THE BEST WINTER POP-UPS IN LONDON THIS CHRISTMAS
Christmas is coming so cosy up with a hot cocktail and festive grub at the best winter pop-ups in London. From outdoor igloos on the Southbank to rooftop bars decked out with all the Christmas trimmings, London is never short of somewhere for some festive fun. Year-round venues like Aviary London, Coppa Club Tower Bridge and Dalloway Terrace get Christmas makeovers, with lots of twinkly lights, blankets and festive food and drink, and then a whole host of seasonal spots pop up across town too.
The US’s renowned Miracle bar is coming back to London just in time for Christmas, popping up on the Henrietta Hotel’s mezzanine with kitsch cocktails in tow. Over west, Pergola Paddington is decking the halls with fairy lights, Christmas trees and even a lifesize Polar Express train. Want to indulge in a little friendly competition? Curling is the name of the game. You can show off your sweeping skills on the ice with Club Curling in Coal Drops Yard or over on the Southbank at The Curling Club.
The Southbank really is the place to be this winter as Jimmy Garcia is back in the area with his heated igloos, serving up an alpine-inspired menu of fondue and sharing steaks, and Between The Bridges is being transformed into a winter wonderland complete with a packed entertainment programme including Old Dirty Brasstards, Masseoke, UKG Bingo, Swiftogeddon, and Sleigh Queen Drag Brunch.
The US’s renowned Miracle bar is coming back to London just in time for Christmas. Popping up on the Henrietta Hotel’s mezzanine, the Christmas-themed pop-up will be serving up their famous festive cocktails, including the Christmapolitan (vodka, elderflower, dry vermouth, spiced cranberry sauce, lime, rosemary & an absinthe mist) with a side of kitsch. You can also enjoy a selection of snacks from the Italian Supper Club at Henrietta whilst taking in the extravagant retro Christmas decorations and being transported back to Christmas past.
Indulge in a little friendly competition and sweep your way to glory this festive season at The Curling Club at the Southbank Centre. With five curling sheets, there’ll be plenty of chances for you to get on the ice and show off your skills, and there’ll be winter cocktails, alpine-inspired street food including bratwurst and raclette fries, and live entertainment to keep the party going after the games have finished.
JIMMY GARCIA'S FIRE AND FROMAGE
Jimmy Garcia is taking over the South Bank this winter with Fire and Fromage. The alpine-inspired pop-up will feature a set of (heated, obvs) igloos, serving a menu including squash soup, fondue with charcuterie, sharing steaks to cook on hot stones, and apple & brandy crumble custard tart. Or you can go for the raclette bar menu with unlimited cheese and all kinds of nice things to smother it on. N-ice ice baby.
Normally reserved for hotel guests, Ham Yard Hotel is opening up its rooftop terrace and garden, which has been transformed into a winter martini garden, to everyone this festive season. It’s the perfect place to get cosy with heaters, candles, tartan blankets and hot water bottles dotted around and hot cocktails, like the Paloma-tini (with Sipsmith gin, Suze and grapefruit & thyme syrup) and the Beekeeper’s Martini (a hot take on a Bee’s Knees finished with smoke) on the drinks list. There are also cold martinis on offer from the tableside trolley and you can pair your bevs with food cooked over fire, such as game & smoked bacon skewers, roast scallop with smoked butter & crispy seaweed, and ember-roasted beetroot & Cashel Blue flatbread.
CLUB CURLING AT COAL DROPS YARD
Club Curling is back at Coal Drops Yard for some winter sports action for 2023 and this year, it’s nineties-themed. You can curl the night away on one of the six lanes in teams of up to six, and children under 12 play for free when accompanied by an adult. There’ll be a pop-up cocktail bar on site so you can have a festive tipple while you curl to the soundtrack of 90s anthems provided by weekly DJs.
DECK THE HALLS AT PERGOLA PADDINGTON
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: 5:00 – 11:00 PM
- Thursday: 4:00 – 11:00 PM
- Friday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Saturday: 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Sunday: 12:00 – 10:30 PM
Pergola Paddington is transforming for another winter and this time it’s decking the halls with Christmas trees and twinkling lights. The upstairs level is turning into a winter forest complete with a lifesize Polar Express train whilst downstairs will be decked out like an alpine hall. As well as seasonal tipples like mulled wine, hot toddies, spiced ciders and boozy hot chocolates, there’ll be cheese fondue, bratwurst rolls, tarte flambée and pigs in blankets to tuck into. There’ll also be a series events, including gospel choir performances and Christmas movie screenings to get you all in the holiday spirit.
SNOWBIRD
- Monday: 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Tuesday: 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Wednesday: 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Thursday: 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Friday: 12:00 PM – 1:00 AM
- Saturday: 12:00 PM – 1:00 AM
- Sunday: 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM
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.
HUMBUG CHRISTMAS DIVE BAR
What do you think Santa does after a long hard day at his workshop? He hits his fave dive bar of course, and now you can too. At Humbug, a new immersive festive dive bar popping up on Waterloo’s Leake Street, you’ll have to help Santa get back in the Christmas spirit, which shouldn’t be a problem with festive sing-a-longs, cabaret performances, live music, and DJ sets all on the cards, alongside Christmas lights, holiday memorabilia and cocktails like the Bah F*****g Humbug’ (with rum, chocolate liqueur, oat milk, crushed Oreos, whipped cream and a mince pie on top).
ELECTRIC WINTER
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Wednesday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Thursday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Friday: 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Saturday: 11:00 AM – 12:00 AM
- Sunday: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Between The Bridges on the South Bank is being transformed into Electric Winter, with the heated and covered areas, plus street food from the likes of BBQ Dept, Bang Bang Burger, The Duck Shed, Papi Chulo and Made of Dough. There’s a packed programme of entertainment too, with Old Dirty Brasstards, Masseoke, UKG Bingo, Swiftogeddon, and Sleigh Queen Drag Brunch featuring queens from Drag Race all hosting events so you won’t be short of festive fun.
PECKHAM ARCHES
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: Closed
- Thursday: Closed
- Friday: 5:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Saturday: 2:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Sunday: Closed
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, has the capacity for 600 guests and adjoins an art gallery, screening room and dancefloor. For winter the space will be decked out with fairy lights, Christmas trees, and rugs, with mulled wine and festive specials on the menu. There’ll also be a range of foodie takeovers throughout winter plus wreath making workshops and a Christmas market to really get you in the spirit.
MARKET HALLS VICTORIA WINTER ROOF GARDEN
- Monday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM
- Thursday: 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM
- Friday: 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM
- Saturday: 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Market Halls Victoria’s roof terrace has been cosied up for winter with covers, heaters, blankets, and twinkly lights. The bars on the roof are serving up mulled wine, chocolate orange espresso martini, and winter warmer cocktails, and you can feast on winter specials from the market’s resident traders like Butchies, DF Tacos, Hotbox and Eggslut.
DALLOWAY TERRACE
- Monday: 12:00 – 11:30 PM
- Tuesday: 12:00 – 11:30 PM
- Wednesday: 12:00 – 11:30 PM
- Thursday: 12:00 – 11:30 PM
- Friday: 12:00 – 11:30 PM
- Saturday: 11:00 AM – 11:30 PM
- Sunday: 11:00 AM – 11:30 PM
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.