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Whether you fancy going to a Roald Dahl-inspired dinner party, keeping it classy at a crisp-sandwich café, or concocting cocktails in a 'Breaking Bad'-style laboratory in an RV, we've got you covered with this month's top pop-ups.
Punk Kitchen
Things are changing at Brewdog's Essex Road site – it's being re-named Punk Kitchen and will now host different food pop-ups every month. But it's not a total overhaul – there will still be plenty of beer (phew), and you can ask staff to recommend a brew to go with your food. They're kicking things off with London Laksa Co, who will be providing sustenance to soak up all that beer with Singapore-style noodle soups and curries. Punk Kitchen is at 21-31 Essex Road, Islington, N1 2SA.
Last of the Summer Gravy
All aboard the gravy train! The fried chicken connoisseurs behind poultry pop-up Gravy Train are back to host a second instalment of their Last of the Summer Gravy event. This time, they're taking over Junction House in Dalston and serving up their signature spiced fried chicken with creamy mash, purple slaw and that all-important caramelised gravy, which is a far cry from the stuff you get out of a packet. If you can take the heat, they've also got their own homebrewed fiery hot sauce made from bhut naga and habanero peppers. Junction House, 578 Kingsland Road, E8 4AH. September 9-11.
Lads Who Lunch
There are no airs and graces at Lads Who Lunch – just plenty of good grub. It's the brainchild of Henry (who's trained in Gordon Ramsay's restaurants) and Elliott (who's spent the last year serving food at Lyle's in Shoreditch). Technically, they're serving brunch, not lunch, but as they're offering a six-course feast for £25, we'll let that slide. The lads specialise in re-inventing British classics, but we can't tell you what's on the menu as they're keeping the details a secret. But we can tell you that it'll probably be damn tasty. Shoreditch Arts Club, 94 Leonard St, EC2A 4RH. September 25 at 11.30am and 3pm. £25.
Conflict Café
Give peace a chance at Conflict Café, a pop-up restaurant by peacebuilding charity International Alert. It's returning to London for the third year running, and will be encouraging people to talk about building peace while breaking bread. This year, they're kicking things off with a Lebanese feast by chef Imad Ghossain, followed by a brunch by Lazeez Lebanese Tapas and their chef Michael Sallaum. The second week will focus on Sri Lanka, with a three-course sharing feast from chef Mini of ZG Events and a brunch by Ruby Kuganathan of Papi’s Pickles. House of VANS, Arches 228-232 Station Approach Road, SE1 8SW. September 22-October 2.
Abel and Cole pop-up restaurant
The folks at organic food delivery service Abel & Cole are rolling up their sleeves and getting in the kitchen with the launch of their first pop-up restaurant in Brick Lane. The seasonal menu will change weekly, but you can expect starters of mushroom gnocchi with garlic confit or panzanella salad, and main dishes of poached cod with aioli garni or whole roasted spicy cauliflower with couscous. Truman Building, Brick Lane, E1. September 9-October 1. Walk-ins only.
Walkers crisp sarnie café
Bored up of artisanal sourdough sandwiches? Walkers is going back to basics with a pop-up crisp sarnie café. Yes, really. The pop-up will be hidden away, speakeasy-style, behind a moveable crisp shelf in a newsagents in London Bridge. Once inside, you'll be able to construct your perfect sarnie with a menu of different bread, crisps and sauces. Fine dining doesn't get better than this. Located behind Chris Peter’s News on 112 Tooley Street, London Bridge, SE1 2TH. September 8-10. £3.
Chapter Eight Games
Anyone for croquet? The Chambord Chapter Eight Games is returning to London for another round of 'Alice in Wonderland'-themed fun. Grab a flamingo croquet mallet for a leisurely game on the lawn while you sip on your complimentary Chambord Royale cocktail, before soaking up the booze with burgers from Le Bun and sweet treats from Dum Dum Donutterie. Dalston Roof Park, 18 Ashwin St, E8 3DL. Until September 4.
Tequila Fest
Start lining your stomach now, because the Tequila & Mezcal Fest is returning to London for the third year running, and things are gonna get boozy. They'll have cocktail masterclasses, food pairing, a live mariachi band and a whole lot of agave-based booze. Arriba! The Boiler House, Old Truman Brewery, 152 Brick Lane, E1 6RU. September 17-18. £15.
Dinner at the Twits
Roald Dahl's gruesome twosome, Mr and Mrs Twit, are throwing a dinner party with a difference – and you're invited. Inspired by the food from the book, theatre company Les Enfants Terribles has teamed up with culinary wizards Bompas and Parr and the creative team at Creature of London, to host what they're calling 'the worst dinner party in the world'. The 90-minute experience includes entertainment from your ghastly hosts, as well as a prickly cocktail apertif, a hunt for concealed canapes and gruesome hors d’oeuvres, a baroque bird pie banquet, followed by a 'perilous pudding'. Oh, and the whole thing will take place in the Twits' windowless house. This is not for the faint-hearted. The Vaults (Leake Street entrance), Leake St, SE1 7NN. September 4–October 30. From £76.50.
ABQ
If you've still got a 'Breaking Bad'-shaped hole in your life, we've got good news for you. ABQ, the pop-up cocktail bar inspired by the show is coming back to London and parking up its RV in Hackney. You'll be able to channel your inner Heisenberg in a swanky new lab, where you'll use molecular mixology techniques to create two cocktails – one with dry ice and the other which changes colour depending on its acidity. ABQ is at 455 Hackney Road, E2 9DY.
