London Pop-ups

Lucy Sparrow, the artist who makes felt versions of everyday items like packets of crisps, jars of Marmite, bottles of spirits and fruit and vegetables, has opened a pop-up shop at Unit 22, The Brunswick Centre, near Russell Square tube, to sell her items - including little felt Christmas tree decorations - in the run up to Christmas 2022.

I love Lucy's art, and have been buying bits ever since her 'Corner Store' installation (a real corner store, kitted out entirely with felted stock) in 2014, and to to have a Christmas pop-up is an absolutely wonderful thing. It is open daily, and I strongly encourage you to visit!

Lucy Sparrow has also done a festive take over of MEATliquor Bloomsbury. Under the canopy of the towering tree, diners will dig into festive specials including the Santa's Little Gobbler burger, featuring fried turkey, red-eye mayonnaise, sprout slaw & cranberry hot sauce, along with sides of pigs in blankets with mustard BBQ sauce and Xmac 'n' cheesier with cranberry hot sauce. A perfect spot to eat after you have been shopping!

When - 19th November - 24th December 2022 - Daily

Where - Lucy Sparrow's 'Felt R Us' shop is at Unit 22, Brunswick Centre, WC1N 1BS

(MEATliquor is just round the corner at 15-17 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AF)

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Lucy Sparrow's Sew Your Soul on Instagram

MEATLiquor on Instagram

Article on the Brunswick website

Monday, 14 November 2022

Another Pantry's Winter Pop-up Shop near Covent Garden

Another Pantry is a recipe site, set up by chef and photographer Safia Shakarchi in 2020. They have now opened a pop-up shop at 38 Earlham Street, Seven Dials (practically next to the theatre showing Matilda, and opposite KERB's Seven Dials Market). It's a small space, and they have filled it with hard to find goodies from modern chefs, restaurants and makers, including Bao, St John, Sambal Shiok and Dishoom. It is open daily til 1st December; the perfect place to buy some presents for food-obsessed friends!

"We’re so excited to announce that we’re back with our second Pop-Up Grocery Store this November in the heart of London’s Seven Dials in Covent Garden. Find us open for three weeks from 11th November — 1st December at 38 Earlham Street, Seven Dials, WC2H 9LH.

We’ve got an incredible line-up of products from old favourites and some amazing new additions, as well as a whole calendar of workshops & events to get you into festive season.

Think loaves of Café Cecilia’s coveted Guinness Bread freshly baked exclusively for us, new seasonal provisions to get you ready for Christmas from our friends down in Cornwall at Coombeshead Farm, and a new line of products from Merlin Labron-Johnson’s Somerset restaurant Osip, of course not forgetting his sell-out cider from our last pop-up back in March.

We’ll have freshly baked banana bread from Violet, wine, vermouth and hot mulled wine (served on Sundays and Thursdays) from Top Cuvée, and a new range of products from Happy Endings (think jars of their famous Malty Crumb!). This time we’re also adding Sambal Shiok’s famous laksa pastes and sambal’s to the line up and Dishoom’s chutneys and chai, along with 26 Grains’s seasonal Pumpkin Seed & Cinnamon Granola, kombucha and pickles from Dalston picklery Little Duck, seasonal produce from Natoora and regeneratively farmed flour from Wildfarmed, plus so much more to be announced."

When - 11th November - 1st December 2022

Where - 38 Earlham Street, Seven Dials, WC2H 9LH

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Another Pantry on Instagram

Another Pantry

Sunday, 13 November 2022

Bare Bone BBQ at the Renegade Urban Winery in Lockwood Way, E17

Bare Bone BBQ, run by chef Jack May, is currently serving smoked and BBQ-ed meats and produce at The Renegade Urban Winery in Lockwood Way, E17, serving a general BBQ menu on Saturdays, the most amazing Sunday Roasts on the Sunday.

I visited a couple of weeks ago, and was blown away by the quality; look at the thickness of that Brisket! Jack is a great chef, who really loves his craft. Bare Bone BBQ is a passion project, set up just before lockdown, but has still managed to trade at a number of sites and festivals, including Meatopia. Jack himself came up through hard work and dedication, including time working as a butcher at Jamie Oliver's Barbecoa.

Renegade Urban Winery is a great home for Jack and his cooking. It's like a craft beer taproom, but for wine, with a big industrial space, in a trading estate. They sell a number of their own wines, by the glass or the bottle, and it's a brilliant place to spend some time.

One tip though - take your own cutlery! Because Bare Bone BBQ is basically a street food operation, the cutlery they provide is wooden and compostable. I took my own, and the meat tasted even better as a result.

When - Saturdays and Sundays

Where - Renegade Urban Winery, 7 Lockwood Way, E17 5RB

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Bare Bone BBQ on Instagram

Renegade Urban Winery on Instagram