The wave of pop-up bars in London continues and you could try a new pop-up bar every weekend at this rate! Giving adventurous Londoners a chance to experience a unique and creative bar environment in a spectacular or alfresco setting for a short period of time is what pop-ups are all about and it seems they are going down very well with the London crowd! As well as pop-up restaurants in London, these bars are being curated by some of the top bar and drinks industry owners and everyone wants a slice of them! We have put together our recommended London pop-up bars in 2013:
Snr Ceviche Pop-Up @ The Imperial Arms
Launch Friday 3rd May - Opens May 9th, 16th & 23rd
The Ceviche supremos that have rocked London with four hugely successful Pop-Ups return for their fifth instalment. Snr Ceviche's latest offering will be popping up at The Imperial Arms, for four unmissable nights. For the unlucky few that haven't been (yet), Snr Ceviche delivers an incredible four-course Peruvian meal for £25 followed by a pumping party - as the venue is transformed into a Peruvian Cocktail Bar. Expect plates of delicious Peruvian tapas and plenty of pisco cocktails! Señor Ceviche will be serving up a choice of three Pisco based cocktails at £6 each, Cusqueña beers at £3.50 and red & white wine at £5 a glass. AYE CARUMBA!! Find out more.
Snr Ceviche is Pop Up at The Imperial Arms launches May 3rd
Roxx London @ Blagclub, Notting Hill
A six month residency from January 26th
Roxx London are taking over Blagclub, Notting Hill, for a six month residency and bringing with them a rock 'n' roll party vibe like no other. The entire venue has been set up as ant authentic 'backstage at a rockshow'. All of your senses will be 'Roxx(ed)' - the best rock ‘n’ roll music, mixed with modern house remixes and spontaneous live entertainment for your ears; your eyes will wowed by some custom 'Roxx' graffiti (commissioned especially for the event); and you taste buds will be 'Roxxed' as they 'Roll' out quality cocktails. For more info and to get on the guest list or book a table now!
Guests 'Roxx(ing)' out at Roxx London
Street Feast Pop Up at Merchant Yard
317-319 Kingsland Road, E8 4DL - Friday 12th April and then every Friday until 28th June
Street Feast returns this year from Friday 12th April, and every friday through April, May and June; at the site known as Merchant Yard. The Street Feast will not only provide an opportunity to experience some of London's leading street food vendors, but also incude some fine tipple including a bar dedicated to London's most popular spirit - The Gin Store - with bookable tables and boasting 10 specialist gins alongside other drinks. Entry to Street Feast is free (bring cash for food) and you can reserve and book tables. This will include waitresses armed with menus from all the traders operating that evening - making it perfect for large groups and even birthday parties.
Last year's Street Feast, held in Dalston, was a huge succes
BOOM Burger London @ The Earl of Portobello - 36 Golborne Road, W10 5PR
Every week Wednesday - Saturday
BOOM Burger London, since launching in 2012, has been BOOMing the taste buds of those lucky enough visit this little gem. Now they will have a more permanent residence at trendy pub 'The Earl of Portobello', in North Kensington, for the foreseeable future. The burgers available are: BOOM Burger - with bacon jam and cheese, Jamaican BOOM - a jerk chicken burger, Veggie BOOM a veggie and the Brunch BOOM. That's not all, BOOM Burger will also provide some cracking entertainment. Boom Burger do not take bookings, just head on down and enjoy... BOOM!!
Veggie BOOM, The BOOM Burger and The Jamaican BOOM... BOOM!!!
Dalston Roof Park Rooftop Bar @ Print House, 18 Ashwin Street, E8 3DL
From Thursday 2nd May
On the back of last year’s hugely popular summer residency, Background Bars are back at Dalston Roof Park from Thursday 2nd May. The unique pop-up bar and events company will utilise the venue’s edible garden using its home grown fruit, vegetables and herbs to mix cocktails. They will also be showcasing their support to local breweries and cold-pressed cider merchants; Up and coming street food vendors will be given a chance to strut their stuff; a free weekly film screenings on Tuesday; and unplugged sessions and deep house DJs. Opening Times: Tues - Friday 6pm-11pm (until midnight on Saturdays) Saturdays 3pm- 12am; Sundays 3pm – 10pm.
Dalston Roof Park Rooftop Bar
Dine Mile High - West London (location revealed on purchase of ticket)
Dates throughout summer (read below for dates)
All aboard the Dine Mile High plane!! This exciting, cool and quirky pop-up experience is the brainchild of four cousins - who set themselves a task of creating a dining experience that combined food, art, music and interactive theatre to culminate in an unforgettable evening. Their creation takes you on a culinary voyage without leaving our great city. They have also included one of London's most exciting young chefs and copious amounts of cocktails - time to check in, people! The flight schedule for Dine Mile High will be Beirut: 1st-4th & 8th-11th May 2013; Sicily: 12th-15th & 19th-22nd June 2013; Mozambique: 18th-21st & 25th-28th September 2013.
Dine Mile High waiting staff in classic stewardess attire.. ooh la la | Photograph: Steph Hartop
The Gin Garden's Bombay Sapphire Botanical Experience @ The Hoxton Hotel, Shoreditch
Friday 24 – Friday 31 May 2013
Bombay Sapphire will be collaborating with The Gin Garden at The Hoxton Hotel in Shoreditch to transform the hotel's courtyard into The Gin Garden's Bombay Sapphire Botanical Experience. Popping up for one week only from Friday 24 May until Friday 31 May, there will be daily Gin Botanical Perfume sessions, Ultimate G&T masterclasses - explaining all you need to know about gin and botanicals. Guests will also get the chance to make their own Bombay Sapphire Infused Gin & Tonic from the Ultimate G&T Cabinet. The Gin Garden's Bombay Sapphire Botanical Experience will take guests on an inspiring voyage of enlightenment – learning about the intricacies and complexities of gin and the opportunity to touch, smell and taste the distinctive botanical ingredients that have been vapour infused to create the unparalleled taste of Bombay Sapphire.
The Gin Garden's Bombay Sapphire Botanical Experience at The Hoxton Hotel
The Hutch Club Cockctail and Jazz Pop Up at Quaglino's
1st June 2013 – 31st August
The Hutch Club – Cocktail and Jazz Pop Up The Hutch Club is set to launch, this summer, at Quaglino’s in Mayfair. The elegant cocktail and jazz pop up will salute the venue’s hedonistic spirit – which began when the extravagant host Giovanni Quaglino first welcomed the first welcomed the beautiful and decadent society crowd in 1929. The late-night revelry and charm of evenings with Hutch will be revived with a programme of live jazz on Friday and Saturday evenings. The Hutch Club will also throw a number of exciting cocktail master classes - where guests can learn and explore the complexities of mixology.
Bespoke cocktails, live jazz music, tonnes of glamour and of course.... popcorn.
Kitchen Party Pop Up @ 42 Northampton Road, EC1R OHU
Thursday - Saturday until end of July
The Kitchen Party is a fully immersive and unique dining experience where guests explore different cuisines as they explore the venue. Expect to encounter molecular gastronomy and cocktails, the wandering '4th Wall' cocktail bar, an edible installation and best of all the fully immersive basement dining experience - complete with music, dancing, thematic cocktails, costume and decadence. There will be surprises at every corner so don't be afraid to explore. Turning the typical dining tradition playfully on its head, Kitchen Party will in fact be a collective of three or four ‘restaurants’ in one - a menagerie of multiple experiences, tastes, flavours and sights – offering guests something wholly unique each time they visit.
An example of one of the many rooms that will feature at The Kitchen Party pop up.
Outdoor May Film Hop @ The Book Club
24th - 26th May
The Book Club ‘king of street parties’ and Experience Cinema team up to bring you a brand new event this May. Experience films outdoors on a giant screen with wireless headphones to allow you to dance, drink and party along to the movie to your hearts content. The film schedule is as follows: FRIDAY 24TH – Concert style screening of Purple Rain (1984), SATURDAY 25TH – Sing-a-long screening of Grease (1978), SUNDAY 26TH – Dance-a-long screening to Dirty Dancing (1987). All screenings are non-seated, so make sure you have your dancing shoes at the ready. The 70s & 80s dress up box will also be available for any of you that want a bit of last minute fancy dress; plus The Book Club bar and a fine array of street food and cocktails will be on offer to make sure all your party needs are met.
Join in the sing song at The Book Club's Outdoor May Film Hop
Jubjub Does Cantina de Cuervo @ Callooh Callay
9th April - 18th May
For 6 weeks, Callooh Callay will be hosting a pop-up that celebrates everything Mexican. The Jujub pop-up will feature a different event and theme each week with just a few ingredients running through the entire tenancy - tequila, Mexican street food and a great time. On top of that, expect to see: alcoholic slushies, Luchadores, Mariachi, Cinco de Mayo, Dia de los Muertos, Mexico World Cup 1986 themes, cinema, nachos, tacos, sombreros, Sugar Skulls, TEQUILA, burritos, and many many more... I guess I'll see you there. For more info on the pop up, click here.
Jubjub Does Cantina de Cuervo will run from 9th April - 18th May
Queen of Hoxton Summer Rooftop
11th May - End of Summer
The Queen of Hoxton will welcome the start of the summer with the opening of their summer rooftop. Watch out for a run of quality parties with massive guest DJs such as Norman Jay and Jazzie B. Whilst the sun is still out, 2013 sees the debut of the morning to late afternoon Hot Tub Tropicana which is set to be kitted out with loungers, a paddling pool and rumour has it, a hot tub! The massively popular Rooftop Film Club returns in May at its original home following its winter hibernation, with a packed programme of cult classics. The food and drink menus have been spruced up to deliver the best BBQ and cocktails a London rooftop has to offer! Don't miss out on all of this epic summer shiz.. book online.
Queen of Hoxton's Summer Rooftop is hot-property in the Shoreditch bar scene
Forza Win - Summer 2013 @ (location revealed on purchase of ticket)
30th May - 21st September
Forza Win is back in a new place, with new faces, new pizzas and new drinks. The professors of pizza will be baking up a storm for the whole summer, as their pop up returns to the skies of East London. Tickets this year are £30 and include a drink on arrival, first course, your share of a pizza tasting menu (main course) and a delicious dessert. Forza are working with Pizza Pilgrims again so are serving the best Neapolitan pizzas in Town, cooked in their trusty wood-fired ovens. The Pop Up runs through the whole summer, so there is no excuse for missing out!!
Forza Win Summer Rooftop Pizza Pop Up | Photograph: Daniel Morgan
Pop Up Ping Pong @ 54 Russell Gardens
Saturday 1st June
Pop Up Ping Pong is back just in time for summer at its usual spot - 54 Russell Gardens. And of course the usual amazing food - #BRGR (www.hashtagbrgr.com) serving up a conveyor belt of American cheeseburger sliders; the great price on tipple - with drinks starting from £2, beers at only £2.50 and vodka, rum or gin mixers from £4; and to top it all off - great commercial and party pumping house tunes. Expect Beer Pong, Ping Pong, Great Party Vibes and mouth-watering food!! Get yourself down there, but make sure you book online.
Pop Up Ping Pong Returns to 54 Russell Gardens
The Ultimate G+T Tapas Menu @ Brindisa Restaurants
April 1st - 31st May
This April, iconic gin brand, Bombay Sapphire, will be joining forces with one of the Capital's first choice in authentic Spanish food (Brindisa Tapas Kitchens) to launch a specially created ʻUltimate G&T Tapas Pairingʼ across its four London restaurants. The concept takes inspiration from the original idea of tapas, where you were served a drink with a small plate of food sat on top of it. The Bombay Sapphire ‘Ultimate G&T Tapas Pairing’ will be available from 1 April until 31 Mayat Brindisa Tapas Kitchens: Tapas Brindisa London Bridge, Tapa Brindisa Soho, Casa Brindisa South Kensington and newly opened Tramontana Brindisa in Shoreditch, priced £10 per person.
Tapas was originally invented, in the 17th cenury, as a small dish that would sit atop a drink
Peckham Springs Pop Up Gallery and Cocktail Bar - Peckham Railway Archer, Blenheim Grove, SE15
10th May - Through Summer
Peckham Springs is a summer long gallery and cocktail bar pop up that will showcase the most exciting art and culture from the ever-burgeoning South London art scene. The Pop Up is housed in two railway arches under Peckham Rye station and is only open on weekends. Every weekend will see a different artist showcasing their talents, alongside a cocktail bar serving classic and signature cocktails. Head down for a taste of culture, and something a little different in South London - just make sure you order the 'Peckham Spring Water' cocktail, you won't regret it.
Great cocktails alongside exciting art, at the Peckham Springs Pop Up
Propstore @ The National Theatre - South Bank, London, SE1 9PX
Starts May 3rd
The Propstore is The National Theatre's pop-up riverfront cafe and bar that is open throughout the summer. The Pop-Up owes its name to the unique decor - some of the most famous and memorable props, sets and sceneries from National Theatre productions. The Propstore opens everyday from noon and serves a delicious selection of tasty street food, alongside Meantime draught beer, Sipsmith spirits and English wines. Once all the guests have been revved up and are in the party mood, Fridays and Saturdays will feature DJ sets that go on until 2am in the morning.
The Propstore at The National Theatre is open throughout the summer
BBQWhiskyBeer @ The Wargrave Arms
From 12.00 - 22.30, Everyday (for the foreseeable future)
BBQWhiskyBeer, well there are no prizes for guessing what goes on at this new London pop up. Situated in The Wargrave Arms, the Pop-Up will include chicken wings, baby back ribs with bacon (dribble), fried chicken burgers, fillet o fish, macaroni burgers and more. With generous helpings, burgers starting at £7.50, 150 types of malt whisky and an impressive selection of ales, BBQWhiskyBeer could be a mainstay in the London burger scene.
Great Big Burgers at BBQWhiskyBeer
Lucky Chip at Various Venues Across London
Times vary depending on location. Read below for more info.
Lucky Chip has been the CEO of great London burger joints for many a year and, due to popular demand, is spreading its reach with new sites popping up (pray, near you). Having been gloriously filling the bellies of Londoners since burger ‘Big-Daddy’ – MeatLiquor, was still in nappies and when our only outlet for burgers was a GBK or another GBK (before the dirty burger revolution), they have decided to expand in to more sites. Now with three sites across London (we are being truly spoilt) it is only a matter of time before Lucky Chip gets its own site (let us pray). To get your hands on these tasty burgers head down to one of these sites and get in line: Sebright Arms, Shoreditch Mon – Sat 6–10pm, Sun 1–6pm; Netil Market Sat, Hackney 12.30–6pm; The Player, Soho Tues - Thu 12-4pm & 6-10pm, Fri 12-4pm & 6-11pm, Sat 6-11pm.
Lucky Chip Burgers at The Sebright Arms
The Rum Shack @ Floridita
1st February 2013 until there's no Rum
Floridita combines three distinctive elements: Latin American-inspired food, legendary cocktails and a wide variety of live music and entertainment, from authentic Cuban bands to glitzy cabaret nights. To add to its repertoire of fun time treats, Floridita will be opening ‘The Rum Shack’ – an installation in part of the bar and sofas area, with a dedicated Rum menu of 15 cocktails and 5 sharing cocktails. The area will be the perfect setting for hosting your own private beach party. Smaller groups are able to make table bookings and essentially have a section of the ‘beach’ all to themselves. Design my will be done by Joanna Berryman of Interior design heavyweights – Matrushka. This is all very hush hush but we have managed to get you a sneak peak of what the bar will look like (below). The Pop up will launch on February 1st and will go on as long as there is still Rum in the building, so head down before its too late.
The Rum Shack at Floridita
Dim Sum at Asia de Cuba
20th January 2013 and every Sunday thereafter
Asia de Cuba, situated in 5 star hotel St. Martin’s Lane, is proud to announce the launch of Dim Sum Brunch. The aim is to provide a chilled Sunday gathering, featuring authentic dim sum with a contemporary twist. Turning modern Sunday lunches on its head, Dim Sum Brunch offers an exotic West End escape from the depressing onslaught of the gloomy English winter with Latin inspired cocktails and performances by a popular Cuban Jazz trio and DJ. The first live event will take place on 20th January 2013 and will continue to run every Sunday, from 12-5pm. The new Dim Sum menu has been created with Asia de Cuba’s sharing ethos in mind - encouraging guests to sample as much as possible and experience everything Asia de Cuba has to offer.
Asia de Cuba is situated in the trendy 5 star hotel - St. Martin's Lane
Midnight Apothecary @ The Brunel Museum
Every Friday from 20th April
Disco Bistro
Open on 19 November. 6 month residency at Rising Sun, 61 Carter Lane, London, EC4V 5DY
The creators of Rock Lobsta and God Save the Clam are back again with a fresh new offering in Disco Bistro, located at the Rising Sun pub in St Paul's. Disco Bistro will start a 6 month tenure on 19 November and will serve up two menus, both incredibly different from one another. Basically, one classy and one trashy; though there's good reason to believe both will be pretty awesome if the other pop-ups from these guys are anything to go by.
This is from the 'trashy' menu, apparently.
Yalla Yalla Shoreditch Pop-Up Restaurant & Bar
186 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6HU.
London's newest cultural offering from the Lebanon; Yalla Yalla is an authentic Lebanese and Middle Eastern pop-up restaurant and bar hitting Shoreditch High Street this November. Serving street food and cool spiced cocktails under a heated canopy, this alfresco delight will keep Londoners warm this winter with hot lamb dishes and their special coriander flavoured cocktail. Yalla Yalla have a proven track record delivering top pop-ups and this new Shoreditch offering will be no different; with DJs and bellydancers performing at weekends, this Lebanese showcase could get seriously busy. We highly recommend visiting Yalla Yalla in Shoreditch; mainly because of the food and drinks, but also for the entertainment, alfresco atmosphere and even for a dose of culture.
Yalla Yalla will bring some of their famous spice to Shoreditch
Gingerline HQ London - East London Pop-ups
Popping up at secret locations along the East London Line
Gingerline has been putting on secret supper club events in various pop-up formats in London for two years now, creating events such as a Siberian Circus in New Cross Gate and a Submarine mess hall in Shoreditch. Combining delicious food and cocktails with art, theatre, costumes and entertainment under top secret conditions, the launch of a permanent Gingerline HQ in August 2012 is extremely welcome to the point of spontaneous outbursts of giggles.
FYI The Gingerline is a pseudonym for the London Overground
Cigar and Cognac Terrace @ Aqua Nueva
Monday to Friday 6pm - 9pm
Aqua Nueva restaurant and bar in London’s West End is introducing a cognac and cigar terrace in its outside space that has views of the capital’s skyline. With Aqua Kyoto - A Japanese themed restaurant; Aqua Nueva - A Spanish themed restaurant; and Aqua Spirit - A cocktail Bar, this site already has fantastic variety. Bar manager Manuel Soro has created a cognac and cigar menu including pairings such as the rich, aged Martell Cordon Bleu Cognac and the full-flavoured Hoyo De Monterrey Petit Robust. Also on offer is a menu of whiskies, rums and champagnes selected to enhance the complex flavours of the various cigars. Classic cocktails will also be available such as a French 75 and Brandy Crusta. Launching on January 14th, it is open Monday to Friday from 6pm to 9pm.
The roof terrace at Aqua Nueva commands great views of the London skyline
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