London’s best pop-ups

Hidden away on a quiet Deptford backstreet, The Dog and Bell is not only known for its charm and CAMRA-approved selection of real ales and craft beers, but it also knows how to put on a good food festival. August is the turn of its sausage and cider celebration. Expect proper bangers, fresh-pressed cider, and good old-fashioned fun. 

If a trip to Hampton Court has been on your to-do list, why not time your visit to coincide with this foodie extravaganza? Over the August Bank Holiday weekend entrance tickets to Henry VIII’s former gaff give you access to more than 150 speciality food stalls, so you can feast like like a Tudor king in the palace’s gorgeous green spaces. There's also pop-up bars, kids’ activities, and an array of local musicians taking to the bandstand to soundtrack your culinary adventure. 

Love stuffed crusts? Pastry chef Anna Higham is opening the doors of her cult Quince Bakery to host its third annual Pie Party. She’s put together a slap-up line-up of London’s most exciting independent bakers to serve up pies in all their lattice-topped, fruit-stuffed glory for the day, with each baker putting their own take on the humble pie. This year’s bakers include Anna Higham and the Quince Bakery team (Chris Bennett, Riley Labrache), alongside Hai Lin Leung of Lucky Yu Bakery, Stroma Sinclair, Louis Thompson, Hugo Harrison, Chloe-Rose Crabtree of Bake Street, Tom Zahir of Decatur, and Sofia Vasquez of Hamblin Bread. So you can expect classic British bakes, Chinese-inspired pastry, and everything in between. Doors open at 12pm with plenty of queue snacks. True pie devotees should arrive early to get the pies and slices before they run out.

Last year, after a nine-year-long hiatus, the magnificent Brick Lane Curry Festival made a welcome return. And, saving us from another near-decade of waiting, it’s back again for 2026. E1’s curry houses will come together for this free festival on Brick Lane and nearby streets this September. The main event is on Sunday 20 and will commence with a colourful procession from Buxton Street to the iconic Brick Lane Arch, with themed floats, dancers and community groups. Throughout the rest of the day, visitors can expect street food stalls, chef demonstrations and live bands and DJs alongside a host of family-friendly fun stilt walkers, magicians and live graffiti presentations, plus some opportunities to get stuck in at henna and bangla dancing workshops. If you register for the festival via Eventbrite you can get 20 percent off at all participating restaurants across the weekend.   

If you’re a carnivore with a big appetite for BBQ, Meatopia has your name written all over it. The boozy food fest is a veritable utopia for meat lovers, with 50 chefs invited down over four days to cook up a storm over a live fire. This year's highlights include Jess Murphy from Ireland’s only Michelin Green Star restaurant Kai, Geravich Mesaengnilverakul from Bangkok’s Choen, plus legends of the UK barbecue scene, Melissa Thompson and Hon’s BBQ. Book your tickets here, but be warned – they don’t include food, and the queues here can be lengthy, so it’s best to arrive early with your ‘meatbuck’ tokens at the ready.

Wet your whistle at Woolwich Works Big Beer Fest, the venue’s first-ever festival dedicated solely to suds. Siz guest breweries, including Northdown Brewery from Margate, Bianca Road Brew Co and Big Hug Brewing from London, Bexley Brewery from Bexley and Iron Pier from Northfleet, will be pouring pints. Alongside the breweries there’ll also be street food, live music and guided masterclasses covering brewing, ingredients and flavour profiles, plus a Big Beer Quiz for real aficionados. When you’re done with brews, there’ll also be a dedicated wine bar, low and no-alcohol options and soft drinks will also be available. Tickets range from £8 to £20, with a Standard Festival Pass (£14), Premium Tasting Pass (£20) including a branded festival cup and three one-third pint tasting pours. An Evening Finisher Pass (£8) offers entry from 4pm, live music, half a pint from the festival bar and entry to the Big Beer Quiz.