The Best Pop-Ups & Residencies In London Right Now

If you find it hard to keep track of which pop-ups in London are new, which are old, and which are just delicious hallucinations you created in your mind, good thing it’s our job to remember. We’ve separated the wheat from the chaff and put together the best pop-ups, long-term residencies, one-off specials, and whatever else that you should be checking out (and more importantly eating) before they’re gone.

THE SPOTS

Outcrop @ 180 The Strand / Weds-Sat / Until September

A pop-up restaurant, bar, and arts space, Outcrop is teaming up with AngloThai chef John Chantarasak. The Thai-British menu will include things like Shetland mussel tom yum, skate wing jungle curry, and Thai tea burnt cream with grilled cherries. Spots can be reserved here.

Ruben’s Reubens @ Rye By The Water / Fri-Sat / Until end of summer

Ruben’s Reubens are at Brentford cafe Rye By The Water this summer for a BBQ residency in collaboration with Brixton Brewery. Get involved in massive platters of smoked chicken, pulled brisket, and pork and burnt onion sausage while sipping a pint and looking out over the River Brent. Check their Instagram page for the weekly changing menu. 

Willy’s Summer BBQ Sessions @ Willy’s Pies / Various dates / Until 27 August

This pie shop has been flinging pastries since 2020, and during the summer months they’ve invited some of London’s top chefs to what they’re calling Willy’s Summer BBQ Sessions. You’ll find takeaway BBQ-inspired menus with things like steak sarnies and chicken tacos. They’re in Netil Market, so check their Instagram page to know what’s on, when.

Poon’s Wontoneria @ No.23 Charlotte Street / Tues-Sat / Until October

Poon’s Wontoneria previously ran a lunch-only pop-up at No.23 Charlotte Street—a casual 16-seater spot in Fitzrovia—and now they're back for dinner. The menu will include their signature wontons in chilli vinegar, as well as dishes like pigs ear terrine and Chinese churros. Pre or post-wonton feast, get involved in the Darjeeling whisky highballs and yuzu chilli crystal margaritas.

Max Halley @ The Hippodrome / All week / Indefinitely

There are bog standard sandwiches, and then there’s thick prawns in a creamy marie rose sauce pressed between a buttery brioche bun—and Max Halley, of Max's Sandwich Shop, does the latter. You’ll now be able to eat an exclusive menu of six of his sandwiches while you put it all on black at The Hippodrome in Leicester Square. You can get them from 10am-5am, seven days a week. 

Original Flava @ Market House / All week / Indefinitely 

Brothers Craig and Shaun are bringing their Caribbean-influenced cooking to Market House in Brixton. Original Flava serves dishes like honey fried chicken, goat curry, pepper prawns, and jerk BBQ-glazed jackfruit from Market House’s airy, industrial dining room. 

Crisp Pizza W6 @ The Chancellors / Weds-Sun / Indefinitely 

What can we say about Crisp Pizza W6 that hasn’t already been said? Unless you are strictly off social media and carbs, you’ll have heard about this Hammersmith pizza pop-up at The Chancellors pub. It sells out pretty much as soon as orders open. But persevere for that blistered, charred crust, bubbling cheese, and splodges of creamy buffalo mozzarella.

Embers @ Renegade Urban Winery / Weds-Sat / Indefinitely

At Embers, a pop-up at Walthamstow winery Renegade, expect dishes like flame-grilled crumpets with braised leeks, rib-eye with bone marrow, and aubergine croquettes. Book a seat on the cosy, covered mezzanine for interesting wines and smoky, barbecue flavours. There’s currently no set end date when the coals will burn down for the final time.

Happy Endings @ Pavilion Victoria Park / All week / Until September

There are your regular 99s with sad, soggy Flakes, and then there’s rainbow swirl soft serve with lashings of sprinkles. Happy Endings, a pop-up at Victoria Park’s Pavilion Cafe, does the latter. Drop by all week for ice cream sandwiches, plus tres leches and raspberry sorbet soft serves.

Cue Point @ Orbit Beers Brewery / Weds-Sun / Indefinitely

British-Afghan BBQ specialists Cue Point know their way around a grill. And their latest residency is at Orbit Beers Brewery in Walworth. Depending on the day, you can expect to find their excellent brisket nacos (naan tacos), a Sunday roast, or oak-smoked lamb ribs on their backyard BBQ days.

Esti @ Orangery at TT Liquor / Weds-Sun / Until September 2023

Esti has done what our travel agent couldn’t—combine a trip to Greece and Australia. The new restaurant is at TT Liquor in Shoreditch for a six-month residency. It’ll serve a menu of Greek-inspired dishes with Australian hospitality and seasonings sprinkled in. Think twice-cooked lamb ribs, served sharing-style, and octopus in a spicy tomato sauce.

Get Baked @ Neighbourhood N1 / Wed-Sun / Indefinitely

Creators of the fittingly named Bruce Pudding that makes the famous Matilda cake look like a cupcake, Get Baked—a dessert spot originally from Leeds—has popped up at Neighbourhood N1 in Islington. You’ll find that 24-layer chocolate cake, baked alaskas, and some fun-looking sundaes

Tiella @ The Compton Arms / Weds-Sun / Indefinitely

One of our favourite London pubs, this Islington spot has got a new chef in the kitchen. Dara Klein plans to bring a little bit of Italy to The Compton Arms in the form of Tiella. There’ll be things like sage and anchovy fritti, and tagliatelle and cuttlefish ragu. Find out why this pop-up made The Hit List.

Black Hatch Pizza @ Bird & Tie / Tues-Sun / Indefinitely 

Pizza and fried chicken are a winning combination. And thanks to this Detroit-style pizza pop-up that has opened in Clapham’s Bird & Tie, you can get both in the same place. Thick crust pizzas are topped with things like caramelised onions and mushrooms, or halal pepperoni and jalapeños. You can find Black Hatch Pizza here from 12-9pm, Tuesdays to Sundays.

Liu Xiaomian @ The Jackalope, W1G 7EQ / Tues-Sat / Indefinitely

A long-ish term fixture that nobody should take for granted, Liu Xiaomian is Charlene Liu and Liu Qian, a duo from Chongqing who started making noodles and dishing them out at markets a few years back. The menu features numbing wontons, three xiaomian noodles—one vegan, one pork, one pork and chickpea—all packing a Sichuan peppercorn punch, plus daily specials. They’ve also set up shop in Aldgate Tap, a walk-in situation in Aldgate where you’ll find the same menu.