Yahoo Finance 9 Christmas events in London to book now, from Christmas markets to rooftop bars
It might only be early November but the indulgent season is fast approaching, and many Christmas events are booking up fast. Here are 9 of our favourites to provide some inspiration for family and friend meet-ups ahead of the season of goodwill.
HAWK’S NEST SHEPHERD’S BUSH
Hidden away under the railway arches in Shepherd’s Bush is the Hawk’s Nest market, which for Christmas 2023 has been converted into a winter-themed pop-up. There’s a heated garden terrace, wood fired pizzas, an extensive cocktail list and Marg & Marg happy hours, with deals on margarita pizzas and margarita cocktails. That sounds like our ideal kind of a Friday night. There’s also a retractable glass roof which swings open and shut depending on the weather. November and December.
GAUCHO SLOANE SQUARE
Perfect for the west London set who love their skiing, the Gaucho restaurant on Sloane Square is making the Alps feel a little closer this winter with their Alpine Ski Lodge. Raclette will be a key feature, as will champagne cocktails. The temporary venue within the steak restaurant will be decked out in an immersive winter theme, so expect comfy warm throws and lots of sparkly things in what’s being touted as a “winter themed wonderland.” From 9 November.
THE CHURCHILL BAR & TERRACE
If you’re doing any Christmas shopping on Oxford Street, firstly, you must be mad, and secondly, take a much-needed break from the chaos at the Churchill Bar & Terrace. It’s a few minutes’ walk away from the busy thoroughfare and has a heated terrace decked out with twinkling lights, with winter-warmer cocktails and bar bites. Within the Hyatt Regency London hotel, the Bar is inspired by Winston Churchill. From 22 November.
More Christmas events: This massive Christmas market is opening on the Southbank
MARTINI GARDEN AT HAM YARD HOTEL
How about a hot martini? James Bond’s tipple isn’t the typical drink you’d cosey up with on a winter’s evening, but we’re into it. They’ll be served alongside fire-cooked food on the roof terrace of the hotel for their pop-up with Sipsmith. Expect tartan blankets, hot water bottles, and a wider range of “smoked, blazed and steaming hot” cocktails, served in an “al fresco living room.” Try the beekeeper’s martini, inspired by the rooftop hives. From 15 November
THE TATTU WINTER TERRACE
This Chinese restaurant is unveiling ‘The Great Snow’, transforming their winter terrace into an “icy paradise” with cherry blossom trees turning blue and branches glistening, as if they are covered in ice. The look is inspired by China’s northernmost provinces where the horizon features snowy mountains and glistening stars. There will also be seasonal cocktails and traditional food. From November
MARTINI GARDEN AT HAM YARD HOTEL
How about a hot martini? James Bond’s tipple isn’t the typical drink you’d cosey up with on a winter’s evening, but we’re into it. One of the more unusual Christmas events of the season, hot martinis are the order of the day at the Ham Yard in Soho. They’ll be served alongside fire-cooked food on the roof terrace of the hotel for their pop-up with Sipsmith. Expect tartan blankets, hot water bottles, and a wider range of “smoked, blazed and steaming hot” cocktails served in an “al fresco living room.” Try the beekeeper’s martini, inspired by the rooftop hives. From 15 November.
THE CHURCHILL BAR & TERRACE
If you’re doing any Christmas shopping on Oxford Street, firstly, you must be mad, and secondly, take a much-needed break from the chaos at the Churchill Bar & Terrace. It’s a few minutes’ walk away from the busy thoroughfare and has a heated terrace decked out with twinkling lights, with winter-warmer cocktails and bar bites. Within the Hyatt Regency London hotel, the Bar is inspired by Winston Churchill. From 22 November
AMANO HOTEL COVENT GARDEN
One for the less festivally inclined, the gorgeous new Amano hotel in Covent Garden is launching a winter series focussing more on DJs and live music than anything particularly festive. The new ‘Friday Sessions’ in the Amano Bar will welcome an impressive range of live acts into the space, and there’s a new winter menu with a wide range of dishes including beef tartare served with spicy harissa and caviar and potato churros with a whipped cod roe dipping sauce. Every Friday.
SUSHISAMBA
SUSHISAMBA at the top of the Heron Tower in the City offers some of the best views of London. For Christmas the bar, which turns into a club at weekends, has partnered with Grey Goose vodka to launch a winter-themed Piazza Terrace. A range of bespoke cocktails have been created alongside a special menu of light bites for the festive season. Great for a Christmas dance if the mood ever takes you. The food takes inspiration from the cuisines of Japan, Brazil and Peru and features plenty of raw fish as well as Japanese robata charcoal grilled dishes like lamb chop, pork rib and asparagus. From 10 November
ICE SKATING AT SKYLIGHT TOBACCO DOCK
Skylight at Tobacco Dock throws some brilliant Christmas events, the highlight for 2023 being London’s only real-ice rooftop ice rink. The obvious question is, where is the fake rooftop ice rink? Anyway, back to Skylight, and expect to skate with views of the capital, street food, raclette and live DJs. Explore an urban igloo village and wander through 30 trees that’ve been decorated with festive makeovers. Indoors there’s croquet and ping pong in case it gets properly cold. From 15 November.
