Between the Wicked Winter and Brat Summer, it’s safe to say we’ve had a green old time this year – and while 360 has been in our earphones we’ve also been out and about doing things, eating things, watching things. Here are some of the Secret London team’s very favourite things about 2024.
Favourite restaurant
It’s tough to pick just one, but Half Cut Market, Goodbye Horses, and Bistro Freddie have all left unforgettable impressions on me. Each is brilliant in its own unique way, and I find myself thinking about them almost daily. I’ll definitely be returning to all three in 2025! (Fleur Bailey)
I loved loved loved Club Mexicana in Brixton Market. Oh and 2024 was the year I got to eat at Nobu – she’s going up in the world, people. (Katie Forge)
INCA London. Usually, restaurants with shows do either one or the other brilliantly; INCA nails the food *and* the entertainment. I felt truly transported to South America, and I could have stayed all night long. Shout out to the wonderful service too. (Tamsin Salfrais)
JUNO at Los Mochis – seating just six people at a time, legendary head chef Leo serves up an incredible 15 course omakase. Every bite was immaculate. One of the best dining experiences of my life. (Jessica Dawson)
Toss up between Akara and Ixta Belfrage’s residency at The Standard – I really enjoyed Akara, the taste profile is literally my whole personality and everything is soooo delicious. And I’m the biggest fan of Ixta, her menu is incredible and it was so amazing to try it in person. Special mentions to the monkfish burger and prawn habanero lasagne!!! (Vaishnavi Pandey)
Some of the very best food I ate this year was at a food residency in a taproom on the Bermondsey beer mile: Yagi Izakaya at Kernel Spa Road serves up such unexpectedly delicious food that I returned multiple times in one week, and at least fortnightly since. (Sam Barker)
Stem + Stem opened in November 2023, but I’m counting it since 2024 will be its first full year. This place is a wine bar, a restaurant and a florist – and it does all three of those brilliantly. I swoon over it rather embarrassingly in my review of it here. (Georgie Mortimer)
Raffles Singapore Laksa at Rasa Sayang. Theres a reason this always has a queue. (Jack Saddler)
Lui Xiaomian – Chinese noodles under a pub (Phoebe Anderson)
Zazza – Korean Chinese restaurant in the back of a mini-mart It’s like entering a family’s living room with brilliant home cooked food to accompany. (Tom Forte)
Although more of a café/brunch spot, I adore going for breakfast at Urban Social in Islington; their Shakshuka is what dreams are made of. When it comes to dinner, it’s got to be MAMBOW in Hackney for some delicious Malaysian delicacies. (Jack Rattenbury)
Tofu Vegan (not new this year… but always so good). (Tash Snaith)
BKC (move over Dishoom) or Daddy Bao. (Georgie Stone)
Things we ate/drank
Beside the food at Yagi Izakaya, my favourite thing I ate this year was the Vacherousse d’Argental cheese from my new fave wine bar, Lechevalier – it’s like clotted cream meets cheesecake meets ever so slightly funky brie, and I became immediately obsessed / the One Sip Martini at Tayer + Elementary is absolute martini perfection, and somehow not overwhelming despite a blue-cheese stuffed olive. (Sam Barker)
Tacos from Guacamoles in Peckham – literally the best tacos I’ve had in my whole life and I wish I could gatekeep it but I won’t so here we are and all of the dishes from the Summer Omakase menu at Apothecary East (rip), it’s the tastiest most flavoursome bloody thing ever. Honorary drink mentions are the cucumber margarita at The Laundry and the watermelon marg at Jumbi – in my tequila era for real. (Vaishnavi Pandey)
The Tonna & Cipollo from Fatto a Mano, which I reluctantly ordered after the waitress told me tuna on a pizza was actually nice, I promise (I will literally do anything you tell me to do to avoid hurting your feelings, it’s pathetic). But it was nice – and I’ve not stopped thinking about it ever since. Honourable munchen (IYKYK) to the chocolate mousse with olive oil and sea salt from Coal Office that kick-started my chocolate mousse with olive oil and sea salt obsession. (Georgie Mortimer)
I’ve whittled it down to three – sorry! I loved everything I ate at Mediterranean Grill by Assembly, Harrods Food Hall (including the best hummus of my life); the rock shrimp tempura at Pirana Mayfair was light, flavoursome, and delicious; and of course, our Secret London x SushiDog roll was incredible, because, well, we made it! Also, I got to be a hand model… success tastes great. (Tamsin Salfrais)
Oysters and natty wine at Sargasso in Margate on a rainy February day – I know, it sounds pretentious, and honestly, it was. But I loved every second of it. Sue me! (Fleur Bailey)
Can I say 2 things? 1) The savoury choice is: Detroit pizza. A deep dish pizza with a mysterious ‘detroit cheese blend’, pepperoni, jalapeños and honey. 2) Sweet: the banana bread cinnamon roll from buns from home. (Tash Snaith)
Much like Tash, the creations over at Detroit Pizza had me in a chokehold. Don’t sleep on the deep-fried lasagne on top of the pizzas. (Jack Saddler)
An eel sandwich at Quo Vadis – don’t knock it until you try it – and any cocktail from Oriole… they are next level. (Jessica Dawson)
The Caesar Salad at Mildred’s is actually unreal. How very adult-y of me to put a salad as the best thing I ate. New year, new me, I guess… (Katie Forge)
Since we’re already here, I can’t stop thinking about the Gulai Nangka at MAMBOW, which is a drool-worthy jackfruit curry. My plant-based partner got it during round one, and I loved it so much that we needed to return for my very own plate. (Jack Rattenbury)
An eel sandwich at Quo Vadis – don’t knock it until you try it – and any cocktail from Oriole… they are next level. (Jessica Dawson)
DRINK: Basilico cocktail at Bar Lina. EAT: tomato salad at the Counter. (Phoebe Anderson)
Kimchi + Corn Fritters at Daddy Bao <3 Not ashamed to admit I ordered these three times in one visit. (Georgie Stone)
The lamb chops from the Tamil Prince – big wow. (Tom Forte)
Best event of 2024
Seeing Justice and Confidence Man be the best acts at Glastonbury, and the spine-chilling, celebratory three-hour live set by Bruce Springsteen by Bruce Springsteen is a moment that will stay with me forever. (Jack Saddler)
Justice headlining Field Day. Truly a biblical experience, those lights were so pwetty. (Jessica Dawson)
Sorry London, I truly love ya – but my favourite event (yet again) was the Edinburgh Fringe. But if we’re talking London-based events: the silent disco at the Natural History Museum was a total slay. As was the Era’s Tour. As was my am-dram production of Legally Blonde, if I do say so myself. (Katie Forge)
A Live to Vinyl recording of Ezra Collective at Metropolis Studio – they wrote 5 original tunes for an intimate performance and it was magical. Borderline on Amazon – brilliant writing and acting. (Tom Forte)
Glastonbury, as always, was unbeatable. Oh, and a special mention to the Hackney Half – don’t mention it much 👀 but that was a BLOOMING great day. (Fleur Bailey)
I finally saw Cabaret this year with one of my favourite artists, Self Esteem, playing Sally Bowles. She was incredible, and the production was so beautifully immersive that it brought me to tears several times. In other words, I sobbed throughout. I also saw Imelda Staunton in Hello Dolly, and I will never forget it – fantastic show! (Jack Rattenbury)
The Eras Tour, London Night Eight – I will never recover from witnessing Florence Welch + Taylor Swift singing Florida!!! together. (Georgie Stone)
Can I be cheeky and say the launch of the Secret London x SushiDog roll, in Seven Dials? It was a lot of fun interviewing the crowds, seeing people’s reactions to the roll, and witnessing months of work become a physical, sellable product. (Tamsin Salfrais)
Two of my best friends got married this year (separately not to each other), both with wonderfully fun and unique ceremonies/celebrations. (Sam Barker)
My brother’s wedding in India earlier this year and seeing Raye at The O2 with a 72 piece orchestra – the most incredible voice live. (Vaishnavi Pandey)
Josh Glanc’s Fringe show Family Man. Silliest hour of the year. (Tash Snaith)
Brits after partyyyyyyyyy. (Phoebe Anderson)
Best new opening was easy: Poetry Pharmacy. Fighting emotional maladies with words, this lovely little store above Lush on Oxford Street is the perfect respite from the madness below. There’s everything from ’emergency anthologies’, to literal ‘chill pills’ filled with poetic verses to help you slow down and catch your breath. Oh and there’s coffee and cake, too. (Georgie Mortimer)
Albums of the year
[No prizes for guessing which album came up again and again…]
BRAT by Charli XCX was at the top of my Spotify Wrapped this year. My soul will be forever crushed by the fact that I was not at the Brat Tour. However, I have seen her a couple of times already, and this undeniable shame made me purchase tickets to Primavera Sound, which she’ll be headlining with Troye Sivan(!!!). (Jack Rattenbury)
Brat and It’s Completely Different but Also Still Brat. Classic c**tyness which we ALL need a taste of from time to time. (Jessica Dawson)
BRAT x. (Georgie Stone)
Dark Times by Vince Staples and BRAT by Charli – it would simply be rude not to mention it. (Vaishnavi Pandey)
If you want to dance then it’s 3AM (La La La) by Confidence Man fighting against BRAT for the top spot, but MJ Lenderman’s Manning Fireworks takes the prize on my list. (Jack Saddler)
I keep hyper-fixating on albums for two weeks at a time, currently obsessed with The Marías’ latest album Submarine. I’m all about the heartbreak albums this year ✌️💔 (Sam Barker)
Prelude to Ecstacy by The Last Dinner Party has pretty much dominated by Spotify for 2024. After seeing them live at Leeds Fest I became obsessed. with. them. The band just exudes cool girl. Clashing guitars, cool girl energy and random orchestral interludes? What more could you ask for. (Laura Ellis)
Despite my Spotify Wrapped trying to gaslight me into thinking it was Kidz Bop (don’t ask), my favourite album was – of course – Short n’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter. (Katie Forge)
When I was training for *cough* the Hackney Half *cough* my music listening habits were rogue but the one album that I have listened to the most this year was defo When Will We Land? by Barry Can’t Swim, technically released last year but sod it. (Fleur Bailey)
Man With No Door by Kes. Feel-good Soca tunes that make me feel like it’s Carnival every day. (Tamsin Salfrais)
I love you so F**king much by Glass Animals. (Phoebe Anderson)
Tied between Ten Days by Fred Again.. and True Magic by salute (Tom Forte)
Overdressed by Cat Cohen . (Tash Snaith)
Songs of the year
Girl, So Confusing by Charli XCX + Lorde. (Georgie Stone)
Von Dutch (according to Spotify wrapped). (Tash Snaith)
I rinsed No Heart by Kwollem and Does It Make You Feel Good by Confidence Man this year. (Vaishnavi Pandey)
I’ve listened to Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call by Bleachers on repeat so much this past month that I’m already concerned about next year’s Spotify Wrapped… (Sam Barker)
Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me and (the YMCA of our generation) Hot to Go. I can’t and won’t choose, sorry x (Katie Forge)
If U Need It – Sammy Virji (Tom Forte)
Bittersuite by Billie Eilish. (Phoebe Anderson)
People Watching by Sam Fender, actually released this year – I love him and can’t wait for his new album next year. (Fleur Bailey)
Favourite by Fontaines D.C. Predictable I know but can you get it out of your head? No. Me either. (Laura Ellis)
Messy by Lola Young (Jessica Dawson)
Messy by Lola Young, on repeat. (Georgie Mortimer)
Big Man by Self Esteem and Moonchild Sanelly. The Bimini remix is also fire. (Jack Rattenbury)
Favourite by Fontaines D.C. Predictable I know but can you get it out of your head? No. Me either. (Laura Ellis)
Cocoa Tea by Kes. Comforting, happy, and again, makes me feel like I’m on holiday in winter. (Tamsin Salfrais)
Filling this out last and stunned that no one has picked Espresso or Good Luck, Babe. Anyway, if it’s all-the-bangers we’re after, then it’s tough to look past Starburster by Fontaines D.C, Apple by Charli XCX, and Better Way To Live by Kneecap. Five songs for the price of one because I can’t choose, and if you ask me tomorrow, they’ll be different. (Jack Saddler)
Films of the year
As an all-singing, all-dancing, ever-so-irritating, drama school grad; there’s only one acceptable answer for this question: Gladiator II. Joking – Wicked, obviously. (Katie Forge)
My Old Ass on Amazon Prime. This film is absolutely beautiful: both in the way it has been shot, but also in its sentiment. There are a few bonkers bits, which is to be expected when the synopsis is: 18-year-old comes face-to-face with her 39-year-old self during a mushroom trip. But believe me, this is a film about love and family and all the joy and heartache that comes with it. (Georgie Mortimer)
Wicked, obvz. Other faves include All Of Us Strangers, Challengers, and Layla. The director of the latter (Layla) is local London legend Amrou Al-Kadhi, who also has an incredible book that I highly recommend called Life As A Unicorn: A Journey from Shame to Pride and Everything in Between. (Jack Rattenbury)
I want to say Wicked, but isn’t that everyone’s favourite new film? So instead, I’m gonna put you onto the National Geographic’s Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story – a beautiful tale of a grieving man who befriends an otter. In a similar vein to My Octopus Teacher, the heartfelt documentary follows Billy and Molly as their connection grows, bringing joy and tears by the bucketload. If you want to feel something this Twixmas, this is the one. (Laura Ellis)
It’s a toss-up between The Substance and All of Us Strangers (which admittedly came out in 2023) – one thrilled me, and one destroyed me. My two states of being this year. (Sam Barker)
It had a UK release date at the start of this year, so I’m having The Holdovers as my film of the year. Gut-wrenching, heart-aching and a beautiful throwback of a movie that grapples with death, broken families, and confidence. (Jack Saddler)
I have the attention span of a teaspoon and usually struggle to watch anything without reading the plot first, but I managed to watch Hit Man on Netflix all the way through! (Fleur Bailey)
I’m probably saying this as I only just watched it this weekend past; I really enjoyed Netflix’s Carry On. Christmas, action, a bit of romance (kinda). (Tamsin Salfrais)
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (Beetlejuice), but Poor Things is a close second. (Georgie Stone)
Kung Fu Panda 4 – I’m not very good at going to the cinema… (Tash Snaith)
Joker 2 (and anyone who thinks it was shit didn’t watch it hard enough). (Phoebe Anderson)
All We Imagine As Light, Anora and Challengers of course. (Vaishnavi Pandey)
Too ADHD to watch films ffs. (Jessica Dawson)
Poor Things. (Tom Forte)
Books of the year
What I’d Rather Not Think About by Jente Posthuma broke my heart into tiny little pieces and made me cry in the pub. I pretended I’d spilled some beer into my eye in case anyone was looking. (Sam Barker)
I read Evenings and Weekends by Oisín McKenna in a matter of days. Set in London, it’s beautifully written, with a depth that really pulls you in. Highly recommend. (Fleur Bailey)
The Wake Up Call by Beth O’Leary. I’m a sucker for a millennial rom-com so Beth O’Leary became a fast favourite of mine a few years ago. Now, I buy her books quicker than a 70-year old hot on Danielle Steel. The Wake Up Call is a super easy rom-com following two hotel receptionists – who just so happen to be arch-enemies – as they try to save the hotel they work for from closure. I needn’t tell you what happens next. Let’s just say, it’s predictable escapism at its finest. (Laura Ellis)
It was a slow year for me when it came to reading new books, but Four Stars: A Life Reviewed by Joel Golby was a hilarious account of the bizarre thoughts that many of us have articulated by way of a series of reviews that will have you spitting out your coffee with laughter and tearing up within the space of a few sentences.
My New Year’s resolution is always to read more, and I always disappoint myself. I did enjoy Sally Rooney’s Intermezzo, and I read a couple of the original Oz books to get me hyped for Wicked, which are an absolute trip if I’m being completely honest with you. (Jack Rattenbury)
Reading Jacqueline Wilson’s first adult novel, Think Again, released decades after her childhood books I so thoroughly enjoyed in the early 00s was so nostalgic, and made my heart warm. (Tamsin Salfrais)
Neither are new in 2024, but fiction-wise Rouge by Mona Awad and non-fiction-wise Strong Female Character by Fern Brady. (Georgie Stone)
Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood – it was a cosy blanket and a cup of tea in book form and I loved it. (Katie Forge)
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara – it ruined me. (Vaishnavi Pandey)
City of Girls (not new this year). (Tash Snaith)
Too ADHD to read books ffs. (Jessica Dawson)
I don’t read (no where near new but Island home – Tim Winton). (Phoebe Anderson)
Talk to Strangers by Matt Dahloa – from the guys who created Yes Theory. (Tom Forte)
TV Series of the year
My two personalities are scrapping to the death between Ripley and Nobody Wants This. Wildly different, but variety is the spice of life, right? Andrew Scott in Ripley was beyond captivating, paired with the drama of the black and white and the stunning cinematography, I was literally glued to the edge of my seat. A must watch for fans of the original film starring Matt Damon. On the complete flipside, Nobody Wants This literally set my heart on fire with the ‘forbidden’ romance between Kristen Bell and Adam Brody’s characters. Also absolute WIN for bringing Adam Brody back into the heartthrob mix. The best rom-com created in the past decade if you ask me. (Laura Ellis)
I’m late to the party on this one (as per) but 2024 was the year I started watching This Is Us – and it’s singlehandedly been responsible for approximately 95% of the times I cried this year. I know it’s not new but it’s pretty much the only thing I watched apart from a whole load of reality TV, and I just refuse to put Big Brother again, okay? (Katie Forge)
Baby Reindeer – groundbreaking to see such a raw, candid portrayal of some seriously fucked up situations. I fucking loved KAOS too. (Jessica Dawson)
I mostly watched movies this year, or re-watched Scrubs, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Andor. Turns out my least favourite thing about Star Wars is the jedis. (Is the plural of jedi jedis, or jedi? Jedii?). (Sam Barker)
Any year a new season of The Bear comes out, it will take the top spot. But for the sake of variety after picking it last year, season three of Industry also lived up to expectations with some jaw-dropping TV. (Jack Saddler)
Ludwig is a hilarious BBC comedy drama starring David Mitchell as an ‘accidental’ detective. It’s a little bit silly, a little bit serious, and a lot bit good. (Georgie Mortimer)
Beyond some brain-rotting with the Real Housewives (I love Salt Lake City and Beverly Hills if you’re curious), this year I loved Kaos on Netflix with Jeff Goldblum – he was incredible as Zeus and I’m devastated it’s been cancelled after only one season. (Jack Rattenbury)
I haven’t really sunk my teeth into any full series this year; however, Sweet Bobby on Netflix, which had three or four eps, had me on the edge of my seat. (Tamsin Salfrais)
I binge-watched Ludwig whilst I was poorly and I genuinely think it helped me get better. (Fleur Bailey)
Shōgun, wow wow wow!! (Vaishnavi Pandey)
I only discovered Yellowjackets this year, but no other show compares in my eyes. (Georgie Stone)
Nobody Wants This (Phoebe Anderson)
Borderline on Amazon – brilliant writing and acting. (Tom Forte)
Colin From Accounts. (Tash Snaith)
What you’re looking forward to in 2o25
Chasing more tubes with Katie and Tom. (Fleur Bailey)
Just continuing to spend my money on silly things and have a lovely time whilst doing so, really. Oh, and Wicked Part 2, of course. (Katie Forge)
Maccabees returning to headline All Points East. I didn’t think the day would ever come, so you best believe I will be there screaming, crying and probably buying merch. (Georgie Mortimer)
Seeing Turnstile and Superheaven at Outbreak Festival’s London debut in Victoria Park. And Arsenal winning the Champion’s League Obviously. (Jack Saddler)
Making a concerted effort to check out more museum exhibitions – I let too many pass me by this year, like a FOOL! (Sam Barker)
Discovering more of London’s family-friendly activities and venues, as our family grows. (Tamsin Salfrais)
As well as seeing Charli XCX at Primavera Sound in Barcelona, the week prior I’m seeing Ke$ha headline Mighty Hoopla here in London. Better get the Berocca and Gaviscon at the ready. (Jack Rattenbury)
Primavera Sound 2025. watching some of the world’s biggest pop icons over the space of a weekend in a crowd full of the gals and the gays? Dreamy. (Jessica Dawson)
Primaveraaaaaaa!!!! (Georgie Stone)
It’s between Bridget Jones 4 release, Saturday lineup of Primavera and Josh Widdicome’s tour (I heart Josh). (Tash Snaith)
[Seems like a few people got Primavera tickets, then!]
I’m manifesting Mongolia. Failing that, I can’t WAIT for Christmas 2025! (Phoebe Anderson)
Better weather, longer days and more music! (Tom Forte)
More art, more food, more music and good health please and thank you. (Vaishnavi Pandey)
Amen, amen, amen! See you all next year for our 2025 picks.