Pop Up
DREAMERS POP-UP MARKET
Yoga, movement and strength studio Waking Dreams is putting on a pop-up market this Christmas, filled with products from a curated selection of East London brands. As well as being plenty to browse, you’ll have the chance to print your own merch at the Print Club London stall, get some tooth gems, rent Christmas party dresses, join in on micro workshops and sip on hot drinks from DIRTEA. Plus, there’ll be live vinyl DJs and live performances from Drag King and HÄUS OF DONS founder Daisy Doris May. And, while you’re shopping for gifts, why not buy something for someone experiencing homelessness or displaced by war at the market’s own Choose Love shop?
THE HAPPY ENDINGS PUDDING HATCH
Not content with making the best ice cream sandwiches in the land, Happy Endings is warming us up this winter with their Pudding Hatch at Pavilion in Victoria Park. Expect steamy sticky toffee and hot chocolate pudding topped with custard or a scoop of their famous ice cream (with flavours such as vegan mint stracciatella, golden syrup, malted milk or classic vegan vanilla). And if it’s a bit too nippy out there, you can grab some pud to take away and warm up at home. The hatch is open all weekend (Fri – Sun) for the rest of the winter, we’ll see you there.
POWERED BY DEPOP
Depop is popping up in IRL with some of its top sellers in tow to encourage more people to get involved in second-hand and circular fashion during party season. kathandrosa will be taking over the Sook space on South Molton Street on 30th November with a selection of vintage and Y2K pieces, with sellers like celiapops, alicefletchdf, reloadedld and elianaavintage all popping up in Sook’s Oxford Street space across December, so get down there and shop ’til you drop.
Flea London getting festive with a spesh Christmas market running for one weekend at Vinegar Yard. The outdoor (but covered) market will feature over 40 stalls from local and indie traders, selling a range of handcrafted gifts, plus there’ll be mulled wine and street food to keep you toasty while you shop.
If you’ve been strolling around Covent Garden lately and caught your reflection in a giant mirrored box, then you’ve also spotted the Marc Jacobs pop-up shop. The brand’s first ever UK pop-up has landed on the Piazza to promote the new Resort collection and it’s just as shiny inside with crystal canvas tote bags, other bags in silver, rhinestone and pearl finishes, and sparkly jewellery on display. Appropriately, as it’s one giant mirror, there’s a dedicated photo op spot at the back of the space.
Harry Styles is bringing his beauty brand Pleasing back to London – just in time for the holidays. The pop-up is taking over The Corner Shop at Selfridges on Oxford Street until Sat 9th December with plenty of Pleasing nail polishes (with a few exclusive shades added in), cosmetics and clothing. Plus, guests will have the chance to shop the brand-new perfume range and sample the scents at the pop-up’s ‘ticket booth’. There’ll also be live performers and custom-made confectionery, and, if you buy a perfume, you’ll get a free matching tote. The space itself looks very aesthetically pleasing too, so there’ll be plenty to snap for socials while you shop for Christmas gifts.
ASOS is going IRL in London this month and just in time for party season. The online retailer is opening the ASOS Pop-Up, its first-ever in-person shop, in Fitzrovia and it’s gonna be filled with an A/W edit featuring some of the biggest brands on the platform, including ASOS Design, ASOS Edition, Topshop, Nike, New Balance and more. The free events, including a Luxegen styling session, skincare 101 with The Ordinary and New Balance running club, are all fully booked but there’ll be space for walk-ins for Charlotte Tilbury and Drybar beauty treatments. Plus there’ll be DJs spinning at the store and a whole load of freebies on offer, so if you’re an ASOS obsessive, you won’t wanna miss it.
DALLOWAY TERRACE
Dalloway Terrace has been transformed into a glamorous wonderland this winter, inspired by the home of Perrier-Jouët Champagne, with deep red foliage, berries, fairy lights and sheepskin blankets. Toast to the festive season with a champagne cocktail and dishes like Black Angus beef tartare with Melba toast, grilled tiger prawns with smoked garlic butter & samphire, and wild mushroom & Sharpham spelt risotto with truffle & parmesan crisps.
Market Halls Victoria’s roof terrace is back open for summer, with more seating (enough for 220 people) and a retractable roof, so you can still get up there whatever the weather. The bars on the roof are serving up summer spritzes and frozen cocktails, and you can feast on food from the market’s resident traders like Jude’s Thai, DF Tacos, Gopal’s Corner, Black Bear Burger and Eggslut.
RUBEN'S REUBENS AT BRIXTON VILLAGE
After a summer residency at Robin Gill’s Brentford-based bakery and grill Rye By The Water, Ruben Danway of Ruben’s Reubens is teaming up with Gill for a winter pop-up in Brixton Village. Ruben has been making his reubens since the start of Covid when he would smoke meats in his parents’ garden in Brixton during lockdown. The sandwich business was inspired by his Polish-Jewish background and has already picked up a large and loyal following through a series of pop-ups. This latest residency, which will run Weds – Sun throughout the winter, will feature his reuben and salt beef sarnies alongside the likes of latke buns, hot honey burnt ends, smoked white wings, kung pao-strami cauliflower, and house lamb sausage. Word on the street is that guest chefs will be passing through the pop-up too….
SNOWBIRD
Seabird, the rooftop restaurant at the top of The Hoxton, Southwark, is becoming Snowbird this winter, complete with Mediterranean sharing plates, Grey Goose cocktails and those epic city views. The interior will be decked out with dried alpine flowers, an illuminated arch and the largest collection of iconic Slim Aarons winter photography prints currently on display in London. The menu will feature dishes like baked oysters with chorizo & lemon; smoked oxtail croquettes with aioli; dressed Brixham crab with sea urchin; hot seafood platter of oysters, mussels, scallops & tiger prawns; Basque stew with hake, mussels, saffron potatoes & roasted fennel; and baked lobster & crab pumpkin pie with caviar. Pair that with a sharing fountain of blood orange & fig spritz, fizzy dirty martinis, and a round of Arctic Espressos – mini espresso martinis served in ice shot glasses.
Peckham’s become a bit of a rooftop terrace hub lately, but anyone after some al fresco dinner and drinks might be hard-pressed to find it at the usual suspects, which are typically rammed. So, if you don’t mind being closer to the ground, the terrace at Peckham Arches has you covered – literally. The canopied space is heated, so you can enjoy fresh tank beer from Bird House Brewery and tacos from Angele whatever the weather.
Ahead of the Netflix doc on Robbie Williams, the streaming giant is opening a pop-up shop dedicated to the singer in Covent Garden. The series is being released to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Robbie’s solo career and is promising a behind-the-scenes look at his rise to fame, and you’ll get a first glimpse at the pop-up. As well as being able to watch the first episode of the series before it airs, you’ll also be able to see even more never-before-seen archival footage from Robbie’s life, score some limited-edition merch and snap a selfie or two at the photo ops.
Founded by Nicole Compen, raye the store is a concept grocery store that showcases products across food, drink and wellness that all have a clear purpose and strong design. The latest edition of the pop-up shop in Covent Garden features health-conscious products from a whole host of innovative brands, 80% of which are vegan and 90% of which are from the UK, including JUX Food, Lovegrass Ethiopia, Left & Ripe, Mirror Margarita, Fermenti, BRISCO, Sixways, Indi and more. The store will also be hosting a range of events, including vinyasa yoga, candle making, gut health workshops and tasting sessions.
MADAME PIGG AT ISLINGTON ARTS CLUB
We were sad to see Madame Pigg, one of our fave roast spots, close in Dalston and we’ve had to make do with the odd supper club here and there since then. Until now that is because Madame Pigg is coming back for seven whole weeks, taking over the Islington Arts Club on the weekends. The menu for Saturdays will change but you can expect dishes like porchetta buns, deep fried prawn baps and proper chips, and on Sundays, the famous Madame Pigg roasts will be front and centre, with the likes of roast beef with horseradish and Yorkshire pud, porchetta with red apple sauce and whole chicken with bread sauce on offer.
CHOOSE LOVE STORE
Choose Love, the charity pop-up shop that raises much-needed funds to help refugees and displaced people around the world, is back for 2023 and just in time from Christmas so you can buy gifts with purpose. The Choose Love Shop will be stocked with essential supplies and life-saving interventions for refugees and displaced people around the world – everything from a warm coat to emergency housing. Shoppers will be able to buy these winter essentials which will then be sent out to those in need in either your name or the name of someone you love. Last year, the pop-up was able to raise £1.2 million in funds to support Choose Love’s humanitarian work. As always, the Choose Love Shop will also run a series of in-store events and workshops up until Christmas. Visitors will get the chance to catch film screenings, live music performances and craft sessions from the likes of Pioneer, Resident Advisor and Asylum Speakers.
ANYA HINDMARCH AT HOLBORN DINING ROOM'S PIE ROOM
As part of the Rosewood’s tenth birthday celebrations, Holborn Dining Room’s Pie Room windows and pie boxes will be covered in Anya Hindmarch signature eyes motif, and as well as picking up a tasty takeaway treat from Head Pie Maker Nokx Majozi, you’ll also be able to buy a limited-edition Anya Hindmarch ‘Pie with Eyes’ keyring. From midday on 9th October, you could bag one of 50 free pies, and throughout the week, the team will be hiding golden tickets inside some of the pies, with prizes like an overnight stay at the Rosewood and a private dining experience at the Pie Room. During the weekend of the takeover, Anya Hindmarch will also be popping up in the hotel’s lobby with pieces from her Labelled collection and a personalisation station so you can add a bespoke touch to the leather goods.
NEXT DAY SOLAR | LONDON'S FIRST SOLAR-POWERED POP-UP SHOP
Renewable energy company Next Day Solar has opened London’s first solar-powered pop-up shop in Covent Garden. The store has two solar panels installed outside to provide on-site electricity generation and the interior has made use of recycled materials wherever possible to keep it sustainable. Inside you can shop from a range of solar products, including solar-powered toys, garden lights, charging power boxes and portable solar panels, and there’s also a space where you can find out more info on renewable energy and the benefits of using solar power.
