Poppy Delbridge
May in London is when the city feels like it’s just becoming alive — and nowhere does it better than Notting Hill. There’s something about the neighbourhood that makes me want to walk for hours, stop to stare at the sun and have too many coffee and writing breaks (yes, the ritual of my morning coffee, collagen, and rapid tapping ). I love starting the morning at the top of Portobello Road before the stalls are fully set up, with my little dog, watching the flowers arrive. Then GOLD for lunch — if you haven’t been, it’s the kind of place that feels like you're being hugged by indoor trees and locals. I find interesting prices of jewellery, and I wrote a lot of my new book, Unlock Your Power in the cafes - I like to get a paper notebook out, watching people and wondering what was holding them back. That question became the book. It publishes 21 May and I’m taking the yellow beauty of the book everywhere now. See you in Notting Hill soon.
- Poppy Delbridge
Food: Avi
Credit: Avi
Avi is one of London’s most exciting new restaurants that opened in Belgravia (Lowndes Street) at the very end of April. The space is smart and stylish, with soft lighting, plush banquettes and a buzzy atmosphere that’s ideal for everything from date night to a long catch-up with friends. On the menu, there's a mix of elegant comfort and crowd-pleasing indulgence: creative snacks to start, fresh seasonal vegetable dishes, beautifully cooked seafood, generous meat plates and sides you’ll absolutely not want to share. Everything is polished but approachable, with flavours that feel bold and satisfying rather than overly fussy. Head Chef Joshua Conte brings a strong classical foundation shaped by some of London’s most respected kitchens. His career began in the British Army with The Rifles, including service in Afghanistan in 2013. His cooking is rooted in classical French technique, with Tuscan and Mediterranean influences reflecting both his training and heritage. The result is a style that combines the precision of fine dining with the warmth, generosity and ease of bistro cooking. In addition to the food, the cocktails are excellent, the wine list is well chosen and so if you’re after somewhere new, lively and genuinely delicious, Avi is well worth adding to your list.
Bar: Freight
Credit: TagVenue
The sun is coming out, so what does that mean? Londoners all head up to their nearest rooftop for a drink. Its tradition and we are all seemingly lizard-like in our need to take on a dose of Vitamin D.Good news is there’s a new spot for us to check out. Freight is a huge new rooftop space designed for long afternoons that turn into late nights. Spread across multiple levels, it promises sweeping skyline views, open-air terraces, plenty of room for groups and a lively atmosphere that turns one drink into a long session. There will be a strong line-up of cocktails, cold beers, frozen serves and easy crowd-pleasing food built for sharing between rounds. The look is industrial-meets-festival, with shipping-container style design, colourful seating and a laid-back party feel that suits Brixton perfectly. Freight is the perfect spot for after-work drinks, weekend sunshine sessions or indeed a bigger celebration. All the makings of one of south London’s go-to spots this summer!
Exhibition: Somerset House, Holy Pop
Credit: Somerset House
If your idea of culture includes pop icons, fan devotion and a little glorious nostalgia, Holy Pop! at Somerset House looks like one of the most fun exhibitions of the summer. Running from the 21st May to 9th August, the show explores modern fandom through the objects people treasure most such as memorabilia, fan art, letters, photographs and immersive installations celebrating everyone from David Bowie and Britney Spears to Princess Diana and other cult figures. It’s a smart look at how admiration turns into identity, community and full-blown obsession, all set within Somerset House’s grand riverside surroundings. Better still, it’s pay what you can, making it one of the best-value cultural outings in London this Spring.
Explore: henry Moore at kew gardens
Credit: Katrina Astrella
Opening this month at Kew Gardens is a major outdoor exhibition that places a collection of Henry Moore’s monumental sculptures throughout the gardens, letting visitors encounter his famous reclining figures, abstract forms and large bronzes against one of London’s most beautiful natural backdrops. Seeing the works set among sweeping lawns, glasshouses and seasonal planting gives them a completely different feel from a traditional gallery setting and allows for a full day wandering in the sunshine. Standard entry is included with a Kew Gardens ticket, with adult prices usually starting from around £24 depending on date and booking time. This is world-class sculpture and spring gardens in full bloom. What a stunning way to while away a spring day!
art: Tate Britian, James McNeill Whistler
Credit: Tate Britain
For some culture with a touch of drama and a lot of style, the James McNeill Whistler exhibition at Tate Britain is an absolute must see this month. Celebrating one of art history’s great showmen, the exhibition brings together Whistler’s elegant portraits, atmospheric Thames scenes and the moody, mist-filled paintings that made him famous. Best known for turning subtle colour palettes and quiet moments into something unexpectedly striking, he was also a master of branding long before Instagram existed. There will be beautifully curated rooms filled with gilded frames, rich interiors and works that still feel surprisingly modern. Standard exhibition tickets are reasonably priced from around £18. The headline attraction is ‘Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1’, better known as ‘Whistler’s Mother’which is on loan from Paris. Also featured are his atmospheric Thames paintings and celebrated nocturnes, including Nocturne: Blue and Gold – Old Battersea Bridge, plus the scandalous Nocturne in Black and Gold – The Falling Rocket, the painting that sparked his famous court battle with critic John Ruskin. Tate has also said the show will include exquisite society portraits, Venetian scenes, prints, drawings, decorative designs and previously unseen sketchbooks, giving a full picture of Whistler beyond the one famous mother portrait. In short: expect the greatest hits, the unexpected gems, and a chance to see why he was one of the most influential artists of his era.
food: burnt, bethnal green
Credit: London On The Inside
Some places are worth crossing London for before 10am, and Burnt in Bethnal Green is one of them. This part neighbourhood café, part pastry obsession is turning into a cult favourite already. It has the easy charm of somewhere you pop into for a coffee and then before you know it you’ve had two coffees, a chai latte and six croissants. The room is bright, understated and quietly cool, letting the counter full of temptation do the talking. They’ve got trays of flaky croissants, deep golden swirls, fruit-topped danishes and filled buns with the sort of crisp, buttery layers that shatter on first bite. There’s strong coffee, savoury options if you’re pretending to be sensible and a new stream of regulars who clearly know they’ve found a good thing. But the best news is, from the 1st May they are launching their brunch menu, bringing Burnt favourites and seasonal dishes focused on top quality ingredients to Bethnal Green. If your breakfast routine needs rescuing, this is a very very strong place to begin.
exhibition: Nigo
Credit: Culted
If you have even a passing interest in fashion, streetwear or the way brands shape culture, NIGO: From Japan with Love at the Design Museum looks like essential viewing. Opening on the 1st May and running until 4th October, it’s the first major retrospective outside Japan dedicated to the creative force behind A Bathing Ape, HUMAN MADE and now KENZO. The exhibition brings together more than 700 objects, including rare early BAPE pieces, vintage clothing, personal collections, a recreation of NIGO’s teenage bedroom, hand-thrown ceramics and a full-size glass tea house created specially for the show. It’s part fashion exhibition, part design archive and part nostalgia trip through the worlds of Harajuku, hip-hop and hype culture. Tickets start from around £16, making it a strong value pick for one of London’s most talked-about new exhibitions this season.
night out: dialled in
Credit: Dialled In
The 30th May is the fifth-anniversary edition of Dialled In. A full Dalston music festival takeover spreading across venues including EartH, Café OTO, Rio Cinema, Shacklewell Arms and more. Created to celebrate South Asian creativity in all its forms, the line-up mixes DJs, live acts and selectors from across the diaspora and beyond, with names including Ahadadream, Anish Kumar, Nadine Noor, Lifafa and Sarathy Korwar. New for 2026, there’ll also be comedy, film, food and a vinyl fair, making it feel more like a roaming cultural block party than a standard one-site festival. Tickets start from around £17, which is a total bargain for one of the most original and forward-thinking events in London this year.
theatre: 1536 by Ava pickett
Credit: The Stage
Power, scandal and dangerous ambition take centre stage in 1536, the new London stage production inspired by one of the most dramatic years of the Tudor era. Set against the collapse of Anne Boleyn’s world, the play drops audiences into a court ruled by paranoia, shifting loyalties and ruthless political manoeuvring, where fortunes can change in a single afternoon. With sharp writing, high emotional stakes and all the intrigue you’d hope for from a story packed with betrayal, secrets and survival. There is richly atmospheric staging and costumes that bring the period to life, it offers history with real momentum rather than classroom solemnity. Fresh from a sold-out Almeida run, 1536 arrives in the West End at Ambassadors Theatre from the 2nd May to the 1st August, and is set to be one of the sharpest theatre tickets of the season. Written by Ava Pickett and directed by Lyndsey Turner with Liv Hill, Siena Kelly and Tanya Reynolds reprising their acclaimed performances. Running time is around 2 hours with no interval, and tickets start from approximately £35.
CHARITY OF THE MONTH: LADY GARDEN FOUNDATION
Credit: The Lady Garden Foundation
Since the Lady Garden Foundation was founded in 2014, there has been a long-held ambition to commission a Lady Garden 'Garden' at RHS Chelsea Flower Show to enable uninhibited conversation between generations, siblings and friends about gynaecological cancer. Cut to May 2026 and this dream is becoming a reality! Located on Main Avenue of RHS Chelsea (MA323), the 'Silent No More' Garden designed by RHS Gold-medal winner, Darren Hawkes is as a result of his two-year collaboration with the Lady Garden Foundation, clinicians at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and the voices of patients who experienced delayed diagnosis, misdiagnosis or dismissal of symptoms. Whether you can visit the garden in person or follow the journey through BBC Build Film coverage, please support the Lady Garden Foundation as they grow a garden - and a national conversation - that's set to make women's health the headline of RHS Chelsea 2026.