Whilst Winter Wonderland and London’s array of Christmas markets steal a lot of the festive focus, this inventive lot of winter pop-ups will bring you peace, goodwill, and plenty of boozy treats too for the rest of 2021 and into 2022.
1. Coppa Club’s Riverside Igloos, Tower Bridge
Every year, these riverside igloos return and whip up Londoners into a frenzy, and 2019 has been no different. Aside from the simply stunning views, they also come fully equipped with blankets, sofas, and winter gin cocktails. It’s enough to keep you gloo’d to the spot at this winter pop-up, as it were. Find out more here.
Find it at 3 Three Quays Walk, Lower Thames St, EC3R 6AH, and the nearest station is Tower Hill.
2. Coppa Club, Putney
While we’re on Coppa Club, it would be criminal not to mention their latest installment – situated right by the River Thames in leafy Putney. As well as their striking interior, they also offer three lovely igloos where you can tuck into some lip-smackingly good grub – think truffled wagyu burgers and warm chocolate fondants with caramelised white chocolate and salted caramel ice cream. Why not treat yourself right?!
Find Coppa Club Putney at 29 Brewhouse Ln, London SW15 2JX, and the nearest station is Putney Bridge or East Bridge.
3. Queen of Hoxton, Shoreditch
The rooftop at Shoreditch institution the Queen of Hoxton is currently decked out in a curiouser and curiouser Alice in Winterland theme – think a covered wigwam, fire pits aplenty, piping hot drinks, signature cocktails, burgers and more than a pinch of magic. It’s a mix of sit-down spots and standing, so you’d be wise to book ahead to enjoy the alfresco dining at a table. Dive in and join in with the fun.
Find it at 1 Curtain Road, EC2A 3JX. Nearest stations are Liverpool Street and Shoreditch High Street.
4. Skylight, Wapping
You’ll find yourself walking on the air with a visit to London’s highest and mightiest ice rink. Atop the Tobacco Dock in Wapping sits Skylight, which offers fondue, wine, and the all-important rink where you can go ice skating or watch Christmas movies while soaking up winning cityscape views. You’ll also find sky-high igloos and an ice hockey shooting range, to add a little competitive edge. Read all about it here.
Find Skylight at Tobacco Dock, Pennington Street Entrance, Wapping, E1W 2SF, and the nearest stations are Shadwell or Wapping.
5. Winterland Alpine Lodge, Fulham
Fulham’s riverside pop-up, Winterland, has never been one to sleep on the pop-ups front. Taking the theme of an enchanted Alpine forest, this Christmas cracker is bursting with forest igloos and cabins, Alpine brunches and brilliantly-festive cocktails. Elsewhere, you’ll stumble upon a Bavarian beer tent overflowing with steins of German beer, ski-lift bubbles for cute date nights, and an outdoor fire pit where you can toast marshmallows to your heart’s content.
Find it at Wandsworth Bridge Road, Fulham, SW6 2TY. Nearest station is Putney Bridge.
6. Jimmy’s Lodge, Southbank
London is head over heels in love with igloos (or ‘snow globes’ as they are called here), so much so that we felt compelled to include another set of the wonderful orbs on this list. You’ll have Jimmy Garcia to thank for this lot, as he’s setting some up next to his Alpine lodge on the Southbank. Schnitzel, steaks, and hotdogs lead the meaty menu, although they’ll also have vegan wild mushroom and truffle fondue – fancy hey?!
Find them at the Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX. Nearest station is Waterloo.
7. The Montague Ski Lodge, Bloomsbury
Returning to the winter pop-ups scene this year is The Montague on the Gardens, who will reopen their ultra-festive, super-seasonal Montague Ski Lodge. This is apres-skiing taken to the next level, with rivers of mulled wine, sprinklings of snow, pine trees aplenty, and enough blankets to cover Mont Blanc – all without leaving Bloomsbury! It’s only open until December 31st, so you’d best get your (ice) skates on if you’d like to experience it this year. Find out more here.
Find it at The Montague on the Gardens, 15 Montague Street, Bloomsbury, WC1B 5BJ. Nearest station is Russell Square.
8. Pergola, Paddington
Paddington isn’t renowned for its forests, but come the winter, that all changes with their seasonal pop-up. Named appropriately as ‘Deck the Halls’, this winter haven is filled with street food, seasonal cocktails, and toasty welcomes – it’s seriously dreamy! There are also 350 real Christmas trees covered in twinkling fairy lights, blankets to keep you warm, and special events like gospel choir singalongs – in a word, this is Christmas in a nutshell. Get involved here.
Find it at 4 Kingdom Street, Paddington, London, W2 6PY. Nearest stations are Paddington or Royal Oak.
9. Dalloway Terrace, Bloomsbury
There’s really no need to dream of a white Christmas when Dalloway Terrace is around. This swish Bloomsbury Hotel’s very own Instagram magnet is back, with a stylish Christmas makeover once more, with plentiful pine trees, twinkling lights and frost-encrusted foliage dotted about the terrace. It’s also a prime spot for a lovely seasonal meal – specialties include grass-fed Hereford fillet steak, woodland farm mushroom risotto and slow-cooked Moroccan lamb tagine.
Find it at 16-22 Great Russell Street, Fitzrovia, WC1B 3NN. Nearest station is Tottenham Court Road.
10. Aviary, Finsbury Square
Another day, another igloo pop-up. Aviary’s rooftop bar has boasted a horde of orbs here since 2018, and they’re back once again this year for more breathtaking sunsets and post-prandial bevs. For this season, they’ve partnered with Monkey 47 Gin and have curated a makeover for their igloos, inspired by tropical island holidays. You’ll be able to kick back in your heated island igloo, sip on some lovely cocktails and look out over that iconic London skyline. We’ll cheers to that! Find out more here.
Find them on the 10th Floor of Montcalm Royal London House Hotel, 22-25 Finsbury Square, EC2A 1DX. Nearest station is Old Street.
11. Madison, St Paul’s
London favourite Madison has once again transformed into an alpine wonderland for their winter season pop-up, billed as ‘A Miracle on the Rooftop’. Sit down in one of their many chalets filled with faux fur and tartan blankets, and warm up with a boozy hot chocolate or some mulled wine. Take in the stunning views of St Paul’s Cathedral before tucking into some festive grub. This year they’ve also paired up with Bulleit Bourbon to offer a range of cocktails to warm the cockles – cheers!
Find them at One New Change, London, EC4M 9AF. Nearest stations are St Paul’s, Bank and Mansion House.
12. Skylight, Peckham
Perched atop the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in Peckham, this neat spot affords fantastic views of The Shard, the 02 Arena and the iconic Walkie Talkie. It’s also got its very own – wait for it – selection of igloo winter pop-ups for the winter season which can hold up to ten people. If you’ve got a better spot in London to sip on prosecco and soak up those cityscape views, we’d love to hear it. Bookings go all the way through to the end of January 2022, so you’ve still got plenty of time to enjoy these cute little festive pop-ups.
Find it at 120 Peckham Hill Street Theatre Walk, London, SE15 5JT. Nearest stations are Peckham Rye or Queen’s Road Peckham.
13. Radio Rooftop Bar, The Strand
The Radio Rooftop has both north and south facing terraces – it’s the best of the both worlds. And thanks to their space heaters and cosy atmosphere, you won’t want to leave in a hurry. This year they’re offering a ‘Sky-High Winter Bubbles’ package where you can rent out your own luxurious hideaway, decked out in faux-fur throws, cosy blankets and even fireplaces to keep you nice and toastie. They also do a great range of cocktails and offer fantastic views over the River Thames. Find out more here.
Find it at 336-337 Strand, London, WC2R 1HA. Nearest station is Temple.
14. Bar Elba, Waterloo
This themed bar in London Waterloo is all about the cocktails during the summer months, but come the winter, it’s all about the festive fun with a side of mulled wine. Their pop-up this year is decked out with all the bells and whistles such as bright lights, warming heaters, cosy blankets and Crimbo decorations aplenty. They’ve also got an array of delicious cocktails including ‘Winter Bellini’, ‘Festive Negroni’ and ‘Sub-Zero’, as well as Aussie-themed and an ‘over and out’ bottomless brunch for New Year’s Eve.
Find it at Rooftop Mercury House, 109-117 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8UL. Nearest station is Waterloo.
15. The Regent, Balham
If you’re looking for a winter wonderland, look no further than this cute spot in South London. Billed as ‘The Secret Winter Garden’, this lovely Balham pub has transformed itself into Narnia for the winter, with a walk-through style wardrobe, a fully-heated, enclosed canopy decked out in ivy and twinkling lights and a selection of festive igloos available to hire. They also do a mean cheese feast at ‘The Raclette Bar’, which consists of baked Camembert, raclette croquettes, blue cheese endives, and smoked sausage with Dijon mustard (or Padron peppers, for veggies). Yum yum – no wonder it had to feature on our list of winter pop-ups! Find out more here.
Also published on Medium.