Head To:
Columbia Road Christmas Wednesdays
Columbia Rd, London E2 7RG
Dates: 29th November, 6th, 13th & 20th December 2023
If you want to feel as though you’ve stepped into a Christmas film yourself, there’s no better place to be than Columbia Road on the Wednesdays that lead up to the big day itself. Not only are the shops open until 8pm on these Wednesdays (which makes them a great choice for those looking to do a little last minute shopping from independent retailers) but the street becomes one big Christmas carol sing-along. The choir from St Peter’s Church in Bethnal Green lead the charge, but everyone gets involved (especially after a mulled wine or two). This is what Christmas in London is all about!
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Go For:
Cheese Toasties and Wine at Sager + Wilde Wine Bar
193 Hackney Rd, London E2 8JL
Columbia Road itself is awash with lovely dining spots, but they’ll be awfully hard to bag a table at during Columbia Road Christmas Wednesdays. Instead, we recommend heading out to Hackney Road where you’ll find the cosy little wine bar that is Sager + Wilde. Here, you’ll find cosy candlelit interiors, and staff who know their wine well but will never make you feel intimidated. Let them know what you like and they’ll be able to recommend a tipple or two, all of which should be enjoyed over their warming cheese toasties.
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Drink In:
254 Hackney Road, London, E2 7SJ
The Marksman is a pub of two halves: upstairs, you’ll find food so fancy that it feels almost fine dining, whereas downstairs is a truly reliable east London boozer. It’s the downstairs that you’ll want after an hour or two singing carols in the cold. You’ll find enough alcohol to warm even the chilliest of bones, and a laidback environment where you won’t feel silly in your many woollen layers.
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