1 | The Romantic Dinner: Neo Bistro
Mark Jarvis opened Anglo last year and, despite its modest size, it got everybody who went screaming its praises. Now he's teamed up with the former head chef from Fulham favourite The Harwood Arms to open a new restaurant just off Oxford Street. It seems an incongruous setting for such a mellow little bistro, but if you can ignore the brashness of that bit near Bond Street tube and head into what was once an old boozer, you'll find lightened walls, cosy little tables adorned with nightlights and the odd neon sign, just for good measure. Food is characteristically dainty for Jarvis but big on flavour, like the duck creation that teams richly flavoured parfait with a smear of sweet beetroot and punchy, fresh-as-you-like cherries. As well as the a la carte, there is a tasting menu whose price will, refreshingly, not make your eyes water (£42 for six courses, plus hor d'oeuvres) which finishes up with a malted ice cream that whisks you back to Ovaltine at bedtime when you were a tot.
11 Woodstock Street, London, W1C 2AE; neobistro.co.uk
2 | The Post-Work Drink: Fiz
'Tis the season for a spot of fizz, and Lights of Soho are happy to oblige: they are hosting a ten-week pop-up sparkling wine bar named Fiz. The vibe is cheap, cheerful and deeply continental – you are encouraged to chill and to mingle as though you were in a Barcelona bar. It also won't break the bank, which is always a bonus. Whilst specialising in Spanish cava, there is the chance to try English sparklers, Austrian Sekt, Italian Prosecco and more (including tasters from Brazil and Portugal, for example). Food consists of grilled triple cheese sandwiches, brioche bun sliders and cured meat boards to share, with a bottomless brunch at weekends.
35 Brewer Street, London, W1F 0RX; fizbar.com
3 | The £1 Pizza: Radio Alice Clapham
Brothers Salvatore and Matteo Aloe opened their first pizza place in Bologna back in 2010. Having taken their home country by storm, they opened Radio Alice on Hoxton Square earlier this year and it's gone so well that Clapham now gets to try these special sourdough pizzas too. And what's more, from Monday, you can buy one and get a second for £1 at either branch, up until the end of July. They're calling it the Gold Coin Campaign, with all proceeds going to Libera Terra, which turns land regained from mafia control into sustainable wine cooperatives. Go online to get a code, and then opt for either the 'nduja one, or the white pizza base covered in speck, gorgonzola walnuts and honey. The USP here is that the toppings are added once the dough is already cooked, so nothing is remotely squishy and all flavours remain perfectly in tact.
67 Venn Street, London, SW4 0BD; radioalicepizzeria.co.uk
4 | A View To The O2: Craft London
This Saturday marks the 10th birthday of the O2 – the current incarnation of the former Millenium Dome. There are celebratory concerts galore, but by far the most calming place to enjoy the dome is just outside the main door, a mere matter of seconds out of the tube: Craft London. Stevie Parle's restaurant does clever things with British food, most of which is genuinely local (you can see some of his allotments from your seats). He does a test menu at discount price on Tuesdays when the all chefs go a bit experimental, and a Thursday feast once a month; the next is, conveniently, on Thursday 29th and is an ode to Devon. Upstairs, the bar is a total winner at sunset and you get a prime view of, you guessed, the O2 – whilst avoiding all the crowds.
Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula, London, SE10 0SQ; craft-london.co.uk
5 | The Weekend Breakfast: The Magazine Restaurant
This summer's pavilion at The Serpentine opens today, giving you the perfect excuse to venture into Hyde Park come weekend. It has been designed by Francis Kéré, who has taken his native Burkina Faso as inspiration to bring a flash of Africa to Kensington Gardens. And the circular structure can be enjoyed come rain or shine, since it acts like a funnel to capture rain and turn it into a waterfall. Admission is free, so make a morning of it by heading to the nearby Magazine Restaurant, which is not only a spectacular Zaha Hadid building in itself, but does an excellent breakfast too; dishes include a lightly spiced chai porridge, French toast with rhubarb, or crushed avocado with sumac and feta.
West Carriage Drive, Kensington Gardens, London, W2 2AR; magazine-restaurant.co.uk
