London’s best pop-ups

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know all about Bold Bean Co – loved by fibre-seekers, protein-maxxers and Mob Kitchen recipe-followers everywhere. And now they’re doing a beany pop-up in the middle of Soho, where you can eat beans and leave with a fabulous bouquet – all entirely for free. The menu features lemon butter beans with pesto and ricotta, and tomato and harissa yoghurt chickpeas, both served with a healthy hunk of focaccia. There are 500 free lunches to claim each day of the three-day pop-up, with both dine-in spots and takeaway pots on offer, for those on the move. And if you bring an empty Bold Bean Co jar, you’ll get a cute little bouquet of flowers for free to take home, too. There will, more than likely, be long queues, so we’d suggest arriving early to avoid disappointment.

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.   

One of London's longest-standing Oktoberfest celebrations unfolds each year in a Bavarian beer tent, which pitches up first in Finsbury Park, then on the green outside Hammersmith station. Inside you'll find trad revelry aplenty, with waiting staff sporting dirndl and lederhosen and amber suds brewed by Bavaria Fester Brewery that can be enjoyed at long sharing tables. Ticket prices vary massively, from student deals to VIP packages, so there's an option for every budget. You can wash all that delicious bratwurst, schnitzel and brezel down with a delicious beer. Bottoms up (if you can, those steins are heavier than you think!). 

At Between the Bridges, you'll find a campy spin on Oktoberfest tradition, hosted by drag queen Miss Leigh Ding. Over four weekends of boozy fun, you’ll be entertained by either the tweed-clad ten-piece brass crew Old Dirty Brasstards or high-energy brass band Atomic Brass, blasting out covers of 00s pop hits and 80s classics. There’ll be more music from DJs on the decks. Meanwhile, the kitchen and bar will be pumping out the goods to line your stomach with. Every ticket comes with a free stein. We’re talking two-pint steins of delicious beer and street food so good it’ll make you say, ‘Hell ja!’

Soho beer palace Albert’s Schloss is going all out for Oktoberfest this year, serving Bavarian-themed revelries to central London crowds. The Alpine-themed beer hall and ‘cook haus’ is offering three weeks’ worth of festivities, including a traditional keg tapping ceremony, a sausage-eating contest, oompah brass band performances, a best Lederhosen competition, loads of games and all the usual daily performances from the resident Haus band. It also promises to be one of the only places outside Munich where you can try all six Oktoberfest beers. Entry is free; just turn up and get ready to fröhlich. On Saturday’s the place will also host an Oktoberfest Kabaret Bottomless Brünchen, with 90 minutes of bottomless prosecco, mimosas, bier, Bloody Marys, spritz cocktails, and a ‘cook haus’ dish for £60pp. Between 12:30pm and 3:30pm.

It feels a bit like Oktoberfest all year round at Munich Cricket Club, but it really takes the Bavarian joy up a notch as the season approaches. From mid September til the end of October, the spirit of the fest will take over its Canary Wharf, Tower Hill and Victoria locations. Expect foaming steins, platters of sausage and a live oompah band to get the vibes flying. Dancing on tabletops is encouraged – just be careful not to slip on any saus. The festivities also include the ceremonial tapping of the Oktober barrel, straight from Munich, plus games, silliness and surprises. 

Housed inside a Grade II-listed building that was once home to the first purpose-built gymnasium in the UK, King’s Cross bier hall German Gymnasium is a great option if you’d like to line your stomach with some proper Bavarian delicacies before necking all those Oktoberfest steins. There’ll be steins of Warsteiner or König Ludwig on offer, as well as a special menu curated by head chef Alexander Thiel, including Bayrische Schweinshaxe, cured and grilled giant pork knuckle, sauerkraut and potato dumpling with a beer jus. Head down on Friday evenings throughout the festival to hear a live Oompah band playing traditional Bavarian ditties from 5.30pm, and be sure to don your best lederhosen or dirndl for a stein on the haus. Prost!

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.