1 | Foley's
Fans of the much-fêted Palomar restaurant in Soho may want to wander northwards to Fitzrovia where former sous chef Mitz Vora has just opened his own gaff. Launching officially today, the cuisine is akin to the Palestinian you would expect, though takes slightly broader influence from the Spice Trail. After various pop-ups and street stalls, Vora's team is settling into their new home with precisely the sort of fun and flare you would expect – head downstairs for some at-the-counter action next to the chefs and some clandestine little cubbyhole tables. And given the party vibe, don't shun the cocktails. Dishes are small and shareable: make sure to try the cornflake crusted chicken, the sticky beef and the fiendishly tasty aubergine with pomegranate, dates, chilli lime yogurt, crispy puffed quinoa and salty feta. Then finish in style with the totally addictive baclava cheesecake.
23 Foley Street, London, W1W 6DU; foleysrestaurant.co.uk
2 | B.O.B.'s Lobster at The Gardening Society
The B.O.B.'s Lobster van is now a very welcome sight around London, and the guys have taken up residency – for the first time anywhere – at John Lewis' summer rooftop terrace restaurant, The Gardening Society. The interior is light and bright, the exterior offering excellent views and grass beneath the feet. Expect lively seafood dishes such as fried rock oysters with Cajun breadcrumbs, shiso leaf and yuzu honey Dijon, crab cake tacos, and clam chowder with bacon crumb. Not forgetting the famous lobster brioche rolls, of course. They're there until the end of July.
300 Oxford Street, London, W1C 1DX; johnlewis.com
3 | Development Sunday Sessions at Le Bab
Kebabs were never so fancy as at Le Bab, which sits discreetly at the top of Kingly Court in Soho. Walk in and the open window wall, colourful tiles, and golden accouterments will immediately make you feel like you've stepped into a holiday tavern in the Middle East. These kebabs are served open so that you can see all the lovely stuff in them (but also with instructions for how best to roll them up for yourself). The fillings are succulent and occasionally surprising, but always of top notch quality – not unexpected given that the chefs all hail from Michelin-starred Le Gavroche. It's not exactly pricy here anyway but, as of this weekend, they are launching their Development Sunday Sessions and at a charming 50% off food whilst the idea is still new; taste brand new dishes from the team that they've never tried out on customers before, and then give your feedback. Win-win.
Top Floor, Kingly Court, Carnaby Street, London, W1B 5PW; eatlebab.com
4 | Euros Fan Bar at Big Fernand
With no England team left to support in the Euros, you may as well give up the pretense and start looking for someone else to cheer for. And if it sways your decision-making then we'll just point out that French burger joint Big Fernand has put their stonkingly Gallic Balthazar burger back on the menu for the duration of the tournament, and that a pound is getting knocked off its price every time France wins a game. So think of the Carolais beef patty served with camembert, pork belly, Calvados and apple compute, cocktail sauce and chives as an added incentive to support them when they face our old foes Iceland on Sunday. You can watch all matches in their dedicated fan bar, up on the first floor, where there are big screens and comfy seating, including a rocking chair.
19 Percy Street, London, W1T 1DY; bigfernand.co.uk
5 | Kelis X Le Bun
And for your totally non sport-related burger fix, then how about the news that Kelis (yes, she of the milkshake) is opening a street food pop up with Le Bun? In case you hadn't got the memo, the American singer is also a Cordon Bleu-trained chef with a cookbook to her name. In collaboration with French-American burger team Le Bun, Kelis's food will be behind Leicester Square on 6th, 7th, 13th and 14th July. Start off with truffly, spicy grilled corn and then go straight for the unreserved pork fiesta of a burger (which obviously contains crackling), though this team know how to do flavour so you're safe with anything on the menu. Book your tickets now.
Leicester House, 1 Leicester Street, London, WC2H 7BL; lebun.co.uk
6 | Night Tales
If you just need some drinks to finish off the week with then rejoice in the knowledge that Night Tales is back. In other words, the party has started. This year's regular weekend festival is taking place in an old stone merchant and car scrap yard in Hackney Wick (rather than the previous Shoreditch base), providing food, booze and music from a whole host of DJs every Friday and Saturday evening until the end of August. Head to The Lazy Flamingo Bar for pink piña coladas and watermelon sherbet daiquiris, or Coco's Rum Shack for some coconut love. Simpler treats come in the form of Singha lager's mezzanine bar, and a cooling cup of sake from ENTER.Sake. Jerk chicken, pizzas and mac and cheese can wash all that down while you chill out on the massive sun terrace.
1 – 2 Hepscott Road, London, E9 5HA; nighttales.co.uk
7 | Texture
Just as Britain has caught on to the delights of Nordic television in recent years, so too is cuisine from Denmark, Finland, Norway et al starting to have a bit of a moment (well, in London at least). Leading the way since 2007 is the Michelin-starred Texture, a restaurant and champagne bar in the heart of Mayfair where ingredients are exceptionally fresh, presentation is paramount and the flavours will put a smile on your face for the rest of the week. Take the plump Norwegian king crab sat in a bed of asparagus, or the black Angus beef, ridiculously tender and served on its own pile of smouldering wood - or indeed the desserts, from which the vanilla, rye bread crumbs and Yorkshire rhubarb (OK, it's not all Nordic) has to rank as among the best in the capital. The interior hits that Scandi buzzword - 'cool' - perfectly, making Texture most satisfying than an episode of Borgen.
