wrapping up 2025

Written By Emma Brown

It’s finally the festive season. Christmas is imminent, a new year is coming, which obviously means 2025 is ending. 2025 was great for me; I hope it was great for you, too. It was a strange, ever-moving, never-boring year. And to wrap up 2025, I thought I'd put together a list of my favourites from this year. From new favourite eats to wardrobe and makeup staples to places I’ve been to, and favourite moments.

Restaurants I’m still dreaming of:

  • Kurisu Omakase, Brixton

  • Mei Ume, Bank

  • Agora, Borough Market

  • Oma, Borough Market

  • Imad’s Syrian Kitchen, Soho

  • Rogue’s. , Hackney

  • The Old Nun’s Head, Peckham (specifically for their Sunday Roast)

  • Padella, Borough Market

  • Upstairs, Clapham

  • Breadstall, Soho (I swear, the best pizza in London)

  • Le Chai, Saint-Tropez (everything is amazing here)

  • Dulse, Edinburgh

  • Kanpai Sushi, Edinburgh

Bars & clubs that were so fun, I remember being there:

  • The Italians, Marylebone

  • The Thin White Duke, Soho (for their dim sum & Mandalay and Queen Bitch cocktails)

  • Nine Lives, Borough Market (when my friend and I went here, we had the best bartender who kept inventing cocktails depending on what we liked)

  • NT's Loft, Hackney

  • Hootananny, Brixton

  • The White Horse, Richmond

  • Soma, Soho (I’ve never had so many of the same cocktail over and over again (coconut))

  • Suzio at Colour Factory, Hackney (insane…. in the best way)

  • Eastcheap Records, Bank

  • The Lexington, Angel

  • Bunga 90, Covent Garden

  • Pablo, Saint-Tropez

  • Les Palmiers, Saint-Tropez (favourite beach club of the summer)

Mouth-Watering cafes & bakeries:

  • Utter Waffle, Herne Hill

  • Drury 188-189, Covent Garden

  • Aries Bakehouse, Brixton

  • Jenki, Borough Market

  • Superette, Hampstead

  • Jefferson’s, Balham

  • The Sicilian Delicatessen, Herne Hill

Wardrobe staples I can’t stop wearing:

  • Brown boho bag from Abercrombie & Fitch (I feel like Serena Van der Woodsen)

  • Wedge sneakers from Nokwol

  • The Serein Dress in mist from Of Planet Earth (the most flattering dress I’ve ever owned)

  • Uniform 3/4 sleeve top from Smooch

  • Red ‘Betty Boop’ jumper from Urban Outfitters

  • Brown kitten-heel knee-high boots from Charles & Keith

Beauty items I won’t hesitate to repurchase:

  • Le Roche-Posay Effaclar gel cleanser

  • Mario Badescu drying lotion

  • CeraVe facial moisturising lotion

  • Soho Skin liquid exfoliant

  • Soho Skin detox face mask

  • Benefit blush in ‘Willa’

  • Rimmel lip liner in ‘Cappuccino’

Books I’ve read, I wish I could read again for the first time:

  • Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin

  • If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin

  • The Wedding People by Alison Espach

  • Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski

  • My Brilliant Friend series by Elena Ferrante

  • Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali

Things I’ve done that I will happily do/go to again:

  • Vincent Van Gogh exhibition at The National Gallery

  • Salad Days small business market

  • Bread Ahead baking class

  • Rooftop Film Club

  • Taste of London at The Regent’s Park

  • Cartier Exhibition at The V&A

  • Wicked & Wicked: For Good marathon at the Everyman Cinema

  • The Nutcracker Ballet at the London Coliseum

  • Lola Consuelos concert & launch party for “Sorry, it’s all about me” at The Lower Third

Holiday Highlights:

  • Edinburgh & afternoon tea at Gleneagles

  • visiting my best friend & having pizza in Naples

  • pasta cooking class & wine tasting in Puglia

  • day trip to Matera

I hope you’ve enjoyed this catalogue of my favourite things I tried for the first time this year and hope you try or visit some of them too!!

<33

Emma Brown
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