London’s best pop-ups

Aesthetic Taiwanese restaurant chain BAO has a history of doing all sorts of artistically impressive things with the humble bao bun, from making flower baos and hot cross baos for Mother’s Day and Easter, to crafting puffer jackets and handbags out of the stuff. We’re especially enamoured with the super cute pistachio-filled serpent baos they’ve crafted for the upcoming Lunar New Year. Available from all seven BAO sites from January 20, the slithery little sweet treats are best enjoyed at the end of the restaurant’s five-course Lunar New Year feasting menu, which you can sample for £29 per person from the City, Marylebone, King’s Cross, Shoreditch and Battersea locations. It features a variety of dishes symbolising luck and prosperity, and every guest who opts for the set menu will be given a red envelope potentially containing one of several serpent-themed prizes. These range from BAO vouchers and limited edition merch to a one-of-a-kind engraved lighter entitling the winner to one free bao every day for a year. Know someone who was born in the Year of the Snake? They’re said to be extra lucky this year. Why not take them for a slap-up dinner and test that theory for yourself?

If you’re stuck in the single life and looking to get out of it, you’re probably not counting down the days to Valentine’s Day. But head to Dinner For One Hundred and Pizzeria Mozza’s pre-V-Day collab and Cupid’s arrow might strike. The two much-loved pizza joints are teaming up for a special singles’ night dinner where guests will be matchmaked with the aim of creating genuine connections. With any luck, you’ll find yourself so enamoured with your new counterpart that not even the menu – sharing starters, pizzas, puddings and drinks – will distract you from envisioning your future together. Apply for a seat at the table here.

Is there anything more romantic than looking out over a stunning vista with the one you love by your side? Head to the Sky Garden this Valentine’s Day and you’ll find it hard to argue with that. The Fenchurch Building’s rooftap space is up there as one of the most romantic places in the city – its website even has an entire info page for those thinking about popping the question. Obviously, then, the Sky Garden will be celebrating February 14 in style, with two nights of wining and dining available. Packages start at £21pp for entry and a glass of champagne, or you can splash the cash and settle down for dinner and bubbles for £170pp.

London’s a global city when it comes to the cuisines on offer, but it can feel like there’s just too many to choose from. Thankfully, Café KOKO has launched a dining experience battle between two of our favourites, to make your decision about where to eat a little easier. Every Friday night, Don KOKO will feature limited edition Mexican and Italian dishes from rotating guest chefs, all curated by KOKO Electronic’s DJ roster. Opening night will see singer and producer SG Lewis’s pepperoni, hot honey, burrata and red onion pizza slice battle food content creator @whatwillycook’s shredded chicken and crushed scampi fries taco, but the reasonable menu is jam-packed with juicy options, plus margaritas, spritzes and palomas, too.

Somerset House is ringing in 2025 with a bang. The Palladian masterpiece has partnered with queer pan-Asian performance collective The Bitten Peach for a new year celebration that will run all the way until 2am. As well as stonking views of London’s world-famous fireworks display from Somerset House’s Terrace, there’ll be after-dark ice skating in the building’s spectacular courtyard, DJ sets curated by NiNE8 Collective, a Whispering Angel lounge where you’ll find limited edition cocktails made with the wine of the moment which you can soak up with piping hot fondue served at The Chalet by Jimmy Garcia. On top of all that, the main event of the night (aside from the countdown to midnight) will be a feast of performances covering cabaret, burlesque and drag from The Bitten Peach, which will feature everything from fire breathing to belly dancing. It’s going to be one hell of a way to start the new year.