London this week: Veganuary, Aegean-inspired restaurants and Indiana Jones

Welcome back to Slice, your weekly guide to what’s happening in London.

Happy new year! We’re kicking off 2024 with luxury dining experiences, vibrant Soho bars and colorful and vibrant vegan dishes. Who said January was gloomy?

The Slice’s Pick

The utterly convincing food legends have finally returned from their world tour and are now taking Londoners on a world travel adventure of their own. In this new and improved revival of their steampunk show The Grand Expedition, guests take to the skies in hot air balloons and enjoy a four-course meal amid magical scenery, thrilling acrobatics and plenty of immersive fun. And that’s all we can tell you, because everything else about the performance is being kept top secret – including the location. We know it will be somewhere in Zone 1 or 2 and near a metro station – and it will be a lot of fun. Tickets are selling out fast – book your ticket now and prepare to be blown away…

FFood and drink

by Jeremy Ullman

The people behind Sonya know and love someone called Sonya, and it is this feeling of love and family that makes this charming Aegean restaurant so special. Upon entering you are invited into a Greek garden where hanging lights illuminate the brick walls, olive trees and statues. Spectacular Greek-Turkish dishes include Wagyu Betyi Sarma: tender Wagyu beef wrapped in flatbread on a bed of yogurt, mint and pomegranate seeds. Finally an ice-cold Tzatziki, an unconventional homemade cocktail that combines tangy yogurt and delicate herbs into a smooth, refreshing digestif.

Last year 700,000 people signed up for Veganuary and judging by the salads we saw in the office, there are even more this year! Below, we’ve picked out some of the best vegan menu options popping up at your favorite chains this month, but we’re also highlighting some tried-and-true plant-based restaurants each week. For fresh, inventive cuisine with greenery at its heart, we love Mallow and its understated sister restaurant Mildreds. The latter went tropical in January with a spicy, spicy, Caribbean-inspired menu (we’re selling plantain tostones with mango chow), while Mallow created a colorful, pan-Asian explosion for their fireworks-inspired menu. Pair it with some no-and-low cocktails if you also drink Dry Jan – we’ll talk about that next week!

Dram Bar is a sleek and sophisticated bar that no longer has complicated drink menus. When you walk through the doors in Soho, you immediately feel an infectious enthusiasm. Set over three floors with an urban aesthetic, the bar is a whiskey connoisseur’s dream (visit the bar on Burns Night to try their new Benromach Single Malt with two limited edition cocktails). With delicious cocktails on tap (the Mastiha & Aloe was particularly tasty) and dishes of the highest quality (the burrata and anchovies were fantastic), this newly opened spot is not a fleeting fad.

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This affordable chain is always a winner and they have expanded their vegan menu Creamy Kitsune Udon (a light broth full of umami, topped with sweet tofu peel, £7.75) and delicious Pumpkin Katsu Curry (£8.95). Add vegan tempura to your bowl from just €1.35.

BEST FAST FOOD: Leon.

The lunchtime hero brings some color and spice to the dreary January with two new plant-based options: the Bangin’ Bhaji Wrap (£5.99) and the Rainbow Squash Salad (£7.19 in, £5.99 out), a tasty combination of roasted food pumpkin, spicy mayonnaise, pink cabbage, vegetables and grains.

BEST PIZZA: Crust Bros.

Vegan pizza is all about the wrong cheese. Veduja from Crust Bros. Do you really like it? combines stracciazza (a creamy, vegan version of the oh-so-trendy stracciatella that we predict will be on everything by 2024) with meat-free veduja, tomato, fresh basil and lemon zest.