The Pride in London parade is back in full force on 1st July, and like last year (which was the 50th anniversary of the first Pride in London parade), it’s retracing the original route from Hyde Park Corner to Whitehall Place, passing by locations key to the LGBT+ movement in this country. If you’re heading out to catch it, here are the best places to eat and drink along the parade route.
BiBi – BiBi is an exciting Indian spot from the same group (JKS) that brought us BAO, Gymkhana, Hoppers and Berenjak, among others. It’s headed up by chef Chet Sharma, whose Michelin-starred resume includes Moor Hall and L’Enclume, with a menu of clever hits divided between the categories of snacks, chaat, sigree, sides and desserts.
Kol – This fine dining restaurant goes by the tagline ‘Mexican soul, British ingredients’, summing up the menu of inventive dishes that draw on Mexican tradition and are pulled off using the best in local ingredients. Kol also serves up a list of biodynamic wine, mezcals, tequila and some lesser-known Mexican spirits.
Miznon – The cult pita spot is teaming up with queer club night Buttmitzvah to raise money for Not A Phase, with new cocktail The Proudest Grapefruit (East London Liquor vodka, grapefruit, sage & prosecco dressed with a blueberry sherbet rim) on offer alongside the regular menu. Buttmizvah regulars DJ Jeremy Stubbings and drag queens Gaye Rimmer and Ash Kenazi will be passing through for chair-lifting, dancing, hummus and more.
Fallow – With sustainability at its heart, Fallow cooks up a modern British menu that’s far from the ordinary – think parfait made with mushrooms from the restaurant’s basement and sourdough soft serve made with surplus bread.
Duke of Wellington – The Duke of Wellington serves as a Soho local to the LGBTQ+ community, a classic British pub – so you know what you’re getting – that’s super friendly and welcoming. The historic Admiral Duncan, one of Soho’s oldest gay pubs, is also worth dropping into.
Kiln – As the name suggests, a large portion of Kiln’s rustic Thai food is cooked over an open fire. The menu showcases authentic techniques and full-throttle flavours and is consistently award-winning.
She Soho – Soho’s only exclusive lesbian bar, She is a modern venue for women, non-binary folk and their male guests. With regular club nights, comedy, cabaret and drag king performances, you can rest assured that this will be a solid after-Pride party spot.
Nessa – there’ll be DJs, curated by Mars Montana, spinning at Nessa from midday, with shot queens serving drinks, including the special vodka, redcurrant & hibiscus Give Me Love spritz. There’ll also be a pop-up bar on Brewer Street serving up East London Liquor Co. cocktails and Forest Road beers. Post-parade, 1 Warwick’s rooftop bar Yasmin will be hosting Casa Pride with Gay Times, Tag Warner and Munroe Bergdorf.
Tandoor Chop House – One of our favourite Indian restaurants in London, Tandoor Chop House takes high-quality meats and British ingredients, combined with traditional Indian techniques and flavours for one helluva menu.
Lio London – Start early with a Pride brunch and stay through to the Pride after party at Lio London, hosted in collab with The Little Disco and AKT, There’ll be drag queens and DJs aplenty, including the likes of former Studio 54 resident DJ Nicky Siano.
Thunderbird – If you’re after something quick and delicious post-parade, head to Thunderbird for some of their award-winning Chipuffalo wings (a mix of buffalo, chipotle, coriander and pickled celery with blue cheese dip), salted caramel wings, Thunderbun chicken burgers, and loaded fries.
Panton Yokocho – If you find yourself at the end of the day needing ramen and needing it now, you won’t be too far away from killer ramen bar Panton Yokocho. Go for the huge menu of ramen, hirata buns, gyoza, sushi and cocktails; stay for the retro vibes, neon signs and Japanese pop soundtrack.
Crust Bros – This one is *the* spot for a post-march drink if you’re a spritz fan. Crust Bros in Waterloo has launched a limited-time menu of six spritzes, each one a different colour of the rainbow. Expect Campari Spritzes (red), Aperol Spritzes (orange), Hugo Spritz (yellow), Midori Spritzes (green), Citrus Spritzes (indigo) and Violette Spritzes (violet). Cheers!