Every year we hit 1st March and we ask ourselves the same question: how on earth did that happen? We’re still not quite sure to be honest, but what we do know is that we can keep you occupied so you’ll be saying the same thing when April hits. We have an incredible lineup planned for the next 31 days, from world-first immersive art exhibitions in Soho with teddy walls and cocktails to a comeback from Oriole in Covent Garden - and for when you’ve had enough of hollow Cadbury treats? Easter egg-themed cocktails in a chocolate-obsessed venue. Read this list and your next four weeks are sure to zoom by quicker than the last.
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The Art Of Going Out: Visit This Immersive Art Exhibition With Teddy Walls And Cocktails
When: 30th and 31st March
Know a thing or two about The Art Of Going Out? Us too, which leads us on to some very exciting news. We’re hosting a world-first immersive art exhibition in Soho this Easter and it’s dedicated to ‘going out’ in London. Tickets to this never-seen-before spectacle are £7.50 and it includes entry to the 60-minute experience and two complimentary drinks from Whitebox cocktails. There will be 12 art pieces that double as photo opportunities (keep an eye out for the teddy wall) alongside a chance to join the world’s most pointless queue. It’s only sticking around for one weekend, so make the most of it while you can.
Ready for a world-first? Get down to The Art Of Going Out for an Easter to remember.
Oriole V2: Believe The Hype And Head To London’s Newest Pop-Up PRELUDE
Opens: 13th March
An award-winning team is about to add to London’s cocktail bar scene by bringing back an old favourite and we’re giddy with excitement. PRELUDE by Oriole will open in Covent Garden this March as a pop-up restaurant, bar and innovation space, and when the residency is over, they’ll be opening up shop permanently over summer. Expect globe-trotting dishes and drinks with plenty of creative flair coming from the likes of Italy and Japan. Unashamedly, we already know what we’re going to order before we step foot in the door, so Oriole, if you’re reading this - we’ll see you on the 13th March for a celebratory Arcadia.
The comeback of the year? You know you're looking at.
Straits Kitchen: Celebrate Lunar New Year With This Twist On Afternoon Tea
Bookable From: 8th February until 25th March
Lunar New Year has brought in the Year of the Dragon which represents prosperity, strength, and good luck in Chinese culture - if there was ever a time to play the lotto, it's now. To celebrate, Straits Kitchen at Pan Pacific has created a special edition afternoon tea with Chinatown’s Cantonese-style bun specialist, Bun House. Raise your pinkies for pork buns with cumin, chilli and garlic followed by a sweet custard-filled bun in the shape of a mandarin, alongside a overwhelmingly delicious black sesame walnut scone with kaya jam. The theatrics come to town with the last course when matcha and red date iced mochi are served over smoking dry ice.
Try this smoking afternoon tea with walnut scones.
Chocolate Cocktail Club: Swap Chocolate Eggs For Chocolate Cocktails
Bookable Until: 31st March
A bar dedicated to nothing but chocolate cocktails? We promise you this is not a lie (or a very premature April Fools). Make your way down to The Chocolate Cocktail Club this Easter and ditch your annual Cadbury overload for one with a little more sophistication and liqueur. Themed cocktails will be on offer for the bank holiday weekend and we can vouch for every single one, but snaps go to the Malteser and Mini Egg martini. They do a chocolate-themed afternoon tea mid-week too, and it's sure to help you continue that bank holiday sugar rush.
Cadbury who?
The Cheese Bar: Celebrate Not Being Lactose Intolerant At Fondue Thursdays
When: every Thursday until 31st March
The Cheese Bar does exactly what is says on the tin. While the weather is still dreary and dull, make the most of the colder climate and eat as much cheese as your stomach will allow. If you've had their iconic cheese toasty, not to worry. Every Thursday this dairy mad spot hosts fondue Thursdays and for the month of March they've collaborated with Shuko Odo from Koya. Forget what you know about traditional fondue and open your arms to an authentic mouthful that combines the traditions and tastes of Japan with British cheeses, accompanied by pickled vegetable dippers and delicious tempuras.
Get a taste of France in this leafy pocket of Chelsea.
Three Sheets: Sip Silky Cocktails At Soho’s Newest Bar
Opens: March (date to be confirmed)
It seems that March is ‘the month of the cocktail’ in London as Three Sheets - one of the best bars in the world - is also opening its doors, but in Soho. The much-loved original can be found in Dalston and although the same method of madness will be applied to their new bricks and mortar, we can expect some strategic and welcomed tweaks. Get ready for salt beef sandwiches, croquettes, and fresh oysters that can be ordered alongside your sharp, clean drinks which, after you’ve had one - you’ll see why the soakage was a smart move. If you’re a fan of dessert-in-a-glass cocktails, don’t leave without trying the Scottish Coffee - it's a heady mixture of buttered scotch, salted coffee and shortbread cream.
Sharp and sophisticated cocktails are a right of passage at Three Sheets.
Cinnamon Bazaar: Make A Reservation For Richmond’s Newest Restaurant
Opens: 5th March
When it comes to decent Indian restaurants in London, Cinnamon Bazaar is a staple. Its colourful Covent Garden hub is inspired by historic trade routes and it draws inspiration from a range of regions: from Afghanistan to Punjab, Old Delhi and new Lahore, and this March it’s taking its chaats and street food-style dishes south of the River. The new Richmond restaurant will be open from 5th March but you can nab 50% off food during lunch and dinner from 1st to the 3rd March for their soft launch. If you’re keen to stay in the city, check out Vivek’s Holi festival supper club where you can pelt paint at your loved ones (and complete strangers) before sitting down to a delicious feast.
Say hello to Richmond's hottest new restaurant.
Cocktail Club Old Street: Get Your Hands On A Free Espresso Martini
Bookable Until: 4th until 25st March
Old Street Cocktail Club has had a makeover and although we loved their previous Moroccan medina, we fully approve of the new theme. This time around, the underground party bar has morphed into a flat with a kitchen laundry dangling from the ceiling, a vintage bathroom with a bathtub of golden balls, alongside plenty of other quirky corners. They also have a giant foosball and ping pong table and you can expect their usual menu of tongue-in-cheek sips. To celebrate, DesignMyNight users can get a free espresso martini from Monday 4th March until 17th March, no matter the day or time - all you've got do is make a booking.
Because the best things in life are free...
The Barbican: Drop By This Free Botanical Installation By Ranjani Shettar
Until: 31st March
London is one of the best cities in the world (easily argued as the best, to be honest) and the list of reasons is pretty much like our love for a bank holiday weekend: infinite. On that list is the amount of free things you can do and see, which is why you need to make the most of The Barbican’s botanical installation by Ranjani Shettar. It features five large sculptures suspended across the room, each item handcrafted, reflecting the beauty and intricacy of nature using wood, stainless steel, muslin, lacquer and more. Cloud Songs on the Horizon is a must-visit this March, and you’d be a fool to think otherwise.
One word to describe this month's installation? Stunning.
Dram: Celebrate St Patrick’s Day In London With An Iconic Dublin Bar
Taking Place: 11th March
The best thing about St Patrick's Day is that you don’t need to be from the Emerald Isle to celebrate. Whether you’re born and bred there or you don’t have a freckle to your name, it’s a universal right to raise a toast to the man who banished the snakes from Ireland. If you can’t wait until the 17th, you can celebrate a little earlier this year by heading to Dram; one of Soho’s newest and hottest bars. Dublin legends 1661 are taking over for the night and it’s set to be a lineup for the history books (sorry Patrick). Things kick start at 6pm and you’re sure to have an evening packed with craic, great drinks and a night out in Dublin minus the flight fare.
Sláinte.
Josephine: Salvate Over Frog’s Legs And Cheese Boards At Chelsea’s New French Bistro
Opens: 3rd March 2024
With some swapping and changing with opening dates, the shiny new French bistro from Michelin-starred Claude Bosi is finally set to open on 3rd March. Nestled away in leafy Chelsea, the new eatery will pay homage to his hometown, Lyon. Josephine’s menu is everything you could imagine it to be, and then some thanks to Claude’s history, earning himself a Michelin star in his twenties. You’re guaranteed to be swept away from the streets of Fulham Road to the backstreets of France with indulgent Saint-Félicien cheese soufflé and frog’s legs starters, rich beef fillet and French rabbit mains, and dairy-loaded cheese boards. Trust us when we say this is one opening to watch.
Get a taste of France in this leafy pocket of Chelsea.
Looking for more inspiration on how to spend this month in London? Check out 100s of March events here and sign up to our newsletter.
