Jump to: Residences and pop-ups | Events
Pop-ups and residencies in London are getting more interesting by the week. Now you'll see some excellent food popping up everywhere from disused restaurant spaces to residencies in pubs across town. We're rounding up some of the best below.
Bar Rioja Festival returns to King's Cross this July
When: Saturday, 4 July
Bar Rioja's wine festival returns to its hidden Victorian courtyard on Saturday, 4 July. Tickets are £50 and include 16 hand-selected Rioja wine tastings, fresh paella, and DJ sets from afternoon into evening - plus Ibérico ham carving from our jamón expert.
Promoted event
2-4 July and 6-8 August (Bloomsbury) - Cocktails in the City returns to Bedford Square Gardens, bringing together some of London's best bars for a summer cocktail festival. Expect bespoke serves from top bartenders, cocktails priced at £10, workshops, tastings, live music, games and a secret bar hidden somewhere in the gardens.
6 July (Soho) - The Palomar's Guest Chef Series continues with chef and food writer Alexandra Dudley taking over the kitchen for one night only, serving a selection of summer specials from her new cookbook Cooking Made Simple. Expect dishes like basil devilled eggs with crab and grilled squid with tomato and feta alongside The Palomar's regular menu.
8 July (London Bridge) - Bar Douro is bringing Portuguese Maronesa beef to the UK for the very first time in a five-course dinner that features different cuts and preparations throughout the meal. Tickets are £95.
10-11 July (Shoreditch) - Virgin Atlantic Holidays is teaming up with Korean social media star Park Mak-rye, aka @korea_grandma, for a two-day Korean supper club in Shoreditch. Expect banchan, home-style Korean dishes, desserts, soju and beer, with all proceeds going to Save the Children. Tickets are £30 per person, and one guest at every sitting will win return flights to Seoul.
11-12 July (Haggerston) - Malik Acid's Mango Listening Bar returns to east London for a two-day celebration of mango season, combining vinyl-led soundscapes, tastings, cocktails and cultural programming. Created with Friendly Pressure, the event explores the cultural significance of mangoes through food, drink, talks and music, with 50% of food and drink profits going to Amos Trust. Tickets are free.
15 July (Fitzrovia) - Sushi Atelier is teaming up with Kirin Ichiban for a one-night Gyoza Party celebrating Japanese dumplings and beer. Expect five varieties of handmade gyoza, from duck and pork to prawn and vegetable, with each portion served alongside a complimentary half pint of Kirin Ichiban.
17 July (Marylebone) - To celebrate Ice Cream Month, Kitchen at Holmes is teaming up with Hackney Gelato to give away 500 free scoops from its Baker Street terrace. From midday, guests can choose from flavours including Clotted Cream & Strawberry, Pistachio and Alphonso Mango Sorbetto - but once they're gone, they're gone.
24-26 July (Stratford) - London Wing Fest returns to the London Stadium for three days of chicken wings, live music and fiery competition. Expect 50 traders serving up 500,000 wings as they battle it out for the festival's top awards, alongside eating contests, BBQ demos, axe throwing and the infamous Lava Wing Challenge. Tickets start from £33.
25 July (King's Cross) - Wine Car Boot returns to Coal Drops Yard for its latest festival-style wine tasting event, bringing together independent producers and importers day of discovering and buying wine direct from the makers. Expect plenty of summer pours, food and music in a laid-back setting.
27 August (City of London) - Ahead of Notting Hill Carnival, Sky Garden's Fenchurch Restaurant is hosting a one-night-only Caribbean feast as chef Kerth Gumbs teams up with fellow Great British Menu chef Kareem Roberts for a six-course menu featuring dishes like crab Johnny cake and 48-hour curried goat, alongside live music and Carnival entertainment. Tickets are £85.
Leo at Renegade Urban Winery
Where: Walthamstow - 7 Lockwood Way, London E17 5RB
When: 8 January - July 2026
Chef Richard Eversden, who is also behind catering business Cura, is launching his new residency, Leo at Renegade in Walthamstow. Here, he'll be cooking seasonal British and European dishes that are designed to pair well with Renegade's wines. The menu includes dishes like buttermilk wings and black pepper caramel, slow-cooked pressed lamb with ajvar and fennel and pecorino mac croquettes.
Macchina at Hometipple
Where: Walthamstow - 34 Orford Road, London E17 9NJ
When: Ongoing
What was once Pasta Slut has now been renamed to Macchina and as part of that, they've taken over the kitchen at Hometipple. They're Sicilian-influenced, so will be serving up the bowls of pasta that they've previously been best known for alongside some classic Sicilian dishes.
Chick 'n Sours at The Big Chill
Where: King's Cross - 257–259 Pentonville Rd, London N1 9NL
When: Ongoing
Chick 'n' Sours are back, taking over the food menu at The Big Chill, its first ongoing home since closing the restaurants. The Chick 'n' Sours favourites will be back, including Kung Pao Disco Wings, the K-Pop Fried Chicken Sandwich and one of our all-time personal favourites, their Szechuan Aubergine. A selection of their sour cocktails will be on the menu too, including an exclusive Big Chill Sour.
Alessio's pizza at The Smuggler's Tavern
Where: Fitzrovia - 28 Warren St, London W1T 5ND
When: Ongoing
The latest pizza residency at this pub features Neapolitan pizzas with a crisp twist. Alongside classic pizzas, you'll find their truffle and mushrooms (also available as arancini) and a hot honey pizza.
Paddywok
Where: Deptford - The Artworks Creekside, 3 Creekside, London SE8 4SA
When: Ongoing
This residency is all about Spice Bags. For those of you who've not been lucky enough to try one before, the Irish spice bag is a mixture of chips, crispy chicken, peppers and onion coated in a mixture of Chinese spice and chilli. Heaven.
Short Road Pizza at Three Colts Tavern
Where: Bethnal Green - 199 Cambridge Heath, London E2 0El
When: Ongoing
Chef Ugo has pizza in his blood - his nonno owned a pizza restaurant in Naples so he ought to know his way around a pizza oven. Here in Cambridge Heath, he and partner Kate are serving up an Italian-American menu - think Romana-style pizza with Chicago Thin Crust. There are snacks and small plates too including farinata (the Ligurian chickpea flatbread).
Rake at The Compton Arms
Where: Islington - 4 Compton Ave, London N1 2XD
When: Ongoing
The latest Compton Arms residency comes over from their sister pub, The Gun. Rake is run by two chefs who have a lot of key experience: Jay Claus (ex-Peckham Cellars and Quo Vadis) and Syrus Pickhaver (ex-Zebra Riding Club and Acme Fire Cult). Their menu focuses on whole beast butchery and sustainable Cornish fish and they're keen on looking at classic British recipes through a modern lens.
Mamapen at Sun & 13 Cantons
Where: Soho - 21 Great Pulteney St, London W1F 9NG
When: Ongoing
Mamapen is billed as London's only Cambodian restaurant, led by chef Kaneda who left an advertising career to become a chef, and has worked at Aqua Kyoto, Flank and From the Ashes before this. His goal with Mamapen is to champion Khmer food in London with dishes including Khmer fried chicken bun, panko pork toast and sour pineapple curry. Chefs with pop-ups here have gone onto big things so this is definitely one to watch.
Mondo Sando at the Grove House Tavern
Where: Camberwell - 26 Camberwell Grove, London SE5 8RE
When: Ongoing
Sandwich slingers Mondo Sando serves up a roster of sarnies that include the Mondo Frango (chargrilled peri-peri chicken thigh, pea salsa verde, peri mayo, potato matchsticks, shrettuce) alongside burgers and sides.
Filthy Buns at the Star of Kings
Where: King's Cross - 126 York Way, London N1 OAX
When: Ongoing
Filthy Buns, led by exec chef John Gladwell, is now settling down for a residency in the at a new pub following their start on the street food scene. Expect plenty of beer cheese.
Liu Xiaomian at the Jackalope
Where: Marylebone - The Jackalope, 43 Weymouth Mews, London W1G 7EG
When: Ongoing
This was originally a street food stall, started by Charlene Liu and her flatmate Liu Qian, serving up a Sichuan menu based on Chongqing food. Expect a variety of Chongqing noodles, daily chef's specials and more.
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