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.
Jurkish at 91 Brick Lane
Where: Shoreditch - 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL
When: Ongoing
Jurkish comes from chef Nazli Ramadan and it features a menu that's designed to celebrate her Jamaican and Turkish-Cypriot heritage - combining Caribbean spice with Turkish comfort food. So you'll find dishes like pides topped with smoky oxtail ragù or spicy sucuk, jerk chicken and perfectly seasoned plantain. On Sundays, there are big sharing dishes like Jurk Chicken and Mint Jurk Lamb Shank while desserts include a Pistachio Crunch Brownie.
Lagom at The Three Compasses
Where: Dalston - 99 Dalston Ln, London E8 1NH
When: Ongoing
After years at Hackney Church Brewery, Elliot Cunningham has found a new home inside this Dalston pub. The menu here is specifically a "burgers and buns" affair and considering his smashburger is considered one of the best in London, it should be worth heading down to try it out. The smashburger sits alongside a lamb burger and fried chicken bun with extras like fish pie croquettes and crispy pork belly appearing too.
Eat Momo at The Coach & Horses
Where: Leyton - 391 High Road Leyton E10 5NA
When: Ongoing
Alongside their London Bridge restaurant, sisters Trishna and Dipa Chamling have brought their Nepalese dumplings to this Leyton pub. The momo are the main event, with fillings including pork, chicken, paneer and vegetables, with momos for £1 every Monday. They'll also be serving up chowmein stir-fried noodles, chicken chilli, curries served with rice, and traditional khana sets featuring rice, dal, achar, seasonal greens and roti.
Thrift Taco at The Great Beyond & Howl at the Moon
Where: Shoreditch & Hoxton
When: Hoxton ongoing, Shoreditch until the end of July
Thrift tacos take their inspiration from cachetada tacos, described as a style where there’s nothing to hide behind: just exceptional ingredients cooked exceptionally well, with tacos including Wiltshire pork, British wagyu, and Galician ex-dairy beef. They're also serving their own take on spice bags. You'll find them at Howl at the Moon, but they're also popping up outside The Great Beyond in Shoreditch for the summer.
Kismet at The Globe Tavern
Where: London Bridge - 8 Bedale Street, London, SE1 9AL
When: Ongoing
The upstairs room at the Globe Tavern has hosted residencies like Khao Bird in the past and now it's the turn of Kismet from chef Keiran Mustafa (BiBi) and Dom Handy (Crispin, Bistro Freddie). This takes a fusion approach based on the chef's Cypriot and Turkish background. So you'll find dishes like a sheftalia kebab, Bulgur Köftes (fried, stuffed bulgur wheat dumplings) and a wine list with a strong Turkish following.
Slice Circle at the Old Nun's Head
Where: Nunhead - 15 Nunhead Green, Nunhead, London SE15 3QQ
When: Ongoing
This pizza residency comes from two ex-Dough Hands/Bad Boy Pizza Society chefs. They describe their pizza as with "a super thin, light, crispy bite, with a juicy crust designed for dunking" and they're inspired by New York pizzerias. Pizzas include the Nun Pie (San Marzano, fior di latte, soppressata, whipped ricotta, hot honey, pecorino) and the Tamil Pie (Masala vodka sauce, fior di latte, red onion, lemon yoghurt, coriander).
Tagine & Grill at Sun & 13 Cantons
Where: Soho - 21 Great Pulteney St, London W1F 9NG
When: Ongoing
The latest long-term residency at this Soho pub is led by chef Yassir Chair, and this one is all about modern Moroccan food. On the menu here, you'll find the chef's signature kebabs, like chargrilled lamb kofta with lemon and mint yoghurt, pickled red cabbage, coriander and chilli sauce as well as smaller plates that include king prawn Tangier bastila cigars and halloumi fries.
Dough Hands at The Spurstowe Arms and All My Friends
Where: Hackney and Hackney Wick
When: Ongoing
One of London's best pizzerias are now in two separate residencies, offering both their full pizzas and pizza slices. The "London style" pizzas here all have a crispy base and you'll find pizzas like their Tomato pie with anchovy, stracciatella & green sauce, Garlic sausage & pistachio pesto, Lamiri harissa aubergine & salted ricotta and Tequila sauce & sausage.
Leo at Renegade Urban Winery
Where: Walthamstow - 7 Lockwood Way, London E17 5RB
When: Until 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.
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.
Sunny Hodge is hosting a tasting session at Fortnum's on 28 July
27 July (Mayfair) - IGNI launches its Michelin Chef Series with a one-night collaboration between executive chef Theo Clench and Restaurant Interlude's Michelin-starred Jean Delport. Expect a multi-course menu combining British, South African and French influences, featuring signature dishes from both chefs. Tickets are £195, including a welcome drink.
27-28 July (Clapham) - Aldi's Summer Cool Down ice cream van is stopping at Clapham Common to give away thousands of free ice creams, including its new White Chocolate & Mango Ice Cream and Chocolate & Hazelnut Ice Cream Cones. The giveaway runs from 11am-3pm each day, while stocks last.
28 July (Piccadilly) - Award-winning wine writer Sunny Hodge heads to Fortnum & Mason for an interactive tasting exploring the science behind wine flavour. Hosted in The Wine Bar, the evening includes a guided tasting, charcuterie, a Q&A and book signing. Tickets cost £60, or £85 with a signed copy of The Cynic's Guide to Wine.
29 July - 2 August (Stoke Newington) - Michelin-trained chef Whyte Rushen is back in London and is taking over Top Cuvee's kitchen for a week-long residency, serving what he calls his "equal parts elegant and trash" cooking. Expect inventive dishes, including his cult oysters with pickled onion Monster Munch, alongside a menu inspired by his acclaimed pop-ups and world travels.
30 July (Highbury) - Yard Sale Pizza is celebrating 10 years on Blackstock Road with a free street party alongside neighbourhood bakery Fink's. Head to Fink's Salt & Sweet for free pizza slices and its famous ice cream sandwiches, with drinks including Pretty Decent lager, rosé and pét-nat available to buy.
5 August (and 2 September) (King's Cross) - Hoppers is bringing back its Dosa Deep House terrace sessions, pairing sunset DJ sets from emerging South Asian artists with dosas, Sri Lankan curries and signature cocktails. The evenings coincide with the return of Hoppers' limited-edition Kalupol Chicken Bun, with £2 from every sale donated to Feeding the Future.
7 August (Covent Garden) - Guinness Open Gate Brewery London is marking International Beer Day by giving away 100 free pints from midday at Old Brewer's Yard, with a choice of Guinness, Guinness 0.0 or one of its craft beers.
15 August (Soho) - Simon Rogan's Michelin-starred Aulis London is hosting its first Aulis Social, swapping its tasting menu for a one-day-only menu of cocktails and signature small plates. Expect dishes including truffle pudding, BBQ Herdwick lamb skewers and rock oysters, with cocktails inspired by produce from Rogan's Our Farm. An Aulis Set costs £55, while dishes start from £4.50.
15 August (Shoreditch) - Gloria is hosting the first-ever Sagra di Shoreditch, a 300-person Italian street festival in the Museum of the Home gardens. Expect a four-course feast from Gloria, Kricket and Blacklock, free-flowing Italian wine, live music, Tombola and more, with all profits donated to The Felix Project and Shoreditch Trust's Community Table. Tickets are £75.
17 August (Islington) - Hot Saint Pizza is teaming up with Scottish food specialists Auld Hag for a one-night supper club at The Old Queen's Head. Expect a menu of haggis bon bons, Scottish-inspired pizzas and deep-fried Mars Bar with banana split ice cream, with all profits donated to ScotsCare. Tickets cost £40.
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.
29 August & 26 September (Oxford Street) - alto by San Carlo is teaming up with Ibiza's Cotton Beach Club for two rooftop parties at Selfridges, combining Mediterranean-inspired dishes, Champagne and rosé, live DJs, saxophonists and percussionists to recreate the feel of a Balearic sunset session in London.
3-6 September (Wapping) - Meatopia returns to Tobacco Dock with four days of live-fire cooking from leading chefs, including Budgie Montoya, Ana Goncalves and Zijun Meng, Brad Carter, Adriana Cavita, Harneet Baweja and many more, with every dish created exclusively for the festival.
9-10 September (Elephant & Castle) - Ministry of Sound is marking its 35th anniversary with Last Orders, a two-night dining experience pairing a five-course menu by chef Brad Carter with a live soundtrack from DJ Ralph Lawson celebrating three decades of house music.
Subscribe to hear the latest from Hot Dinners
