North London Food & Culture

MUST DO: art, beach, cafe, cocktails, gig

Five excellent things to consider in the balmy coming week

ART: gawp at K-Town’s landmarks

Isn't it lovely? Check out Lili B's exhibition all summer in Covent Garden. Photo: Lili B
Isn’t it lovely? Check out Lili B’s exhibition all summer in Covent Garden. Photo: Lili B

Lili B is a French illustrator who has been living here for 7 years. “I love the architecture of Kentish Town,” she says, “it’s very mixed and inspiring.” She simply loves penning NW5’s pubs and other landmarks (she drew each boozer in our Top 10 list last year, in fact). Now she exhibits her work all summer in Covent Garden’s Seven Dials Club, with original drawings of the pubs, KOKO, the Forum plus some Origami work. The exhibition runs until 30th Sept. 42 Earlham St, London WC2H

LUNCH: try Pritchard & Ure

It's a vast new hangout overlooking the business of the garden centre. Photo: Tom Kihl
It’s a vast new hangout overlooking the business of the garden centre. Photo: Tom Kihl

Now open at the award winning Camden Garden Centre Coffee, this vast mezzanine café is closely associated with acclaimed Clerkenwell based speciality roaster, Workshop Coffee. There’s also an impressive food offer, from salads and sandwiches to charcuterie platters – not to mention lots of tempting treats for the sweet-toothed. Plus a quirky view over the shoppers browsing for seeds and other alfresco essentials. Open 9-5pm Monday to Saturday and 11 to 4.30pm Sundays Camden Garden Centre Barker Drive St Pancras Way NW1

BOOZE: take notes from a cocktail queen

To tie in with her new book, Ten Cocktails, broadsheet writer Alice Lascelles is giving a talk (expect a rant about ice trays) next week at the Boulogne Bar at the Bull & Gate, which will include cocktail tastings from locally produced Half Hitch, Vestal and Sacred – three fine liquor brands from the ‘hood. Tickets £12 including drinks. Starts 7pm, Wed 22nd July at the Boulogne Bar, Bull & Gate, 389 Kentish Town Rd NW5

MUSIC: be a bit brainiac

Prepare to stroke your chin right here. Photo: Ben Caudell
Prepare to stroke your chin right here. Photo: Ben Caudell

A cerebral night of choons hits ace Torriano Avenue two-floored pub and venue the Rose & Crown this Friday 17th July: four bands take to the stage, including hardcore and “free improv” from New Jersey act Dr Equalizer, leftfield electronica from Moon and Madness, anarchic collective Grassy Noel & Ape, and avant-jazz from Bitten By a Monkey. There’s also talk of a streetfood hook-up with a very popular Kentish Town food outlet. 71-73 Torriano Ave, London NW5


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FAMILY: hit Camden beach

Last year at the beach...Photo: SE
Last year at the beach…Photo: SE

And finally, as we revealed earlier this month, Chalk Farm’s finest venue, the Roundhouse, pulls out all the stops once again this Friday for six weeks. Expect 150 tonnes of the finest sand, tasty pop-up restaurants (including the ace Fishy Business), more bars than you can shake a spade at – a good thing, if waits last year were anything to go by – deckchairs, beach huts, ping pong, rooftop gardens and more. Opens this Friday 17th July to 23rd August. Free entry. Chalk Farm Road NW1


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The award-winning print and online title Kentishtowner was founded in 2010 and is part of London Belongs To Me, a citywide network of travel guides for locals. For more info on what we write about and why, see our About section.