Our round-up of the best of London pop-up scene right now.
We’re about to enter the one most non-descript month of them all, which means we figured you could do with some entertainment. Sorry October, you really don’t have much going for you, but I guess November doesn’t even have Halloween so there’s always that… ANYWAY! London is the home to some of the most creative people in the world, and lucky us – they do a lot of exciting stuff to always keep us on our toes. There’s a few of these we’d suggest checking out.
THE BLUE LOTUS OPIUM DEN
Have you ever dreamt of lounging in an opium den? No? Weird. Well, now that we’ve seeded this thought in your head, maybe don’t flee to 19th century Southeast Asia – there’s going to be a much safer option in Marylebone, running for four days this week only. Recreating the notorious Blue Lotus of San Fransisco, this will be sumptuous and decadent, though we can’t confirm there will be actual opium present. Probably not? Either way, book your way to some debauchery here.
THE OWLS ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM
Did someone say an immersive dining experience inspired by Twin Peaks? There are many things we love, but food and film are bound to take the prize – mix the two together and we’re sold. Going to a restaurant isn’t always an experience, unless you really hate doing the your own dishes, but this pop-up goes about eight steps further to make sure there’s no doubt what you’re getting is something truly unique. Food becomes a performance; sound and design work together to create a bubble like no other. There’s a surreal small town hiding in central London: book the ticket, take the ride.
AN APPETITE FOR MURDER
What if you went to a restaurant and the chef was murdered? Well, in real life you should probably call the police, but in the realm of pop-ups this means you’ll be able to have a go at solving a murder yourself. Let’s be fair – we all had a childhood dream of being either a super hero or a detective, and honestly? This is looking to be as close as it gets… Either way, it’s a four hour solution to all the busy bees that don’t fancy a weekend murder mystery trip. It promises naughty words and some scary scenes, and you can book yourself in just about now.
ALCOHOLIC ARCHITECTURE
I’ll make this really short: you will literally walk into a cloud of alcohol where it will enter your bloodstream ‘also through the eyeballs.’ THE EYEBALLS. At the gothic cathedral by Borough Market, you’re bound to have an interesting time… Tickets are available here.
LONDON SHELL CO.
London can boast a lot of incredible things, but a swanky marina where boats have transformed into restaurants is generally not one of them. OK, so maybe we’re still kind of sort of lacking on the harbour front (and no, the Nando’s by Cutty Sark doesn’t really count) but the London Shell Co. has whipped up a seafood restaurant that travels along Regent’s Canal. The kitchen is headed by Oscar Humphreys – he’ll be focussing on all things Italian in pairing sea creatures with wine. Nigella Lawson follows him on Twitter, guys – that’s a seal of approval, right? Anyways, he has ours, and you can indulge in his creations by booking here.
Only a few years ago pop-up restaurants (and shops, cafes, supper clubs and cocktail bars, hair salons and nail bars, cinemas and night clubs, ad nauseam) weren’t really a thing. Call them pretentious all you want, but not only does it give a chance for people and companies yet to establish themselves a chance to get out there and make things happen, it also gives us a chance to constantly try something new.
What’s not to love?
Tweet us your favourite places – we’re dying to discover more! x