Top 5: New Foodie Pop-Ups in LondonBy Alicia Grimshaw
Good grief, there’s always something new happening in London. It’s time to shake up your restaurant routine with these 5 amazing new foodie pop-ups. Knives and forks at the ready:
1. For Global Talent: Tate L9 x Carousel
The Lowdown: Tate Level 9 and Carousel have teamed up for one unmissable summer extravaganza. Taking place this month, Carousel will be hitting the road for the first time ever with three very gifted chefs. Bringing their open kitchen ethos across the river to Tate Modern from its home in Marylebone – the Level 9 kitchens will be taken over for three weeks only.
Eat and Drink: The line-up of international chef talent will kick off with charismatic Australian Chef Shaun Presland who will be taking the helm of the Tate Modern Level 9 restaurant for the opening weekend (14th, 15th, 16th July).Combining his classical training with a contemporary style of his own, and a passion for inventive culinary experiences, Shaun has created an unforgettable menu featuring steamed miso chicken dumplings, and wasabi beetroot salad. Chef Sebastian Mazzola and sake sommelière Sussie Villarico, the duo behind Cooking in Motion will be manning the kitchens between 21st-23rd July, and Mexico City native, Santiago Lastra will round of the three week residency with his ambitious dishes, inspired by fresh local ingredients but rooted in his own Mexican heritage.
Where: Book here. Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG
2. For a Trip to the States: Avenue
The Lowdown: In celebration of summer finally arriving in London (hooray), the bar at D&D London’s Avenue restaurant in St James’, will be transformed into a Hamptons-themed escape. Running from Wednesday 12th July until the end of August, ‘Avenue goes to the Hamptons’ will bring a range of fresh seafood dishes and seasonal cocktails to the bar, evocative of the sassy East-Coast American resort.
Eat and Drink: The bar will be adorned with pink flamingos and will offer a range of specially crafted cocktails, ranging from the signature Life’s a Peach, which shakes Tanqueray 10 gin with hibiscus syrup, peach puree and Brotherhood sparkling Chardonnay from the New York state winery, to the fruity Frozen Watermelon Martini, a blend of Ketel One vodka and vanilla liqueur, fresh lime and watermelon. To complement the refreshing serves, the new bar food menu will offer a selection of coastal US classics such as lobster rolls and dressed crab with avocado, alongside freshly shucked Jersey oysters dressed in a mignonette sauce.
Where: Avenue, 7-9 St James’s Street, London SW1 1EE
3. For Doughy Delights: Roberta’s NYC x Yard Sale Pizza
The Lowdown: For dough lovers, this is going to rock your socks off. The legendary Anthony Falco, formerly of Roberta’s NYC (one of the most renowned pizza joints in all the world, don’t you know), is to join London’s Yard Sale Pizza in July for a series of specials and events. Anthony, who was the chief creative force behind Roberta’s for eight years, will be flying in to London town on July 12th to add two of his signature pizzas to the Yard Sale menu, plus there’ll also be special events and masterclasses for the true pizza nerds.
Eat and Drink: From July 12th to July 31st, all three Yard Sale shops will have two of Anthony’s pizzas on the menu that helped make Roberta’s one of the hottest names in pizza history. There’s The Millennium Falco, topped with a fistful of grated parmesan, chili flakes, garlic, basil, red onion, and pork sausage; and The Speckenwolf, topped with mozzarella, oregano, mushrooms, speck ham, and thinly sliced red onions. There will also be a third yet-to-be-announced pizza special created by Anthony and the Yard Sale team when he arrives in London, so keep them peepers peeled. Anthony himself will be cooking across all three Yard Sale shops from July 12th, including a ticketed pizza making masterclass on July 15thand culminating in an outdoor ‘Yard Party’ in Walthamstow on Sunday 16th July.
Where: Locations here
4. For Badass Sarnies: Sub Cult
The Lowdown: We love Sub Cult’s sandwich creations. Taste one of their USA deli-style sub rolls and tell us that they don’t taste good. The sandwich gods are opening one of the longest pop-ups know to man (18 months) in a shipping container on White Cross Place, just off London’s Finsbury Avenue Square from Monday (10th July). Your lunchtime will never be the same again.
Eat and Drink: All Sub Cult subs are made fresh to order. Attention to detail begins with the bread: soft USA deli-style sub rolls, freshly baked to a secret innovative bagel-brioche dough recipe for perfect consistency and flavour. Signature subs on the menu include the Skandi Sub – oak smoked salmon, peppered cream cheese, Pama beetroot kimchi, lemon and dill; the Sub Contractor – smoked back bacon, white pudding and free range egg; The Rodeo – rare roast beef, truffle mayo, Grana Padano, shallot jam and pickled serrano chilli; and the Dub Sub with slow cooked pork shoulder, pickled pink onion, jerk BBQ, crackling and fresh coriander. For vegan customers, on offer is the Sub-Conscious, a meat-free medley of spiced vegan patties, raw veg chop, oyster sauce, pickled ginger and toasted sesame, as well as the vegetarian Subterranean – griddled woodland mushroom, roast garlic, thyme, truffle mayo and Stilton.
Where: Container 5, 2 Finsbury Ave, London EC2M 2PF
The Lowdown: Schmaltz, an all-new chicken restaurant will be roosting in NT’s open plan space from 15th July for one month. Forget your lackluste white meat dishes – expect a menu chock-a-block with inventive chicken sarnies using the finest French chickens direct from the farm. It’s going to be Clucking amazing.
Eat and Drink: Tuck into dishes like the Chilli Schmaltz – a Label Rouge chicken breast topped with crispy roast chicken skin, wasabi rocket leaves, pickled cucumber served with a preserved lemon and feta sauce, all contained in their signature ‘Schmaltz’ bun. The Muschoom Schmaltz features Label Rouge chicken breast topped with crunchy roast chicken skin, mushroom sauce with mushroom duxelles, mixed leaves, house-pickled shallots and parmesan mayonnaise. And for veggies there’s the courgette rosti topped with crispy cavalo nero, mushroom sauce with mushroom duxelles, baby spinach and parmesan mayonnaise.
Where: NT’s Bar, Netil House, 1 Westgate St. London E83RL
One for luck…
6. For an Indian Feast: Proud East x Chit Chaat Chai
The Lowdown: If you’re familiar with Proud East in Haggerston, you would’ve basked in all the ramen at their Japan pop-up which finished last month. This summer, Proud East are turning up the heat with their new pop-up India, a celebration of India through a series of carefully curated series of events, workshops, art, live music, DJs and wonderful food. Launching on July 6th, pop-up India will run to September 24th.
Eat and Drink: Proud East have joined forces with one of the most exciting Indian kitchens in London, Chit Chaat Chai. The menu features bold, fresh and healthy dishes like the keema croquettes stuffed with minced lamb dipped in breadcrumbs – absolutely bangin’ with their house chaatneys. There’s also the samosa chaat topped with chickpea curry, yogurt, chaatneys and sev, and okra fries – because sometimes potatoes don’t cut it. On lazy mornings, swing by Proud East for brunch with an Eastern twist.
Where: 2-10 Hertford Rd, London N1 5ET
