The Food Festival To Lock Into Your Diary Now
Part restaurant crawl, part live-fire cookout and part summer drinking session, Taste Of London is a five-day festival that brings together more than 30 of the city’s best restaurants, top chefs and cult food brands for long lunches, late-night feasting, BBQ masterclasses and plenty of cold beer and sharp martinis in between.
For 2026, there’s a new addition worth knowing about: Taste of the City is a week-long programme of chef collaborations and one-off dining events happening across London. If you’re into smoky meat, standout cooking and discovering the restaurants everyone will be talking about this summer, you should book your ticket now.
The Restaurants To Turn Up Hungry For
This year’s Taste of London line-up is strong on big-hitting restaurants and bold flavours – the sort of places you usually need weeks of planning (or serious luck) to get into.
Sexy Fish
One of Mayfair’s most theatrical dining rooms is making its festival debut this year, bringing its high-energy Japanese-inspired menu to Regent’s Park.
On The Menu:
Robata-grilled seafood and signature dishes that balance smoke, heat and umami.
Los Mochis
Already one of London’s most talked-about restaurants, Los Mochis returns with its signature mix of Mexican and Japanese flavours.
On The Menu:
Fish with heat, tacos with punch and dishes designed to be enjoyed alongside spicy margaritas.
Ixchel
Ixchel is one of London’s favourite modern Mexican spots, known for smoky flavours, excellent mezcal and a menu that leans into cooking over fire.
On The Menu:
Charred meats, tacos fresh off the grill, and slow-cooked dishes with proper depth of flavour.
Roti King
No frills, permanently busy and still one of the best-value meals in London, Roti King has legendary queues for a reason.
On The Menu:
Flaky rotis, fiery curries and bold Malaysian flavours – this is comfort food at its absolute peak.
YORI
Korean BBQ fans should make a beeline here. YORI has built a loyal following with its charcoal grilling and deeply savoury marinades that deliver every time.
On The Menu:
Korean fried chicken, smoky grilled meats and plenty of spice-led dishes made to pair with cold beer.
Pahli Hill Bandra Bhai
Regional Indian cooking is a big part of London’s restaurant scene – and Pahli Hill Bandra Bhai is one of the most exciting names doing it right now.
On The Menu:
Rich curries, tandoor cooking and layered spice blends inspired by Mumbai’s neighbourhood dining culture.
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Big Mamma Group
The cult Italian group behind some of London’s most talked-about restaurants is bringing its signature maximalist energy to the festival. Think over-the-top interiors, generous portions and proper crowd-pleasing cooking done with flair.
On The Menu:
Rich, indulgent pasta dishes, truffle-heavy signatures, burrata everything and those instantly Instagrammable desserts the group is known for.
The Prince Arthur
One of London’s most exciting modern British pubs, The Prince Arthur has quickly built a reputation for elevated seasonal cooking in a relaxed, neighbourhood setting. Its arrival adds a more refined, produce-led counterpoint to the festival’s louder, high-energy names.
On The Menu:
Basque-inspired plates, carefully sourced ingredients and elevated pub classics with a chef-led twist.
The Live Cooking To Catch
Beyond the restaurant stalls, a huge part of Taste of London’s appeal is the live-cooking element – particularly if you’re interested in fire, smoke and restaurant-level BBQ techniques.
The Fire Pit is once again set to be one of the busiest areas of the festival, with chefs cooking over open flames throughout the day and sharing the sort of tips that genuinely improve your own grilling game at home. Nearby, the BBQ Cook School will host live demos focused on smoking, searing and cooking properly over charcoal.
Among the names appearing this year are Imad Alarnab of Imad's Syrian Kitchen, BBQ specialist Melissa Thompson, and south London favourite Nathaniel Mortley of 2210 by NattyCanCook.
The Drinks To Try
There’ll be cocktail bars, wine tastings, craft beer pop-ups and plenty of outdoor spritz stops scattered across the site. There are also dedicated cocktail workshops and drinks masterclasses running across the week if you fancy sharpening up your martini knowledge between meals.
The New Addition: Taste Of The City
The biggest development for 2026 is Taste of the City – a new spin-off series running across London from 15th to 21st June.
The festival is branching out from Regent’s Park into some of the capital’s best restaurants for exclusive dinners, chef takeovers and collaborative menus. Highlights include a residency at Rondo inside the Hoxton Holborn, Korean tasting menus and sake pairings at Lilli by Akira Back, and Michelin-level dining at Pavyllon London.
The Details
Taste of London 2026 runs from 17th to 21st June in Regent’s Park, with a mix of daytime and evening sessions available across the five-day festival. New for this year is the Tasting Ticket, which allows guests to pre-book dishes before arriving – a smart move for anyone targeting the festival’s busiest restaurants.
Tickets start at £24 and VIP packages are available, visit LONDON.TASTEFESTIVALS.COM
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