We found the best places to raise a stein for Oktoberfest in London

Prost! London’s getting a German makeover for Oktoberfest (Picture: Debbie Bragg)

Welcome back to The Slice!

It’s really feeling like autumn now, which means cosy nights in, crisp walks through leaf-filled parks, and an abundance of Pumpkin Spice Lattes (love them or hate them).  

It also means Oktoberfest, so it’s time to have a proper party with your friends, glug some bier and stomp your feet to the sound of Oompah bands. You can even get a freebie if you wear your best Bavarian attire – more on that below.

We also visit Soho’s new Parisian spot, Marjorie’s. It oozes charm in that French way, but how does the food stack up? Spoiler: we’re still dreaming about it. 

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Things to do this week in London

If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, here are 9 of the best activities, dining, and drinking spots in the capital.

1. Go for a romantic dinner at Marjorie’s

This is our new favourite date night spot (Picture: Supplied)

By Lola Christina Alao

Date night just got sexier. With a Parisian-inspired menu, it’s only right that Marjorie’s has that allure. And I don’t just mean the dishes – the mood is just right too, with an intimate setting and candles on top of chrome coasters everywhere you look.

Start with the chicken liver rocher with morello and a generous hazelnut coating – share this between two, it’s rich enough that you’ll be satisfied after a few bites. Next the fried courgette with rouille and trout roe that look like a painting from a Shoreditch art gallery, are citrus-y with a crunch I can’t get enough of. The poached chicken and rice has a decadence from the brown butter but is missing the boldness of the other dishes.

But the bavette steak with an egg yolk emulsion is the best thing I tried, a dream to bite into because of how tender it is, soaked up by an ultra creamy sauce. For dessert, don’t skip the Mille-Feuille with strawberry and crème diploma. After I’m done admiring it I cut it into small pieces as the waiter advises. It’s flaky and light, and hard not to eat it without making a mess, but that doesn’t matter because it’s all gone in record time.

Small plates from £3.50, larger plates from £13. 26 Foubert’s Place, Soho, W1F 7PP. Book here.

2. Get a taste of Thailand at Platapian

Try the claypot lobster tail stir-fried noodles as a fresh take on pad thai (Picture: Platapian)

By James Besanvalle

Platapian, from the founders of Patara, is giving you a taste of Thailand in the middle of Soho. The Platapian Set Menu is a tantalising selection of bold dishes, including the miang kham scallops, yellow curry with crab meat, tiger prawns, and pandan crème brûlée. The latter in particular blended a deliciously creamy coconut milk ice cream with a crispy thai roll crepe (think wafer sticks without the filling) against the earthy vanilla hints of pandan.

The claypot lobster tail stir-fried noodle dish is their take on pad thai, with tender lobster meat (presented in a decadent shell) with a familiar tanginess.

For drinks I’m immediately overwhelmed with delectable choices. I’m recommended the Tom Yum-tini, made with vodka, tom yum, lime, and chilli.

It’s like a spicy margarita, with just the right amount of kick to it. But what truly brought me back to the streets of Bangkok from my backpacking days was the Mango Sticky Rice cocktail, made from coconut sticky rice, vodka, and mango purée.

An elevated classic with a tasty twist – a common theme that runs throughout Platapian. 

Small plates from £4.95, large plates from £12.50. Platapian Set Menu, £65pp. 15 Greek St, Soho, W1D 4DP. Book here.

3. Love Marmtie? You’ll love Sael

Marmite… it divides people all over the UK. But for those of you in the ‘we love Marmite’ camp, Sael in St James is going all in for National Marmite Day. You can get a £34 full menu dedicated to the famous spread, including the Jason Atherton Marmite custard tart.

28 September only. Book here.  

4. Start the evening at Toklas for an ‘exceptional’ pre-theatre menu

Even the carrots at Toklas are next-level (Picture: Toklas)

By Martina Andretta

If we’re being honest, it’s hard to get excited about pre-theatre menus. They are too often neglected, a convenient afterthought with hurried service. Toklas, a Mediterranean restaurant just off the Strand, breaks the mould. With its parquet floors, art-deco touches and striking art, the mood is casual yet refined. The set menu is well-priced (£26 for two courses or £30 for three), balancing seasonal produce and clever flavour pairings. 
 
I start with the slow-grilled carrots with labneh, pistachio and sumac – sweet, tender and creamy. My main – tagliatelle with Datterini tomatoes and salted ricotta – is perfectly al dente, buttery and fresh. My companion opts for the crisp hake with chickpeas and aioli, sitting in a golden pool of delicious olive oil. The dessert option is a poached pear with vanilla ice cream and almonds. All lovely.
 
Yet it’s the service that truly elevates Toklas. We were welcomed warmly, our wobbly table fixed before we even noticed, and staff stayed attentive without intruding. It’s an exceptional pre-theatre choice.

2 courses, £26. 3 courses, £30. Available 5.30pm-6.30pm. 1 Surrey St, Temple, WC2R 2ND. Book here.

5. Prost! Join the Oktoberfest party with free bier and German specials

Clapham Common’s Oktoberfest party is the biggest in the UK (Picture: Supplied)

Albert’s Schloss

Best for: A Bavarian night out 
German bier palace Albert’s Schloss is putting on three weeks of Oktoberfest fun – complete with unique Bavarian brews, delicious new dishes, and live entertainment that just doesn’t stop.

Providing the soundtrack are a full band playing requests and so much more (with a different showtime entertainment theme each day). But you don’t have to force down beer if it’s not your cup of tea, there’ll also be an interactive cocktail serving station from a traditional handcrafted cuckoo-clock. 

Soho. Until 12 October. Find out more.

German Gymnasium

Best for: a freebie (if you dress the part)
It would be wrong for us not to tell you about German Gymnasium’s big Oktoberfest festival. The historic King’s Cross restaurant was once home to the first purpose built gymnasium in the UK, and it’s one of the go-to spots for a celebration of German culture and bier this week.

It’s offering a Spezialitäten menu curated by the head chef, as well as live performances from their very own Oompah band. Don’t forget to wear your best Bavarian outfit for a free stein of bier!

King’s Cross. Until 30 Oct. Find out more.

Oktoberfest on the Common

Best for: big groups
Clapham Common doesn’t do things by halves for Oktoberfest. Partnering with Munich’s Paulaner brewery, it will be pouring more than 50,000 steins for the occasion – of course alongside endless bratwurst, pretzels and more. And for even more fun, there will be a line up of Oompah bands, DJs, crowd games and  fairground rides. 

Clapham Common. 10-25 October. Tickets from £31.50. Book here.

6. Don’t miss your chance to try a Kebab Flight at Leydi

Who doesn’t love a kebab? (Picture: Leydi)

Try five incredible kebabs at Leydi’s one-night-only Kebab Flight Night. Forget the greasy one you get after a night out, this is a beautifully curated menu of incredible kebabs, like the quail dolma with chicken livers and urfa butter.

£95pp. Book here. 

7. Celebrate Flight Club’s 10th Birthday with free fun and prizes

Flight Club turns 10 next week, and they’re throwing a big birthday bash. On 1-2 October, rock up at Clerkenwell Fire Station between noon and 10pm to join in the free celebrations.

There’ll be DJs, food, flowing drinks, plus prizes to be won (did someone say a £1,000 bar tab?).

All party proceeds go to the Yellow Ball Foundation, which supports local charities. Bullseye!

8. Game on! Experience The Delusion at Serpentine Galleries

A fun new immersive experience by artist and game designer Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley comes to the Serpentine Galleries from 30 September.

Delving into themes of polarisation, censorship and social connection, it features a new series of video games by Danielle, her team and members of the Black Trans and Queer community.

Find out more.

9. See The Producers as it returns to London 20 years on

Andy Nyman and Marc Antolin have ‘major star presence’ in The Producers (Picture: Manuel Harlan)

★★★★★

By Hugh Montgomery

Starting the autumn theatre season off with a bang, the musical version of Mel Brooks’s classic film comedy is back in the West End, 20 years after
its original run. And this new revival – a transfer from south London’s Menier Chocolate Factory – proves its gleefully camp theatrics and tasteless satirical humour haven’t aged a bit.

This time round in the tale of two producers trying to get rich quick by creating a Nazi-themed Broadway flop, instead of Nathan Lane and Lee Evans, the slightly less-famous pairing of Andy Nyman and Marc Antolin play the lead scam artists. But both have major star presence.

As down-on-his-luck Max Bialystock, Nyman is full of bullish charisma, while his nervy partner-in-crime Leo Bloom is played by Antolin with a brilliantly gangly physicality. But it’s the laughs that really power this production along. The only trouble perhaps, is that Springtime For Hitler comes towards the beginning of the second half, and the final section, wrapping the plot up, can only seem slightly low-key by comparison. But that hardly detracts from the fact that this is truly supreme entertainment. 

Tickets from £25. Garrick Theatre. Until 1 Feb. Book here.

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