20 Autumnal Pop-Ups To Book This September

Tuck into this cult Malaysian pop-up

Duda Diner, the Malaysian family-style pop-up from husband-and-wife duo Hakeem and Zura Ahmad, is heading west for the first time this September, taking up residency at The Pilgrm in Paddington from September 17th.

The menu draws on family recipes, roadside stalls and late-night suppers from across Malaysia, with rotating dishes like grilled seabream with laksa beurre blanc alongside returning cult favourites including the Tempoyak Oyster with fermented durian and the DUDA Burger with Sarawak peppercorn chilli sauce.

Where: 25 London St, Tyburnia, London W2 1HH
Website: www.thepilgrm.com

Try this one-night-only tasting menu

Adam Handling MBE’s Friends of Frog four-hands dinner series is back at Frog by Adam Handling this autumn, and the first instalment on September 7th is kicking things off in style.

Edinburgh’s Stuart Ralston, chef-owner of Michelin-starred LYLA, joins Handling in the open kitchen for a one-night-only tasting menu of exceptional British seafood and seasonal produce, with three courses each from both chefs plus snacks, dessert and a few surprises on the night.

Where: 34-35 Southampton St, London WC2E 7HG
Website: www.frogbyadamhanding.com

Book into this Cantonese and fire cooking collab

The Parakeet is hosting Cafe Kowloon’s Budgie Montoya for a one-night-only four-hands dinner on September 23rd, and with proceeds going to local foodbanks, it’s as good a reason as any to splash out on a Tuesday.

Head Chef Ben Allen’s fire-led approach meets Budgie’s bold Cantonese cooking across seven courses, with highlights including oysters two ways, prawn toast with crispy cockles and laverbread dip, grilled sea bream with spring onion and ginger, and a French toast finale with Szechuan honey ice cream.

Where: 256 Kentish Town Rd, London NW5 2AA
Book here

Enjoy a taste of California in Soho

Rita’s is welcoming Maeve and Rory McAuliffe of Ojai’s Rory’s Place for a one-night-only six-course dinner on September 7th, and the backstory makes it even better. The collaboration grew out of a spring trip to California by Rita’s co-founders Gabriel Pryce and Missy Flynn, during which Pryce cooked alongside Maeve at the wood-fired, seafood-led Ojai restaurant.

The menu blends both kitchens’ instincts across six courses, with highlights including broiled oysters with fermented chilli butter, Japanese sweet potato with miso and finger lime, and a wood-fired hanger steak with chimichurri.

Where: 49 Lexington St, Carnaby, London W1F 9AP
Website: www.ritas.com

Book into this Korean-Mediterranean chef exchange

Galvin Bistrot & Bar is hosting another one-night-only chef exchange on September 29th, and this time its bringing together Chef Director Arturo Granato and internationally acclaimed chef Judy Joo.

The menu is a brilliant collision of Joo’s bold Korean cooking and Granato’s elegant Mediterranean technique, moving from wild mushroom soy truffle dumplings and Korean steak tartare through to kalbi short ribs with kimchi and a warming Delica pumpkin tart to finish.

Where: Entrance on 35, Bishops Square, Spital Square, London E1 6DY
Book here

Close out summer at this rooftop supper club

The Culpeper’s summer Guest Chef Grill series is wrapping up on September 8th with Ned Burrell, Director of Knepp Wilding Kitchen, taking over the woodland rooftop for an evening of regenerative, Sussex countryside cooking.

The four-course menu makes the most of Knepp’s organic market garden and estate butchery, with highlights including a dayboat fish crudo with seabuckthorn vinaigrette, Knepp venison chop with blackberry and red wine sauce, and a portokolopita to finish. At £65 a head with a seasonal welcome cocktail to kick things off, it’s a fitting finale to one of the summer’s best supper club series.

Where: 40 Commercial St, London E1 6LP
Website: www.theculpeper.com

Book a spot at the London Oyster Championships

The London Oyster Championships return to Richard Corrigan’s Bentley’s on Swallow Street on September 18th, taking over the street for an afternoon of oysters, champagne and serious competition.

Stanley Tucci, Jeremy Lee MBE and Matthew Fort are among the judges for the Best Dressed heat, while last year’s champions Will Murray and Jack Croft of Fallow defend their title against teams from The Sea The Sea, Bouchon Racine and The Grill at The Dorchester. There’s also a high-speed shucking contest, with the winner heading to the World Oyster Opening Championships in Galway.

Where: 11-15 Swallow St, Piccadilly, London W1B 4DG
Website: www.bentleys.com

Enjoy an after-hours fire cooking celebration

Borough Market is launching Flame & Smoke on September 10th, a brand-new after-hours event dedicated to the theatre of fire cooking, running from 6:30pm to 9:30pm in the Green Market beside Southwark Cathedral.

Traders and chefs will serve specially created small plates from across a range of fire cooking traditions, while live demonstrations explore everything from managing heat to cooking low and slow over smoke, all compered by Hang Fire BBQ’s Shauna Guinn.

Where: Borough Market
Website: www.boroughmarket.com

Book into this Greek and Cypriot kitchen takeover

The Palomar’s guest chef series continues on September 7th with Andrianos Poulis, Senior Sous Chef at Michelin-starred Mountain, bringing a menu rooted in his Athenian upbringing and Greek and Cypriot family traditions.

Highlights include a pan-fried herb pie with Cypriot dried-mint tzatziki, vine leaf koupepia slow-cooked in tomato sauce, red mullet savoro with elderberries and a creamy Cretan lamb pilaf, finishing with a cherry blossom bougatsa for dessert. It’s a one-night-only addition to The Palomar’s regular menu, and well worth booking ahead.

Where: The Palomar, 34 Rupert Street, Soho
Website: www.thepalomar.com

Grab a free lunch at this Bold Bean Co pop-up

Bold Bean Co is opening The Beanery on Greek Street from 15th to 17th September, and they’re giving away 500 free lunches a day. Think lemon butter beans with pesto and ricotta, and tomato and harissa yoghurt chickpeas, both served with focaccia. Alongside the deli there’s a shop stocked with Bold Bean jars, cookbooks and merch, plus a florist swapping empty jars for bouquets, which is a pretty charming touch.

Where: 59 Greek Street, Soho
Website: www.boldbeanco.com

Watch the Laver Cup in style at The O2 this September

The Laver Cup is returning to London’s O2 Arena from 25th to 27th September, with Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev confirmed for Team Europe, and Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur locked in for Team World.

As a V-VIP guest of official hospitality partner Keith Prowse, you’ll have the chance to meet Andy Murray and John McEnroe within your facility, with packages ranging from premium courtside seats to private suites. Friday, Saturday, weekend and full tournament packages are available to suit every fan.

Where: The o2
Website: www.keithprowse.com

Catch the final edition of this beloved book festival

Queen’s Park Book Festival is back for its ninth and final year on September 5th and 6th, and the lineup for this swan song is seriously impressive.

Philip Pullman, Sebastian Barry and Jacqueline Wilson are among the headliners, alongside a special event with British Museum curator Michael Lewis on the Bayeux Tapestry’s return to the UK and a Saturday night comedy closing with Dominic Holland and Rob Deering. It’s a truly special send-off for one of North London’s most cherished community institutions, and tickets are on sale now.

Where: Queen’s Park on Kingswood Avenue, London, NW6 6SG
Website: www.queensparkbookfestival.com

Visit this unmissable wellness pop-up

Raye the Store is back this September for its 15th edition, landing on Kensington High Street for a four-week run that brings together over 100 independent food, drink, beauty and wellness brands under one roof.

Think interactive tastings, wellness sessions and beauty treatments hosted directly by brand founders. The full brand lineup is yet to be revealed, so keep an eye on their channels for more details.

Think interactive tastings, wellness sessions and beauty treatments hosted directly by brand founders.

Where: 96 Kensington High Street, WG 4SG
Website: www.rayethestore.com

Check out Chelsea Arts Festival

Chelsea Arts Festival returns for five days from the 16th to 20th September, and this year’s lineup is one for the books.

Highlights include a punk celebration at Saatchi Gallery marking 50 years since punk exploded on the King’s Road, Susie Cave in conversation with Bella Freud, Sir Derek Jacobi and Tamsin Greig on poetry, and an evening with Bernardine Evaristo and friends presented by the Women’s Prize. With events spanning Cadogan Hall, Saatchi Gallery and beyond, it’s one of the most compelling culture weekends in the autumn calendar.

Where: Chelsea
Website: www.chelseaartsfestival.com

Mark your calendar for this wellness week

Marylebone Village is launching its first-ever Wellness Weekender from the 23rd to 27th September.

Among the programme’s highlights are two headline panel discussions. The first will be a Metabolism Masterclass with ZOE’s Dr Federica Amati and Artah founder Rhian Stephenson, followed by a Nervous System Reset with hormone expert Dr Louise Newson later on in the week. Both will be chaired by FT HTSI wellness journalist Rebecca Newman and ticketed at £15, with all proceeds going to Allkind mental health charity. Across the five days, expect free run clubs from Lululemon and Sealskinz, a complimentary week’s membership at AMP, yoga and breathwork at Third Space, wellness menus at local restaurants and a string of expert talks and treatments across the village.

Where: Marylebone
Website: www.marylebonevillage.com

Learn about gemstones over champagne at this Chelsea pub

The Surprise in Chelsea is hosting an intimate gemstone workshop with luxury fine jeweller Cassandra Goad on September 9th, and it’s a lovely way to spend a Wednesday evening.

Hosted in the pub’s private Hamilton Room, Cassandra will walk guests through the world of sapphires and emeralds, from colour and rarity to how she incorporates them into her own designs, with plenty of opportunity to get up close to some of the stones themselves.

Where: 6 Christchurch Terrace, London SW3 4A
Book here

Follow Tomos Parry to Wales for a culinary escape

Michelin-starred chef Tomos Parry is relocating Brat, Mountain and Brat x Climpson’s Arch to the woodlands and riverside of Fforest Farm on the West Welsh coast for one weekend only, from 18th to 20th September.

More than 30 chefs, bakers and sommeliers will make the journey to build the project from scratch, cooking fire-led menus developed in real time from Welsh suppliers, alongside a programme of workshops and talks from guest collaborators and local craftspeople. For anyone who loves Brat, this is an unmissable weekend.

Where: Cwm Plysgog, Cardigan, Cilgerran SA43 2TB
Book here

Book into this seasonal tasting menu evening

Caper & Cure’s monthly tasting menus are back, and September 10th’s edition looks like a particularly good one.

Head Chef Matty is serving seven courses of confident, seasonal cooking at £65 a head, moving from scallop and prawn siu mai and salt and pepper chicken spring rolls through to raw sea bream with ponzu and tomato water granita, char siu monkfish with sticky rice, and a BBQ rib of ex-dairy Friesian beef to finish. A white miso and malt Pastel de Nata for dessert and low-intervention wine pairings available on top make it a very easy yes.

Where: 108A Stokes Croft, St Paul’s, Bristol BS1 3RU
Website: www.caperandcure.com

Head to the Cotswolds for this long-table fire feast

Country Creatures, the boutique hotel and pub group from Georgie and Sam Pearman, is hosting its inaugural Fire Chefs Dinner in the village of Clanfield on September 12th, and it sounds like a brilliant evening.

Chefs Oli Brown, Ana Ortiz and Miller Prada, three of the UK’s most exciting names working with fire, are cooking a long-table feast for 80 guests, with hay bale seating, candlelit lanterns and slow-cooked meats and fire-charred vegetables served sharing style. A very good reason to head to the Cotswolds for the weekend.

Where: Clanfield, The Cotswolds
Website: www.countrycreatures.com

Spend a late summer evening at this farm festival

Tewinbury Farm is opening its fields on September 12th for a day and night of music, food and late summer atmosphere, headlined by the House and Garage Orchestra.

From 4pm, stages are set across the farm including a dedicated local talent stage, with food trucks, the Baa Bar and an optional woodland dining experience of fire-led seasonal cooking for £45 a head. Glamping and on-site rooms are available for those who want to make a full weekend of it.

Where: B1000 Hertford Rd, Tewin, Welwyn AL6 0JB
Website: www.tewinbury.com