Beam opens in Notting Hill

Run by a mother-and-son team, Beam began as a neighbourhood hangout in Crouch End before opening a second site in Highbury. Beam has now headed west, with the unveiling of a gleaming new outpost on Notting Hill’s Westbourne Grove. The cafe packs out most mornings thanks to its Middle Eastern breakfast and brunch offering, including Turkish eggs with garlic yoghurt and a kick of spice; stacks of gluten-free buttermilk pancakes and a generous vegan spread of mushrooms, bean salsa, dukkah and crushed avocado. Served amongst mid-century furnishings and towering plants, the all-day menu is accompanied by punchy cocktails and a very warm welcome.

Opening hours: 8am-6.30pmWhere: 103 Westbourne Grove, Bayswater, London W2 4UWWebsite: cafebeam.co.uk

Saatchi Gallery Reopens in Chelsea

The Saatchi Gallery has reopened in Chelsea with a new London Grads Now exhibition, showcasing work by 150 graduate students from London’s fine art schools, including Central Saint Martins, Slade School of Art and Camberwell College of Arts, among others. Following the cancellation of graduation shows across London due to COVID-19 restrictions, the exhibition brings together the capital’s finest emerging creative talent in a serene, socially distanced environment.

Price: £3 entry When: until 25 September 2020Opening hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-6pmWhere: Duke of York Square, King’s Road, Chelsea, London SW3 4RYWebsite: saatchigallery.com

Gaucho & M Polo Day, Friday

This Friday, the Ham Polo Club in Richmond, London’s only surviving polo club, is hosting an afternoon of horses, bonhomie and Pommery Champagne, in partnership with Gaucho restaurants. A Champagne reception will be followed by a three-course Argentinian meal at the riverside Gaucho Richmond restaurant. Guests will then watch the Gaucho versus M Polo match unfold from the Clubhouse Enclosure before finishing the afternoon with a summer barbecue.

Price: £95 per personTime: from 1pmWhere: Gaucho Richmond, Riverside, The Towpath Richmond, Richmond TW10 6UJWebsite: gauchorestaurants.com

Regent Park’s Open Air Theatre

Open Air Theatre has returned to Regents Park for a six-week run of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar, as well as outdoor comedy nights, including Jimmy Carr and Russell Brand. Capacity has been downsized from 1,256 guests to just 390 seats in order to adhere to social distancing guidelines, making it a very intimate experience. The nearby 108 Brasserie at The Marylebone hotel has also reopened, serving a pre-theatre menu spanning bountiful salads and crispy tempura prawns, as well as sizzling steaks, salmon and whole Dover sole – flamed to perfection on the Josper grill.

Price: from £25 per person Location: Regents Park, NW1 4NUWebsite: openairtheatre.com

Wimbledon BookFest, all weekend

David Nicholls, Jessie Burton, Pandora Sykes, Andy Hamilton and Ruby Wax top this year’s line-up of literary talent at Wimbledon BookFest, taking place over four days on leafy Wimbledon Common. Although scaled-down in comparison to previous years, the IRL festival feels particularly special following a summer of virtual events.

Price: from £25 per person When: 11-14 September 2020Location: Website: wimbledonbookfest.org

Read more: where to dine out in London this September