barracks
Eye Of The Collector
After three successful years, Eye of the Collector will return for a fourth edition this month in a shiny new location: Garrison Chapel, a 1859 Grade II listed deconsecrated chapel, creating a unique setting for four days of arty action. Founded by Nazy Vassegh, this boutique art fair is unique in its curated presentation of art and collectible design, situated in dialogue with beautiful architectural surroundings.
Details: 26–29 June 2024 at Garrison Chapel (Chelsea Barracks, London SW1W 8BG). eyeofthecollector.com
Mystery Tasting Menu
If you fancy going out for a meal but feel like mixing it up a bit, try the Omakase ‘mystery menu’ night at The Table, Battersea. Every month, a different chef curates a four-course tasting menu inspired by their own heritage, with the theme revealed on the night.
Details: The Table, 35-37 Battersea Rise, SW11 1HG. Find out more at thetablecafe.com and book tickets here.
Hyde Park Garden
Knightbridge’s opulent Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park has reopened its coveted Hyde Park Garden, a must-visit for anyone seeking an elegant oasis of calm in the heart of the city. Nestled within the hotel’s private garden, Hyde Park Garden offers exclusive views of London’s Royal parkland and features a menu crafted by the renowned team behind Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. Think gourmet takes on beloved classics, including a luxurious lobster roll and a flavourful coronation chicken sandwich, a selection of home-made ice creams and sorbets, and a sumptuous sticky toffee pudding. If the weather doesn’t show up for you, head inside instead to enjoy the hotel’s first ever summer carousel bar which will change throughout the season to reflect three key events in the British social calendar: vibrant blooms of Chelsea Flower Show, the elegance and sophistication of Royal Ascot, and the timeless charm and excitement of Wimbledon Championships.
Details: Hyde Park Garden is open daily from noon until 9pm, offering lunch from opening until 3pm, and transitioning to drinks and light bites from 4pm until closing. mandarinoriental.com
Taste Royal Ascot
Tom Booton will be returning to Royal Ascot for a third year this June and, for the first time, guests can savour the essence of Royal Ascot prior to the Royal Meeting with this limited-time pop-up, running from 3–17 June at The Grill at The Dorchester. The four-course menu showcases the best of seasonal British ingredients and will provide London diners with a taste of what can be enjoyed by Royal Enclosure members at this year’s Royal Ascot (18–22 June).
Details: 3–17 June 2024 at The Grill at The Dorchester (53 Park Ln, London W1K 1QA). Tables can be booked at dorchestercollection.com
Anete Lusina/Pexels
Celebrate Pride
What’s summer without glorious Pride? The Pride parades are a colourful joy to behold – and there’s still time to apply to be part of it. If you’re keen to spectate, turn up early to ensure a good spot by the barrier, and if you’re late, just head to Soho to experience the party until the wee hours.
Details: 29 June 2024 in central London – find out more here.
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Bun House
New Menu At Bun House
This Chinatown hot spot has a new menu for spring – and it’s brimming with deliciousness. While the buns are, naturally, the star of the show (and you shouldn’t miss the signature custard bun for pudding, brimming with salted duck egg yolk and wrapped in a pillow-soft bun), diners can expect a range of new dishes elsewhere on the menu, including salt and pepper squid, crispy tofu in five spice sticky sauce, chicken thigh with Hong Kong curry and grumpy grandma chilli green beans.
Details: Bun House (26-27 Lisle St, London WC2H 7BA) is open from noon everyday, but tables are walk-in only so be prepared to queue. bun.house
(L-R) John McLarnon and Dawn Sievewright. © Tommy Ga-Ken Wan
No Love Songs at Southwark Playhouse Elephant
Premiering at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival to rave reviews, No Love Songs is the musical brainchild of Johnny McKnight with The View’s lead singer Kyle Falconer and his partner Laura Wilde – and it’s playing for a limited time in London this month.
Details: 4–15 June 2024 at Southwark Playhouse Elephant (1 Dante Pl, London SE11 4RX). Tickets can be booked at southwarkplayhouse.co.uk
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House Of Ming Turns One
It has been one year since the globally acclaimed House of Ming opened its doors in London – and the restaurant is inviting foodies to celebrate its first anniversary with a line-up of partnerships and limited-edition launches. Epicureans can indulge in an exclusive set menu in partnership with LOUIS XIII Cognac by Remy Martin to mark the occasion, while fans will be pleased to see the iconic show-stopping Flaming Duck is back on the menu for one month only. Finally, in honour of first birthdays in many Asian cultures (wherein objects are placed in front of a baby and people gather to see which they will reach towards), diners on the Fortune telling Bao menu will be presented with four traditional objects each corresponding to a secret bao bun flavour. Will you be surprised with chicken, pork, mushroom or duck?
Details: 15 May–15 June 2024 at House of Ming (St James’ Court London, A Taj Hotel, 54 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6AF). houseofming.co.uk
Hampton Court Palace. (James Park-Watt, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
Queen’s Reading Room Festival
The inaugural Queen’s Reading Room Festival took place in 2023, set against the stunning Hampton Court Palace. A one-day literary festival, it pulled together street food, spoken poetry, literary tours and Q&As with the likes of Dame Judi Dench – and it’s back and bigger than ever for 2024. Big names include Clarke Peters, Dame Harriet Walter, Miriam Margolyes, Helena Bonham Carter, Harlan Coben, Mick Herron, Lee Child, Sir Ian Rankin and many more.
Details: 8 June 2024 at Hampton Court Palace (Hampton Court Way, Molesey, East Molesey KT8 9AU). Tickets start from £15 and can be booked at royalreadingroom.seetickets.com
17 Literary Festivals You Won’t Want To Miss In 2024
Art In Mayfair
Art in Mayfair is back for 2024, taking over London’s chicest district for four weeks in partnership with the Royal Academy. Now in its seventh edition, the festival celebrates all things art, fashion and culture, with RA Schools student Lizzie Munn has been selected to present this year’s prestigious Flag commission.
Details: 10 June–7 July 2024 across Mayfair. Find out more at bondstreet.co.uk
Ashleigh Kane by Sem Langendijk
Art After Hours With The London EDITION
The London EDITION presents Art After Hours, a series of intimate monthly gallery tours curated and led by renowned editor, writer, and consultant Ashleigh Kane. Taking place ‘after public opening hours’, guests gain a private tour of some of Fitzrovia’s most exciting gallery exhibitions with generous insights from curators, artists, and gallery staff along the way. This month, guests will join Ashleigh at Niru Ratnam to see Juliette Blightman’s solo show Hierarchies, before heading to VITRINE to see Charlie Godet Thomas’ Little Sound, before the final stop at Albion Jeune to see Twenty Four Twenty Four.
Details: Tickets are £13 for the tour, starting at 6.20pm at The London EDITION Lobby (10 Berners St, London W1T 3NP). Or, for £50, guests can join Ashleigh for a two-course meal in the Private Dining Room before embarking on the tour. Tickets can be purchased here.
Hot & Cold Immersion
The weather is warming up and something exciting has landed at Richmond’s Bingham Riverhouse: the super cool stainless steel ContraSpa by SpaFlo – a dual purpose tub with two separate bodies of water allowing you to embrace the invigorating benefits of both hot and cold water immersion. After a dip, head over to its new Riverhouse Restaurant for a bite to eat and drink on its balcony terrace overlooking the river.
Details: The pop up will be available for the entirety of June for £20 for 30 minutes to non bhuti members at Bingham Riverhouse (61-63 Petersham Rd, Richmond TW10 6UT). binghamriverhouse.com
Soho Food Feast
Soho Food Feast is returning to London this month for its 12th year with a jam-packed festival of stalls, cooking demos, panels and workshops from some of London’s best restaurants. But even before the festival officially opens on Saturday 8 June, Margot Henderson OBE will host an annual preview dinner in the picturesque setting of St. Anne’s Church Gardens (tickets £120pp), where guests will join Margot and friends for a long table dinner to kick off the festival in style, which will then run over the weekend. Neil Borthwick (The French House), Cynthia Shanmugalingam (Rambutan), Brad Carter (Undercroft), Budgie Montoya (Apoy) and Meedu Saad (Kiln) will each serve up a course, and dessert will be taken care of by Claire Ptak (Violet Cakes).
Details: Tickets for the preview dinner are £120, day entry tickets are £15 and a weekend pass is £25. All tickets can be booked here. Children under 16 go free.
The festival will then take place on the 8th and 9th June. The festival was founded by Margot Henderson OBE of Rochelle Canteen alongside valued members of the Soho community. Soho Food Feast has been a merry way to raise money for the creative but heavily underfunded Soho Parish Primary School – attracting people far and wide from families, local residents to foodies alike.
New Dog Playground
It’s fun for all the family at Chiswick House & Gardens, where furry friends of all shapes and sizes are welcome to run, jump, weave and wander around the brand new dog playground. The multistage course has been developed from old timber, fallen trees and wood from across the site in a low tech and environmentally friendly area for pets to play in.
Details: Officially open everyday from 31 May 2024 at Chiswick House & Gardens (Chiswick, London W4 2QN) from 7am until dusk. chiswickhouseandgardens.org.uk
Nadia Beugré – L’Homme rare
London International Festival of Theatre
It’s a summer of theatre thanks to the London International Festival of Theatre, which kicks off on 5 June and stretches right up until the end of July and across various venues including Southbank Centre, Sadler’s Wells, and Royal Court Theatre. The lineup includes work from Canada, Taiwan, Ivory Coast, France, Italy, Cape Verde, Portugal, Brazil, Iran and Palestine, to connect Londoners with global experiences, uniting audiences and artists alike across borders.
Details: 5 June–27 July 2024 across London. See the full line-up at liftfestival.com
Bridgerton & Liberty Fabrics Experience
Bridgerton obsessed? So are we. If you’re fit to burst with excitement for part two of season three, quench your thirst at the new Bridgerton & Liberty Fabrics Experience, brimming with Regency romance, whispers and scandal of the ‘Ton. Located on the Fourth Floor, browse the exclusive new botanical fabrics collection as well as iconic props and costumes from the series.
Details: The Bridgerton & Liberty Fabrics Experience runs 17 May–2 July 2024 at Liberty London (Fourth Floor, Regent St., Carnaby, London W1B 5AH). It’s totally free to visit and tickets are not required.
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London Cocktail Tours
This new London experience is hosted by award-winning drinks writer Susan L. Schwartz, and transports guests through the heart of Soho’s ever-evolving bar scene, with a healthy dose of cocktail history served up, too. Centring around four of Soho’s cocktail bars – such as The Blind Pig, El Camion and Nightjar Carnaby – Susan also introduces guests to other important historic and current cocktail spots, such as the former site of Milk & Honey, Bar Swift and Gerry’s, the iconic liquor store. At each bar, guests can enjoy cocktails hand-selected especially by the bartenders and Susan for the tour, made in front of them, as well as small plates of food.
Details: Tours are priced at £130 per person and should be booked in advance for groups of up to six people, tours take place every week from Monday–Wednesday beginning at 5:15pm and lasting for around 3 hours. londoncocktailtours.com
See Bluets
Margaret Perry’s adaptation of Bluets by Maggie Nelson is now being performed at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs for a limited time. A story about depression and desire, pleasure and pain, and a person possessed by a lifelong obsession with the colour blue, directed by Katie Mitchell, House of the Dragon star Emma D’Arcy leads the cast, with Ben Whishaw and Kayla Meikle rounding out the trio.
Details: 17 May–29 June 2024 at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs. Performances start at 2.30pm and 7.30pm Monday–Friday and 1.30pm and 6.30pm on Saturdays. Tickets can be purchased at royalcourttheatre.com
Explore Historical Underground Stations
Step into a time capsule of historic posters, signage and vintage tiles in a long-disused Underground tunnel, or stand where history was made during the Second World War on Hidden London’s Underground tours. Guests learn about the people who shaped London’s transport network and knowledgeable guides use research from London Transport Museum’s collection to share incredible stories.
Details: Tours are available on selected dates throughout the year. Find out more at ltmuseum.co.uk
Dine At The Orangery
Is this London’s hottest lunch ticket? So light-filled is this space, so regal the location and so delicious the dishes, Kensington Palace’s The Orangery is destined to be a honeypot all summer long. Read our full review here.
Details: The Orangery (Kensington Palace Gardens, London W8 4PX) is open daily for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea from 10am to 6pm. Walk-ins are welcome, and tables can be booked at hrp.org.uk
Celebrate Veg With Ceri Jones
Ceri Jones’ new book It Starts With Veg officially hits the shelves on 6 June, and we can join her at a few events in London this month to celebrate. On 4 June, Ceri will be joined at The Garden Museum by fellow vegetable enthusiasts to talk all about growing, retailing, educating and cooking veg, while on 16 June she will host a three-hour cookery masterclass showcasing vegetarian recipes from her cookbook.
Details: Tickets for the talk on 4 June (which starts at 7pm) start from £10 and can be booked here. The cooking class takes place from 10:45am–2pm on 16 June 2024; tickets are £95 per person, including a copy of the book, and can be booked here. Both events take place at The Garden Museum (5 Lambeth Palace Rd, London SE1 7LB).
Roof East © Owen Billcliffe
Visit A Playground For Grownups
This is how Roof East is best described, featuring vibrant colours and sparkles that really shine when the sun finally shows up. Shoot up the elevator – or climb the many stairs – to the rooftop carpark, transformed into a fun haven featuring a beloved rooftop cinema, street food vendors, a Birdies mini golf course, Sluggers batting cages, Arrows archery and Glitter Bowls. Enjoy ice-cold cocktails, tuck into delicious street food, and challenge your friends to a round of giant jenga before snuggling up with a blanket for a movie.
Details: Roof East is officially open for 2024 at 7 & 8 Stratford Multi Storey Car Park, Great Eastern Rd, London E15 1XE. roofeast.com
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Spanish Craft Fair
A two-week long La Sobremesa (Spanish craft fair) is taking over Bonadea this month, showcasing a curated selection of Spanish treasures, with a range of unique pieces rarely found beyond Spain’s borders ready to be snapped up. Hosted by Gemma Martinez de Ana and Gloria Gonzalez, the event celebrates their friendship and shared passion for craftsmanship and Spanish culture.
Details: La Sobremesa takes place from 17–29 June 2024 at Bonadea (20 Pimlico Rd, London SW1W 8LJ). bonadea.com
Petersham Nurseries
20 Years Of Petersham Nurseries
This iconic London spot is celebrating two decades with a series of summery festivities this month. From Monday 10–Sunday 16 June, a special menu by Skye Gyngell celebrating the early days will be served in Petersham Nurseries Café, with a glorious garden party at Petersham House taking place on Saturday 15 June featuring barbecued favourites, live music and family friendly workshops.
Details: 10–16 June 2024 at Petersham Nurseries (Off Church Lane, Petersham Road, Richmond TW10 7AB). Bookings can be made at petershamnurseries.com, and party tickets can be secured here.
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Speedboat On The Thames
Is this the most thrilling way to see London? Thames Rockets’ ‘Ultimate London Adventure’ is a heart-racing speedboat experience blasting through London and its most iconic sights.
Details: Available everyday, with tickets starting from £49.95, or £595 for a private charter. Boats launch from The London Eye Pier (Boarding Gate 1, London SE1 7PB). Book your spot at thamesrockets.com
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The Year Of The Martini
The Knickerbocker Hotel New York is shaking things up at L’oscar London. Both members of Leading Hotels of the World, both hotels are embarking on a collaboration in a celebration of their iconic home cities – London and New York – bringing together the essence of both destinations through a signature cocktail and food pairing experience. The rumoured birthplace of the dry martini, visit L’oscar’s bar to sample The Knickerbocker Signature Cocktail.
Details: The Knickerbocker’s signature dry martini will grace the bar menu at L’oscar London (2-6 Southampton Row, London WC1B 4AA) for six months. loscarlondon.com
