11 of the best winter pop-ups to warm your cockles this Christmas

15 November 2017 By Edith Hancock

Between Junkyard Golf, All Star Lanes and darts-based drinking den Flight Club, there’s no shortage of games to play in Shoreditch with a cocktail in-hand.

This festive season, The London Shuffle Club will be popping up in The Truman Brewery, providing punters in East London with the perfect alternative office Christmas party and a chance to try their hands at a classic game of shuffleboard.

the Shuffle Club pop-up has proven extremely popular since it began touring the capital last year. Founder Graeme Hawkins believes this is because the easy to learn and can be done with a cocktail in hand.

The aim is to slide your ‘biscuits’ onto the top sections of the scoring triangle at the opposite end of your lane.  Overshoot, and you’ll end up in the ‘kitchen’ which immediately knocks 10 points off your score.

The Monkey 47 Winter Lodge at the Rosewood hotel, Holborn

Rosewood London is launching the Monkey 47 Winter Lodge, in partnership with Monkey 47 gin, transforming the hotel’s iconic courtyard into an enchanting winter forest inspired by the verdant trees and mystical charm of the famous Black Forest.

The lodge takes inspiration from British Commander Montgomery “Monty” Collins, and his Schwarzwald dry gin brand, ‘Max the Monkey’ Gin, which he named after a monkey that he sponsored in the Berlin Zoo. Having moved to the Black Forest after World War II, Monty opened a country guesthouse and, in an effort to retain his British roots, started to produce his own gin. The forest boasted an abundance of juniper, bramble leaves, lingonberries and many other botanicals that led to the creation of his unique Black Forest gin recipe.

Visitors will find the Monkey 47 Winter Lodge serving warming winter fare including hot and cold gin cocktails inspired by German desserts and, in some cases, paired with British ones. Monty’s Strudel cocktail, available either hot or cold, will be paired with homemade apple pie.

Lodge d’Argent at Coq d’Argent, City of London

One of the financial district’s most notorious haunts, Coq d’Argent is getting into the festive spirit  with the return of its winter rooftop bar, which this year has an Arctic theme. Think thick blankets, snow-topped fir trees and even a replication of the Aurora Bourealis.

Two igloo tents will be installed on the heated ring terraces joining the familiar array of festive lighting, furs and snowy decorations.

Furthermore, an “Aurora Borealis Cube” will be fitted in the restaurant’s lift entrance area, allowing guests to step inside for a simulated visual experience of the Northern Lights.

The menu will be focused on comfort-food classics and the bar will be serving a colourful array of Hennessy cocktails.

#Aprèswithaview at ME London, Strand

Me’s Radio Rooftop bar will be home to one of London’s most original, and exclusive, rooftop pop-ups this year; the #Aprèswithaview cable car.

Launching on 1 December, Radio Rooftop Bar will unveil a unique wintertime experience transporting guests to the likes of festive Courchevel.

With the installation of private cables cars, DJs and faux fur throws, guests will be given the opportunity to experience the ultimate alpine atmosphere right in the heart of London

Guests will also be able to order seasonal offerings such as spiced rum eggnog served in chocolate cups, or truffle cheese fondue and charcuterie. Cable cars can be booked for up to ten guests, for a total price of £650. This includes a bottle of Grey Goose vodka with mixers, a magnum of Veuve Cliqot Champagne, and barbites from tartiflette dumplings to truffled cheese fondue.

Woody Bear, 535 Oxford Street

Taking over the space that was formerly summer hit Sisu at 535 Oxford Street, Woody Bear is the venue’s first-ever winter pop-up. Design team DENLDN have created a venue inspired by an abandoned urban fairground, with warming comfort food including croque madames and monsieurs , as well as eggnog and hot gin punch on tap.

Hidden behind a secret entrance on the corner of Marble Arch and Park Lane, Woody Bear is brought to life with carnival lights, repurposed fairground ride booths and swings, running alongside mixed log tables. Glass panels and heaters have been added to keep away the chill, along with blankets to curl up under while overlooking the London skyline.

A coin-operated cocktail dispenser will serve Hot Gin Punch and a classic Old Fashioned cocktail at the touch of a button.

Moroccan Medina at the Queen of Hoxton, Hoxton

The Queen of Hoxton’s rooftop has transformed from a tiki-style bar into a snug, sultry and sun-soaked Moroccan hideout.

The Moroccan Medina, which launched in late October, will run until the end of March 2018, serving spiced hot buttered rum, shimmering gold pomegranate bellinis, and mint tea withy rose for teetotallers, as well as a rainbow vegan mezze board to soak up the drinks.

The rooftop lodge takes its inspiration from the sights, sounds and smells of Moroccan souks, complete with lavish rugs, low-lighting and plenty of jewel tones.

Space Age pods at Coppa Club, Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge’s Coppa Club bar have rolled out their iconic igloos once more to see in the festive season.

The fully-furnished igloos have been re-designed this year with timber frames and perspex sliding doors, and will be fully-heated and kitted out with blankets and speakers.

The igloos have proved so popular, they’re already booked out till February 2018, so keep checking the online booking form to see if you can grab a last-minute cancellation.

Snowy Sports at Roof East, Stratford

Roof East is providing not one, not two, but three special treats for the festive season.

The Social Fun & Games Club are heading to Roof East in Stratford for the Christmas period, providing guests with a unique opportunity to get stuck into a game of curling on futuristic neon lanes while sipping on seasonal cocktails.

Like many of London’s winter pop-ups Roof East is also offering up its own igloo dining experience, with cosy blankets to snuggle under while overlooking the London skyline.

Golf in a forest at Winterland, Fulham

The people who brought Neverland to Fullham have given the BYOB beach a seasonal makeover, complete with igloos, curling, winter lodges and mini-golf.

Winterland is situated by the river Thames in Fulham and comprises two bars, an enclosed and heated pergola with feasting tables, a heated stretch tent with cosy fur-lined sofas and neon-lit curling lanes, an enchanted woodland with heated winter lodges, riverside igloos and a whole host of festive activities.

Guests can try their hands at creating their own cocktails on Thursdays and Fridays (provided they bring their own spirits) at Winterland’s unleaded bar, while a seasonal selection of hot and cold cocktails will also be available from on Saturdays.

Pergola at Paddington Central

One of West London’s largest drinking an dining experience reopened in late October, providing a snug place to celebrate the festive season with low-level lighting, snug blankets, dark woods, winter greenery and mulled wines.

Set over two carefully curated floors, there’s seating for up to 850 diners, seven giant day beds, five self-service restaurants and two well-stocked bars serving both hot and cold alcoholic drinks to warm your cockles. burger joint Patty & Bun, latin-influenced DF/Mexico, pizzeria Made of Dough, ramen masters Tonkotsu Bar and Little Ghost Bagels will all be making an appearance at Pergola’s flagship venue in Paddington this year.

The Ethicurian at John Lewis Oxford Street

The Gardening Society bar at John Lewis’ flagship Oxford Street store is open for the winter season, welcoming its final restaurant residency of the year: Somerset-based Victorian venue The Ethicurean.

The Ethicurean will be stationed at John Jewis until the new year, serving a range of long-forgotten British classics such as Victorian scrambled eggs, Christmas pie, and a steamed London Stout pudding.

Guests can enjoy seasonal cocktails such as an Eight Spices Mulled Negroni, or a Pumpkin Punch made with bourbon, Maraschino cherry liqueur and honeyed Rooibos.