Berkshire


<p>If you weren’t in the know, well, you are now, sister. The glossy <a href="https://waterside-quarter.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Waterside Quarter</a> development has transformed Maidenhead’s once-forgotten waterways into a seriously stylish destination to eat, drink, and flutter. Think riverside restaurants with sparkling views, indie cafés serving pastries the size of your head, buzzy bars, and a thriving calendar of under-the-radar events. We’re talking DJ nights, boozy painting, cookery courses, book clubs and foodie deals that locals are trying <em>very</em> hard to keep on the low-low.</p>



<p>Add in a crowd of young professionals, families and weekend wanderers, plus Maidenhead’s nippy Elizabeth Line connection to London, and suddenly this Berkshire hotspot is looking pretty cool indeed. Here are the Waterside Quarter events to get firmly on your radar.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="2250" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/maidenhead-waterside-quarter-57_Coppa-Club.jpg" alt="waterside quarter things to do maidenhead" class="wp-image-84287" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/maidenhead-waterside-quarter-57_Coppa-Club.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/maidenhead-waterside-quarter-57_Coppa-Club-533x800.jpg 533w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/maidenhead-waterside-quarter-57_Coppa-Club-667x1000.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/maidenhead-waterside-quarter-57_Coppa-Club-267x400.jpg 267w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/maidenhead-waterside-quarter-57_Coppa-Club-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/maidenhead-waterside-quarter-57_Coppa-Club-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/maidenhead-waterside-quarter-57_Coppa-Club-1365x2048.jpg 1365w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dance-the-night-away">Dance the night away</h2>



<p>No need to climb aboard a Boeing 737 to Ibiza. When golden hour hits, live music and banging DJ sets are how it&#8217;s done around these parts. Start at <a href="https://waterside-quarter.co.uk/Events/live-music-at-bombay-story/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bombay Story</a> &#8211; the quarter&#8217;s resident modern Indian restaurant (the food here is brilliant) &#8211; who bring the holiday vibes to their canal-side eatery one Friday night a month. Whether it&#8217;s an acoustic set or DJs giving Calvin Harris a run for his money, evenings are relaxed, lively, and cocktails divine. Don&#8217;t have to ask us twice. If not, a few steps away, <a href="https://waterside-quarter.co.uk/Events/resident-dj-nights-at-coppa-club/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coppa Club</a> also spin a set with resident DJ Joe Robinson every last Friday of the month (8pm &#8211; 11.30pm). <a href="https://waterside-quarter.co.uk/Events/a-night-with-the-gypsey-kings-singer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gypsy Kings</a> singer Pedro pulls up to town at El Cerdo Tapas Bar on the first Friday of every month from 7pm or there&#8217;s the Paella Nights with Live Latin Music every Thursday. Arriba!</p>



<p>And if there’s one date to get firmly inked into your summer diary, it’s <a href="https://waterside-quarter.co.uk/Events/live-and-local-summer-sounds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Live and Local: Summer Sounds</a> landing <strong>Sat 22 August</strong>. In partnership with Maidenhead Festival, the riverside music event is returning bigger, louder and sunnier (praying!) than last year, with the road outside the quarter being closed off to make way for an even bigger stage and more room for the crowds. Expect an afternoon of laid-back acoustic sets from a diverse range of talented local musicians. Bardo Lounge’s&nbsp;pop-up outdoor bar will be serving cold ones, grab an ice cream from Cocoba Café, plus there&#8217;s a free craft station for little ones too.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sip-and-paint">Sip and paint</h2>



<p>Midweek slump? Cocoba Chocolate Cafe has the cure. For anyone craving a wholesome night out that doesn’t involve shouting over sticky dancefloors, the <a href="https://waterside-quarter.co.uk/Events/sip-and-paint-at-cocoba/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sip and Paint</a> nights are a bit of a hidden gem. Every other Thursday (6pm &#8211; 8pm), artist Katie Mayes hosts relaxed painting evenings complete with all the materials needed and a lineup of delicious drinks, perfect for mate and date night, or just a spot of solo creativity. Unleash your inner Picasso and create something legendary. And if you haven&#8217;t picked up a paintbrush since school (slowly puts hand up), don&#8217;t worry, no one&#8217;s judging. Tickets are £28pp.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1250" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/01/el-cerdo-jan.jpg" alt="el cerdo tapas waterside quarter whats on in maidenhead cookery courses maidenhead" class="wp-image-85695" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/01/el-cerdo-jan.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/01/el-cerdo-jan-640x800.jpg 640w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/01/el-cerdo-jan-800x1000.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/01/el-cerdo-jan-320x400.jpg 320w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/01/el-cerdo-jan-768x960.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eat-some-cracking-food">Eat some cracking food</h2>



<p>Food, glorious food. Where to even start! Maidenhead&#8217;s Waterside Quarter is home to nine stunning eateries to stuff yourself silly (see the full list <a href="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/maidenhead-quarter-restaurants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>). Us? We&#8217;re eyeing up the <a href="https://waterside-quarter.co.uk/Events/bottomless-brunch-from-bombay-story/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bottomless brunch</a> at Bombay Story every Tue &#8211; Sun (12pm &#8211; 5pm) &#8211; a banquet of bold street food flavours inspired by the bustling markets of India, plus a <em>very</em> generous two hours of free-flowing drinks. Our recommendation is the Whispering Angel Bottomless Brunch. For obvious reasons. Taxiiiii!</p>



<p>What you might not know is you can often cop yourself a whopping deal too. Some of the best foodie offers include grabbing some seriously divine tapas at Muddy Award-winning <a href="https://waterside-quarter.co.uk/Events/2-plates-for-12-95-at-el-cerdo/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">El Cerdo</a> at varying times Mon &#8211; Fri for an absolute steal. We&#8217;re talking two plates for £12.95 or three for £17.95. Back at <a href="https://waterside-quarter.co.uk/Events/bombay-storys-new-spring-menu-has-arrived/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bombay Story</a>, get a criminally decent two courses for £20.50 or 20% off all food on weekdays from their À La Carte menu. Then finally, Bardo Lounge have it all going on. There&#8217;s Tapas Tuesdays, daily cocktail offers, lunchtime deals and Cheeky Mondays to contend with &#8211; all saving a pretty penny. Shhh, keep it between us though, yeah?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hop-on-a-cookery-course">Hop on a cookery course</h2>



<p>If you&#8217;re a little more kitchen calamity than kitchen queen, brush up on your culinary prowess at one of Bombay Story&#8217;s brilliant cookery courses that run regularly throughout the year in Maidenhead. There are options for both children (aged 4+) and adults where you can master the art of authentic Indian cuisine with guidance from the talented in-house chefs. It goes without saying you&#8217;ll be able to taste the fruits of your labour at the end. Keep your eyes firmly locked <a href="https://waterside-quarter.co.uk/Locations/bombay-story/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a> for any upcoming dates, priced at a very reasonable £60 per adult.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="2250" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/maidenhead-waterside-quarter-56_Coppa-Club.jpg" alt="coppa club maidenhead live music maidenhead" class="wp-image-84286" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/maidenhead-waterside-quarter-56_Coppa-Club.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/maidenhead-waterside-quarter-56_Coppa-Club-533x800.jpg 533w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/maidenhead-waterside-quarter-56_Coppa-Club-667x1000.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/maidenhead-waterside-quarter-56_Coppa-Club-267x400.jpg 267w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/maidenhead-waterside-quarter-56_Coppa-Club-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/maidenhead-waterside-quarter-56_Coppa-Club-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/maidenhead-waterside-quarter-56_Coppa-Club-1365x2048.jpg 1365w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-join-a-book-club">Join a book club</h2>



<p>Thanks to celeb book clubs from the likes of Dua Lipa, Dakota Johnson, and Laufey, reading has become the cool girl status symbol in 2026. So, if you fancy yourself a bit of a bookworm, you&#8217;ll definitely want these on your radar. Start with <a href="https://waterside-quarter.co.uk/Events/chapter-25-book-club-at-bardo-lounge/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chapter 25 Book Club</a> who meet at Bardo Lounge every second Wednesday of the month. It&#8217;s a membership-based club who run regular virtual events, quizzes, and author Q&amp;As, and is a fantastic way to step outside your comfort zone with exciting new, hand-selected reads. Expect a proper wholesome, community feel. It&#8217;s a very popular night around these parts.</p>



<p>Love reading but break out into hives when being told exactly what to, well, read? <a href="https://waterside-quarter.co.uk/Events/silent-book-club-at-cocoba/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Silent Book Club at Cocoba</a> might be your jam &#8211; a relaxed gathering where no book is set as mandatory. Simply BYOB (bring your own book) and enjoy a full hour of distraction-free reading in like-minded company. After the hour, you&#8217;ll be free to natter with your fellow booklovers or simply sit quietly. It&#8217;s a fantastic way to meet people if you&#8217;re new to the area, and the best part is, it&#8217;s totally free to join. Just rock up every other Friday 7.30pm &#8211; 8.30pm and relaaaaaax. Bliss.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-put-your-brain-to-the-test">Put your brain to the test</h2>



<p>There are few things more humbling than confidently shouting the wrong answer at a quiz. And it&#8217;s on Tuesday nights at <a href="https://waterside-quarter.co.uk/Events/calling-all-quiz-masters-to-bardo-lounge/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bardo Lounge</a> where the dark side of otherwise totally normal people apparently emerge. Actually, maybe that&#8217;s just us. From 7pm, finally put that niche GCSE geography knowledge to good use while enjoying a bite to eat, a round of drinks, and the chance to win some fantastic prizes. Oh, and entry is just a cool £2 per person too. Winning already.</p>



<p><strong>Keep an eye on all of the Waterside Quarter&#8217;s upcoming events <a href="https://waterside-quarter.co.uk/whats-on/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.</strong></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more">IN THE MOOD FOR MORE?</h2>



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<li><a href="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/best-restaurants-in-maidenhead/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The 12 best restaurants in Maidenhead</a></li>



<li><a href="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/day-trips-things-to-do/best-days-out-in-berkshire/">25 days out in Berkshire you’ll totally love</a></li>
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The coolest events in Maidenhead? They all happen here

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