The snacks you need to try + wine tasting in Piccadilly, the best pop-ups right now, a Guinness afternoon tea & more...

EDITOR'S LETTER

They say good things come in small packages and London's snack scene is proof positive of that. Today we're highlighting the dainty bites and morsels that kick off a good meal.

And while small sips was definitely a part of our wine tasting session at Fortnum's that we review today, we must admit we did end up buying more of one of the wines we really loved.

Catherine, Editor - Hot Dinners

MINI MARVELS

Bite-sized, the snacks to seek out in London restaurants

They're the perfect thing to have with your pre-prandial martini, or to nibble on while you work out what to order. And now that most London restaurants have a devoted snack section on their menu, we're highlighting the bite-sized treats you need to order right now.

Our favourite snackage

TIPPLE TALK

Trying out Fortnum's Cellar Sessions for the launch of the store's new wine range

A new series of tutored wine tastings has just begun at Fortnum & Mason's Piccadilly store, with guest speakers including Dan Keeling, Jancis Robinson and Olly Smith. We signed up to one of their Cellar Sessions to see what it was all about. 

Why you'll want to go to the next one

Promoted content

CATCH THEM WHILE YOU CAN

Our guide to the London pop-ups and residencies you need to know about

These days, one of the best routes to opening a restaurant is through a pop-up or a residency. Many of the best openings in London, even big hitters like Darjeeling Express and Manteca, opened as residencies first. Here are the current bunch that you should be keeping an eye on.

What to go to

RESTAURANT NEWS

Homeboy are putting a Guinness afternoon tea on this autumn. This is not a drill.

The final clincher is that the drinks pairing includes a Baby Guinness. Want.

How to book it

Now London is getting a second tiramisu shop, with Giuseppe's Tiramisu opening in Shoreditch

And, as with the other one, Hot Dinners is once again the first place you'll have heard about it.

We've got the scoop

AND DID YOU HEAR?

Yes, we know we needed the rain, but now it's here, we're not so sure. But if you're caught in a downpour around Netil Market, you should know that they have a new rainy-day rule at the Jupiter Burger stand: if it’s raining, their fries are free!

The Ritz is a longstanding London institution but that doesn't mean they can't try something new. For the first time, they're launching a new seafood-only menu.

And talking of seafood, the Beckhams are known for their love of Dorian, so it perhaps wasn't a surprise that the whole family took over this month's Tuna Fight Club at sister spot, Supermarket of Dreams, for Romeo's birthday.

SPOTTED SOMETHING?

Noticed something restaurant or bar-related that we should know about?

Spotted a new restaurant about to open in your neighbourhood? Seen a celebrity dining out in London? Heard a piece of hospitality gossip you feel we ought to know about? Unburden yourself and tell us all about it.

Share the news...

About us

Hot Dinners isn't owned by an investment bank, overseas media corporation or by an oligarch. We're 100% independent, run and owned by Londoners.

FOLLOW US