We Found 11 Of The Very Best Things To Do In London This Weekend

Including tonnes of free stuff!

Finally, finally, Spring has sprung (or at least half-heartedly uncoiled). Even though the weather is proving more 'hit' than 'miss' right now, it's hard to avoid the daffodil-hemmed park pathways and tentative streetside blossoms – and maybe it's just happening in my circle, but it feels like people are spouting out of their winter-y hermit ways atm, too.

Amy Glover / BuzzFeed

Good timing! After all, with a free repair day in Bethnal Green, a swanky new Soho cocktail bar, and yes, even a Shrek-themed rave to look forward to, now's a pretty great time to get out and explore London. If you're ready to wander the city this weekend, we found 11 of the best places to head to:

1. Get your broken stuff fixed for free (and nab some complimentary tea and coffee while you're at it) by heading to Maker's Cabinet's pop-up Bethnal Green event.

Maker's Cabinet

If you've got a banjaxed bike, a totalled toaster, or even some fraying flares, fear not – Maker's Cabinet are hosting a repair day in Bethnal Green this Saturday, where you can get everything from your kettle to your clothing fixed for free by the pros. Expect music, great beer, and free tea and coffee. Count me in. 

Price: £0 (!)

Location: 4-8 Vyner St, Cambridge Heath, London E2 9DG

Hours: Saturday, 10 AM-4 PM.

2. It feels like everyone cooler than me has been eating at Shankey's in Hackney recently, and having peeped the menu, I can see why.

Instagram: @shankeys.hackney

The restaurant combines Irish booze with Indian food, lives in an old bookies, and offers delicious meals for around a tenner; if it was a person, I'd be proposing marriage. I love the sound of their spuds and butter cocktail (they use a lot of Drumshanbo gin in their other drinks, which I've always contented is one of Irelands most slept-on boozes abroad), and their delicious-sounding monkfish main works out at £11 a head. Mark my words, this place is about to blow up – get your reservations in now, because your days of being an 'I was there before they were huge 😌' customer are extremely limited.

Price: around £6.50 for small plates; larger plates work out at roughly a tenner a head.

Location: 221 Well St, London E9 6RG

Weekend hours: Friday, 6–10:30 pm, Saturday, 3–10:30 pm, and Sunday, 1–5:30 pm.

3. Two words: Shrek rave.

Instagram: @studenteventtickets_

Clapham Grand are hosting this '00s nostalgia fever-dream of a rave this weekend (think ogre-themed drinks, Shreks on the decks, and even some green-hued performers). Basically, it's exactly what it sounds like – not quite champagne wishes and caviar dreams, but definitely, definitely a fun night out.

Price: from £17.85.

Location: The Clapham Grand, 21-25, St John's Hill, London SW11 1TT

Hours: Friday, from 10:30 PM-3 AM.

4. Mosey on down to Brixton's Black Culture Market for stationery, books, and fashion finds (among loads of other gorgeous goodies).

Instagram: @blackculturemarket

Alongisde offering a selection of delicious food, African art, gifts, and loads more, the market will *also* be celebrating Ghanaian independence day. The 40+ traders that'll be selling their wares include emerging entrepreneurs and all-new black businesses, and it costs zero pounds and nought point nil pence for a ticket (you don't have to book in advance, but why not be on the safe side).

Price: £0

Location: 248 Ferndale Rd, London SW9 8FR

Hours: Friday and Saturday, 11 AM-5 PM.

5. Head to Haugen for some Alpine delights (hello, fondue).

Amy Glover / BuzzFeed

Like all of us, I am constantly looking for permission to fulfill my deepest cheesy urges, so it's a good thing Haugen's menu features so many drowned-in-dairy Swiss classics (like fun fondue and gloriously gooey raclette potatoes). The delicious offerings don't stop there, though; I loved my crunchy, tender chicken schnitzel and perfectly-spiced red cabbage, and my brilliantly-balanced cocktail was the ideal boozy/sweet combo. (Side note: my flatmate, who came with me, doesn't drink alcohol, and he said the restaurant's mocktails are among the best he's tried). The chocolate fondue is as satisfying to eat as it is to dunk freshly-cut fruit slices into, and the service was ridiculously accommodating and friendly. Add all that to the fact that the gorgeous restaurant really does look like an Alpine eatery, and you've got yourself a foolproof meal out, IMO.

Price: £18/£23 for a set menu, £13.50-£26.50 for a la carte mains (side note – they've got a two-for-one cocktail deal in their gorgeous rooftop bar ATM).

Location: 9 Endeavour Square, London E20 1JN

Weekend hours: Friday and Saturday, 12 pm–12 am, Sunday, 12–11 pm.

6. It feels like this GBBO musical was custom-made for me personally, but i guess you can rock along too.

Instagram: @bakeoffmusical

Add a dash of musical magic, whisk in a smattering of charming guests, and cook to a wholesome warmth for a true showstopper of a performance – this baking bonanza is only on in London for 12 weeks, so hurry on down to the moreish musical before it's too late! 

Price: £36+

Location: 85-88 St Martin's Ln, London WC2N 4AP

Weekend hours: Friday, 7:30 PM, Saturday 2:30 PM and 7:30 PM, Sunday 3PM.

7. Lucy Wong's brand-new cocktail bar's delicious food and drink offerings are as beautiful as it is relentlessly gorgeous interiors.

Instagram: @lucywonglondon

Inspired by Richard Mason's 1957 novel The World of Suzie Wong, this gorgeous underground bar offers some of the most delicious cocktails I've tried (the ginger and yuzu-flavoured Dynamite Gimlet is a must-try). The food stuns, too – think soft, relenting dumplings, deafeningly crisp pork belly, and tantalisingly tender Cantonese duck, all served in what might just be the prettiest bar I've seen. Run, don't walk, to their beautiful Soho premises.

Price: £13.50-£15 per cocktail, £8 for dim sum, £12-£14 for roast meat.

Location: 33-34 Rathbone Pl, London W1T 1JN

Weekend hours: Friday and Saturday, 5 pm–3 am; closed Sundays.

8. Craving some nature, but not keen on hitting yet another busy park? I've always considered Islington's Culpeper community gardens to be a bit of a hidden gem, and early spring is the perfect time to visit.

Instagram: @culpepergarden

You didn't ask what my dream Sunday looks like, but I'll tell you anyway – I love walking from Camden Lock to Victoria park's market along the canal, not least because I get to stop at this beautiful community garden along the way. Stroll among its beautifully-maintained flora, snap an IG-worthy pic of its pondside tiles or dramatic wooden terrace, and then potter around the nearby Oxfam bookshop that I'd probably live in if I could. Oh, and if you're peckish after, there's a Buns From Home outlet close by (among the best pastries I've tried in London). You're welcome. 

Price: Freeee

Location: 1 Cloudesley Rd, London N1 0EJ

Weekend hours: 10 AM-6 PM Friday and Saturday, 10 AM-2 PM Sunday.

9. It's your last chance to visit Kew Garden's visual feast of an orchid festival.

Instagram: @kewgardens

I wish I could come up with a decent spiel to sell this event, but 1) I can't seem to find the words to express how stunning this year's floral masterpieces are and 2) I reckon I don't really need to. Catch the floral fiesta before it ends on the 5th of May!

Price: £19 if you book before 4 PM, £11 if you book after

Location: Kew Gardens, Richmond, TW9 3AB

Hours: 10 AM-5 PM daily.

10. Catch the free exhibition Addicted To Love at Quantus Gallery (and nab yourself a pic from their gorgeous walk-in photo booth while you're at it).

Amy Glover / BuzzFeed

Featuring UK-based artists Eve de Haan and Sara Pope, this contemporary exhibition combines pop art-style lips with witty neon signs to explore 'notions of love in many guises'. Expect glitzy, gem-encrusted paintings, glowing affirmations, and a walk-in photo booth with handmade props from both artists (read: an absolute IG goldmine). Catch you there?

Price: £0!

Location: 11-29 Fashion St, London E1 6PX

Hours: 9:30 PM-6 PM weekdays.

11. The Vaults' subterranean festival of all-new work is still running strong.

Instagram: @thevaultslondon

Londoners have told me how much they missed this alternative arts bonanza during its three-year hiatus, but I reckon its 500-show-strong 2023 itinerary is more than making up for lost time. Comedy shows, experimental theatre, drag acts, and even a one-day wrestling festival (yes, really) are all taking place in The Vaults' impossibly cool maze of underground venues during the eight-week-long festival, so you're bound to find something truly exciting among its delightfully chaotic displays. And if that all sounds a bit overwhelming, fear not – their site's clever ticket selector allows you to filter events by what mood you're in, what genres you like, and whether or not the event is accessible. It's just good (show)business, people. 

Price: it varies – check out that cool ticket selector (that recommended me a v v enticing Drag Queens vs Vampires show), or peek at their worth-every-penny festival passes.

Location: it also varies, but most events are in or around Leake St, London SE1 7NN

Hours: say it with me now – it varies! I reckon the hours between 4:30 PM and 10 PM are your best bet overall, though!