Pop Up
ACCIDENTALLY WES ANDERSON x THE OLD BANK VAULT AT ONE HUNDRED SHOREDITCH
One of the best Instagram accounts on the platform, Accidentally Wes Anderson, which solely shares pictures of buildings and landscapes from around the world that look like they could be Wes Anderson film sets, is back with another pop-up in collab with the Old Bank Vault, and this time they’re taking over One Hundred Shoreditch. The pop-up is in celebration of the launch of the new Accidentally Wes Anderson Postcards, and one of the hotel bedrooms is being turned into an immersive AWA adventure with 3D model recreations of some of the postcard scenes and an exhibition of limited edition prints. There’ll also be a fully stocked bar in the room so you can experience it in style.
RETAN AT LOUIE LOUIE
The roaming supper club run by sommelier Cameron Dewar and chef Josh Dallaway has taken over the kitchens of Peckham Cellars, Legare, Crispin and The Great Gun Social, and now Retan are embarking on their longest residency yet with an upcoming three-month stint at Louie Louie. A French-leaning menu has become Retan’s signature and this residency will be no different, with Dallaway creating an a la carte offering inspired by the cuisine, and Dewar has taken care of the drinks list, sourcing low-intervention wines from across Europe.
NORMAN'S AT SEED LIBRARY
Shoreditch cocktail spot Seed Library, run by Mr Lyan, is teaming up with North London faves Norman’s Cafe to bring their classic British food to the people after dark for the very first time. Seed Library’s drinks menu will be available alongside snacks and small plates from Norman’s, including dishes like chip butty, chicken nuggets with chilli sauce, smoked ham & cheddar toastie, whipped cod’s roe & Frazzles, and syrup sponge & custard.
It’s the ultimate Scottish power collab – pop-up kitchen Auld Hag are heading to Exale Tap in Walthamstow (home of the Buckie Bomb and Iron Brew Sour) to serve up the best Scottish scran in the city. Auld Hag will be showcasing some of Scotland’s finest culinary inventions, including their take on Glasgow’s pizza crunch, haggis tikka masala, Glasgow-style poutine, handmade Scotch pies, chicken Balmoral flatbreads, and the McHag, a breakfast muffin filled with square sausage, duck egg, Stornoway black pudding and tattie scone.
BROKE BOUTIQUE POP-UP SHOP
With Broke Boutique, fashion designer G Martin makes rubber pieces out of reclaimed materials, and now G is popping up in Stokey with a whole host of other brands in tow. You’ll be able to shop clubwear, lingerie, jewellery, prints, lampshades, cakes and accessories from the likes of Rosanna Bishop, HICCUP, Velbet Rebel, Cockney Cowgirl, Boob Bag, Dotties Handbags and more, and there’ll also be flash tattoos, live drawing, nipple tassel making and UV painting workshops to get involved in too.
Rondo La Cave, the natty wine bar and incubator space below Rondo in Holborn, has a new resident. Dollars, in collab with Singapore’s Park Bench Deli founder Andrei Soen, is serving up American-style deli sandwiches made using produce from the likes of Swaledale butchers and Miller’s Bakery. The sarnie selection at Dollars includes Beef Bollito with braised beef belly, salsa verde & red chilli sauce in a white bap; Fried Chicken Sandwich with crispy fried thigh, dill pickles & comeback sauce in a potato bun; Pastrami Sandwich, with hot pastrami, Swiss cheese, coleslaw & Russian dressing on caraway bloomer; Burrata Caprese with fresh burrata, tomato, arugula, pesto & balsamic glaze on focaccia; Cubano with sweet ham, roast pork, dijonnaise, Swiss cheese & dill pickles in a sub roll; and Philly Cheesesteak with thinly sliced roast beef rump, sauteed onions, roasted bell peppers & cheese sauce in a Philly baguette. There’s also cheesesteak spring rolls, charred onion pho dip & crisps, and mortadella sliders to snack on with Rondo La Cave’s natural pours, coming by the glass, bottle and magnum.
They’ve already popped up at Westgate Street Market serving Hong Kong French toast and milk tea, and now Hong Kong milk tea specialists HOKO are opening their own pop-up cafe. HOKO Cafe on Brick Lane will be serving up HK milk tea alongside a range of French toasts, sandwiches, rice dishes and sharing snacks for two months, and it’s walk-ins only, so head down there for a real taste of Hong Kong.
TASTE KITCHEN AT NUMBER ONE PARK LANE
You’ve seen her on MasterChef: The Professionals and now you can taste her food for yourself because Philli Armitage-Mattin is taking over the terrace at Number One Park Lane. It’s all in honour of her debut cookbook Taste Kitchen: Asia, which explores the diversity of Asian food. The menu is divided into different flavour profiles – Tarty, Spice Master, Comfort, Refined, Kiddish and Dark Horse – and you can discover which suits your palate best and order accordingly, so there really is something for everyone. The PFC: Philli’s Fried Chicken is an absolute must and we also rate the Korean glazed octopus with kimchi, the short rib rendang with beef dripping Jersey Royals and the miso sticky toffee pudding. If you’re a fan of Asian food, it’s one not to miss.
WUNDERBAR AT PERGOLA PADDINGTON
It’s that time of the year again, Oktoberfest is coming to town and Pergola Paddington is pulling out the stops. After a sell-out year in 2021, Wunderbar is back at the alfresco drinking and dining venue, bringing plenty of pints in steins along with it. For the whole month, Pergola will be transformed into a traditional beer hall decked out with garlands, streamers and long communal tables. You’ll be able to drink a whole range of authentic German beers and chow down on Bavarian food while an Oom-Pah band soundtracks. Fancy dress is encouraged, with prizes awarded to those best dressed, and tickets start at £15 (including a free pint or beer cocktail) – but head over on Wednesdays or Sundays for free entry.
Of course pop-up queen Anya Hindmarch wasn’t going let to back-to-school pass her by, so she’s opened the cutest stationery shop in town at The Village. It’s all in celebration of her first ever stationery collection, which features quirky and colourful leather designs like tiger rulers, Pritt Stick pencil cases, filing cabinet pouches, sticker journals and bespoke bookmarks. A range of classic Anya Hindmarch satchels will also be stocked in the shop so you can go full schoolgirl, alongside a capsule collection made in collaboration with Present & Correct. You can even learn how to work smarter with a series of Getting Things Done workshops run by Next Action Associates. Getting organised has never been so fun.
For three months, pop-up LGBTQ+ bar Adam’s will take over Snackbar in Dalston, transforming the cult fave cafe into a nighttime spot on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Adam’s is a concept created by Adam Caddy, previously of Brasserie Zedel, Annabel’s, Quo Vadis and Century Club, who has witnessed London lose 58% of its LGBTQ+ spaces over the last decade. Caddy wants Adam’s to help correct that loss, intending to launch more pop-ups in other boroughs after its debut at Snackbar. The 65-cover cafe-cum-bar (including space for 30 outside) will serve up a menu of classic cocktails, beers from Two Tribes brewery and a rotating list of wines. Plus, the spot will be decked out with selected sketches by painter and designer Samson Dougal, who’s dressed the likes of Rihanna, Beyonce and Paloma Faith, which will be available to purchase.
DARJEELING EXPRESS AT THE PEMBROKE
Ever since Asma Khan announced that she was closing Darjeeling Express in Covent Garden back in the spring, we’ve been waiting to hear where she’s moving the restaurant too, and now we know…..sort of. The permanent new location hasn’t been revealed yet but in the meantime, Asma is taking Darjeeling Express out west and popping up in Kensington pub The Pembroke until the end of November. Open for lunch and dinner service Wednesdays – Saturdays, the pop-up Darjeeling Express will serve a smaller menu but one that will be packed with hits, including chicken pakora, lentil fritters with tamarind & green chilli chutneys, tangra prawns, beef tamatar gosht, methi chicken, and cheese & green chilli chutney and potato, chilli & cashew toasties.
Goddard & Gibbs have joined forces with Happy Endings for their new pop-up, The Hatch, which is a literal hatch on the side of the restaurant that’ll be dishing out Happy Endings’ speciality ice creams. Happy Endings debuted their soft serves at a pop-up kiosk in Victoria Park last month, and now you’ll be able to grab some in Shoreditch too, with flavours including a classic vanilla soft serve, a vegan whipped mango sorbet, or a mix of both, with the classic ice cream sandwiches also available. Or, try one of the signature sundaes exclusive to The Hatch, like the Drive Thru (vanilla soft serve, dulce de leche, Chipstix & smoked Maldon salt), the Nut Sundae (vanilla soft serve, Original Beans chocolate sauce & soy caramel cashews) and the Float Your Boat (vanilla soft serve, fresh banana, palm sugar honeycomb, morello cherries, whipped cream, pecans & sprinkles).
GREAT OBJECTS POP-UP
Great Objects, which curates a collection of homeware, lifestyle and exclusive collab pieces from independent, ethical and sustainable brands, is popping up at Netil Market with an edit of products including candles, ceramics, linens, art and more.
It’s getting hot, hot, hot at Pretty Decent Beer Co in Forest Gate because they’ve got Bangkok Delivery Boy taking care of the food in the taproom. Having worked at some of the best Thai restaurants in Bangkok and London, Neil Eakapong now does private chef’s tables and pop-ups, like this one at the brewery running on Friday nights and all day on Saturdays and Sundays. The menu includes deep fried garlic pork wontons with sweet & sour tamarind dip, smoked mackerel nam prik, beef shin curry, fried pork belly with sriracha, stir fried courgette, and prawn fried rice, all of which go very nicely with fresh beer.
Kylie Cosmetics is coming to London and it’s turning the piazza pink with the Kylie Cosmetics by Kylie Jenner Glam Park. Popping up for four days to celebrate the brand’s latest launches, the Glam Park is an immersive beauty experience where you’ll be able to have bespoke make-up and skin consultations, dive into a virtual reality world to try the different looks, explore a glam shop in partnership with Boots, play interactive games, pick up goodies in giveaways and more. Register here to get priority access, or you can turn up on the day and see if there’s availability to get inside.
Following a successful pop-up at Westfield, fashion rental biz By Rotation is back for another one, this time in Belgravia. You’ll be able to browse the best wardrobes on the app, with some exclusive pieces on offer in the store; drop off and pick up your rentals at the rotation station; and book in for a styling session where the team will curate a specific edit of garments for you. There’ll also be lots of in-store events to get involved in too, from late night shopping to beauty experiences.
Stories Behind Things, the platform founded by Jemma Finch that promotes conscious consumption, is teaming up with slow fashion brand Vestiare Collective and ethical chocolate makers Tony’s Chocolonely for a new sustainable concept residency, The Corner Store, in Shoreditch. The pop-up shop will be running a whole programme of community events, panels, workshops and industry meet-ups, including a clothes switch and an authenication session. Plus, you’ll be able to shop innovative products from 35 sustainable brands, including footwear from Allbirds, plant-based toothbrushes from SURI and organic tampons from Daye.