Abigail's Party, The Art of Dining

If you're looking for unique places to eat in London, get excited for the latest pop up event London has on offer this month. The award-winning The Art of Dining pop up restaurant and dining collective are back, bringing 70s style and the homespun charm of the films of Mike Leigh to the Rose Lipman Building, the iconic 60s former library space in Haggerston. They're redefining retro: even the great restaurants in London don't have this kind of adventurous detail.
After their latest series of events, hosted at National Trust properties around Greater London, the Art of Dining team have returned to the city and to the capable hands of set designer Alice Hodge, who is tasked with recreating the 70s 'kitchen sink realism' of the Mike Leigh play, Abigail's Party. Stretch out on garish sofas, sink your feet into shag-pile rugs and gaze into the lava lamp, while your hosts fix you a cocktail from the cabinet.
For £55, you wouldn't expect prawn cocktails, fondues and cheese-and-pineapple on a cocktail stick, but in the hands of Moro-trained chef Ellen Parr, these humble classics will be turned on their head – you'll find subtle Thai influences and Middle Eastern twists incorporated throughout every course. And with The Art of Dining, the experience is never just about the food: in the playful style of director Mike Leigh at his best you can expect suitably awkward moments, homely hosting and plenty of surprises that only a strong gin and tonic will see you through.
For the price of a ticket you'll be treated to five adventurous courses and a suitably seventies cocktail on arrival. Dressing for the era is advised, so dig out those flares and that Dralon dress, and get ready for a pop-up dining experience that's a far cry from the rest – opening night is already sold out: the rest will likely go the same way, so don't delay.