London is putting its best culinary foot forward this summer — not only are there plenty of exciting new restaurant openings, but there are also a number of pop-ups across the city that should be on every foodie’s radar. From The Goring’s Cornwall-inspired garden residency to Alchemilla’s Alex Bond’s takeover at Carousel, the city is home to a rich mix of special culinary moments. Here, we’ve rounded up the best food and drink pop-ups and residences to visit this summer.
The Belgravia hotel is bringing a taste of Cornwall to the capital this summer, transforming their garden – London’s largest private garden – into a glamorous seaside escape. Serving fresh-off-the-boat Cornish lobsters supplied by Just Shellfish, a family run crab and lobster shop in the heart of Port Isaac, alongside glasses of chilled prosecco from Della Vite, the Delevigne sisters’ new brand of fizz. The menu will also include The Goring seafood platter, lobster Caesar salad, lobster omelettes, and freshly shucked rock oysters. Special guest, Rick Stein will host a one-week culinary extravaganza from 14- 20 June, and Teddy the Shetland ‘pony in residence’ will live in the Goring garden from 16 – 31 August, where guests will be able to enjoy a limited-edition Teddy the Shetland afternoon tea.
It’s a Stein family affair at The Goring, with beloved British chef Rick Stein returning for his second pop-up at the hotel with help from his sons, Jack and Charlie. The trio and their team will be serving Cornish-inspired lunches and dinners of lobster, crab and the freshest fish on The Goring’s veranda overlooking the hotel’s impressive gardens. The menu will feature a number of Rick Stein’s signatures, including whole Dover sole meunière, tronçon of turbot with Hollandaise sauce and sea bass ceviche. For those looking to make more of an occasion out of the pop-up experience, The Goring is offering a Rick Stein overnight package, which adds a three-course lunch or dinner and Rick Stein cookbook onto your hotel stay.
For two days, Michelin-starred chef Alyn Williams is hosting a dine in the sky experience, creating a menu that pays homage to his culinary journey, from his home in East London to his adventures in Cornwall. Dishes of truffle arancini, crab tartlet and beef sirloin will be served at The Observatory at Wardian, an impressive bar on the 52nd floor of the building with 360 views of the city. The setting will be decorated with exotic plants and trees from across the world, while the menu will continue Williams’ tradition of using the best locally sourced ingredients and putting his spin on them in a sophisticated way.
Revelling in the drink of the summer, this brand new three-week pop-up at Covent Garden will toast to the season with multiple glasses of rose. Eight pop-up bars and terraces will appear across the central London piazza from brands like Mirabeau and The Oystermen x Pol Roger. To accompany the flowing rose, there’ll be a Fleur Rosé flower stall and live music performances throughout the festival’s run. Over 30 varieties of rosé will be offered, as well as frosé and a number of exclusive rosé cocktails.
For the first time ever, the iconic hotel is hosting a seasonal pop-up in the Savoy Court. Created in collaboration with Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Solas — from the Gaelic for light, joy and comfort — will celebrate the season of al fresco dining with a tempting menu of cocktails and dishes created around the centrepiece: a raw seafood bar. The design of the new outdoor pop-up is as impressive as the menu, with a showstopper chandelier inspired by the 62 that are dotted around the The Savoy, and the seafood presented on a natural slate and granite bar with gleaming brass, fusing together the hotel’s Art Deco decor and the Scottish coastline where Bowmore whisky is crafted.
Selfridges opened their new honey-centric restaurant, which incorporates honey from its own rooftop hives into most of the dishes, only a few weeks before Tier 4 restrictions closed them again. Now, to celebrate the reopening, the new spot has invited Michelin star chef Claude Bosi to host a special, one night only supperclub. The four-course menu will feature creative dishes that all use the natural honey in innovative ways, reflecting Bosi’s signature contemporary spin on French dining. Think sweet and sour lobster with radish and linden honey, and Cornish John Dory with lime and lavender honey — classic culinary techniques combined with experimental ingredient pairings.
Following on from his success on the 2021 series of BBC’s Great British Menu, Oli Marlow, Executive Chef of Aulis London and Aulis Hong Kong & Roganic Hong Kong, is taking over The Hoxton in Holborn’s restaurant for three days. At Rondo, Marlow will serve up the full banquet menu that, due to Covid, he was unable to present in the series finale. It will include his internet-inspired Special Delivery main course of guinea fowl breast, stuffed chicken wings and barbecued pickled maitake mushrooms, that earned him the highest score in the programme’s history, alongside more of his innovative dishes. There’s an option to add a wine pairing chosen by Simon Rogan Group Head Sommelier Valentin Mouillard, too.
As well as hosting a rotation of different chefs this summer, the Carousel garden is welcoming back chef Thomas Straker for a continuation of the ‘Right Then’ pop-up, which began as a takeaway option that has been selling out every weekend since the end of February. Every weekend sees a new extensive menu with dishes such as Sicilian-style meatballs, slow cooked beef cheek with polenta gremolata and gnocchi with artichokes, served alongside a tempting selection of drinks and small bites.
Hugo Warner, founder of Hackney-based co-working space The Fisheries is teaming up with Chef Andrew Clarke to host a special dinner in aid of Clarke’s Pilot Light campaign, an initiative that is focused on supporting the mental health of those working in the hospitality sector, especially during the pandemic. The award-winning chef, best known for his restaurant work for Brunswick House and St Leonard, will serve a family-style feast of his signature stripped-back home cooking, with nods to South-West France.
The Soho restaurant and member’s club welcomes acclaimed chef Phil Howard to host a special summer for the latest installment of its long-running chef collaboration series. The multi-Michelin starred chef, who opened legendary restaurant The Square at 24 before going on to open Elystan Street, Kitchen W8 and Church Road, most recently launched OTTO, a home delivery pasta service that he plans to take nationwide. For Quo Vadis, Howard will serve a surprise menu in collaboration with Journey Wines in the restaurant’s elegant ‘Marx’ private dining room, the connected Blue Room and the first floor Club Restaurant.
Voted one of London’s best outdoor pop-up cocktail bars since 2012, the botanical inspired cocktail bar is hosted on the rooftop of the Grand Entrance Hall to Brunel’s engineering masterpiece, the Thames Tunnel. The candle-lit oasis is decked out with fire-pits for toasting s’mores and cosy seating, with a menu of drinks inspired by and created from plants grown in the garden or foraged close by, such as the Woodland Martini with Douglas fir vodka, smoked sage and wild vermouth.
Crossrail Place Roof Garden
This summer sees the opening of a brand new entertainment space in Canary Wharf, Pergola on the Wharf, taking over the east side of the Crossrail Place Roof Garden. Outside, a large wrap-around heated terrace can host 200 for drinks, while inside there will be three bars and various food concepts. In addition to the in-house kitchen, offering seasonal dishes and drinks from London’s finest distilleries, breweries and wine merchants, the space will host a rotation of culinary pop-ups, showcasing the exciting dishes by top street vendors from across the country.
After a successful first run last summer, London’s biggest beer garden returns to Alexander Palace this summer — and this time, without the entrance fee. Enjoy craft beers, prosecco and specialty cocktails with expansive views across the city, along with treats from a rotation of street food vendors, including Browski Burger and Last Night A Vegan Saved My Life. To accompany the outdoor gatherings over pints, the venue will also host a programme of live performances, including music from major artists, comedy nights and surprise shows.
Bow Wharf
During the lockdown, the beloved and Michelin-starred Shoreditch restaurant Leroy pivoted to become a luxe chicken delivery service under the name of Royale. With lockdown lifted, the team have decided to bring their tasty chicken menu to a Hackney residency at the East London Liquor Co. Royale’s go-to menu of rotisserie roasted chicken in various cuts with sides including whipped cod’s roe, potatoes, salad and aioli, will be served alongside East London Liquor Co.’s impressive cocktails.
