Looking for somewhere special to sink an eggnog or mulled wine with friends over the festive season? Try one of these Christmas pop-ups. Merry Hic-Mas! 🍸☃️
Apres Bar at London Bridge Rooftop
Open year-round, London Bridge Rooftop gets into the alpine spirit from late October, becoming the Apres Bar — a fully-covered fir tree and bauble-festooned drinking destination, scattered with vintage alpine paraphernalia and serving up shots off skis. Those who prefer a little privacy can book a private cable bar booth or Christmas grotto.
Apres Bar, London Bridge, from 29 October 2025.
Miracle at Henrietta hotel, Covent Garden
Travel back to the gaudy Christmasses of decades past, with Miracle's spec-tacky-ular pop-up in Covent Garden. Slurp OTT mulled wine and eggnogs from ludicrous mugs (including a t-rex-shaped number), while admiring white plastic Christmas trees bespewed with gaudy tinsel. Our fave — and yes we have knocked back a few — is the Jingle Balls Nog, sloshed together with cognac, cream sherry, almond milk, cream, egg, vanilla and nutmeg. Don't forget to buy an armful of souvenir drinkware on the way out. This one books up way in advance, although there are limited walk-ins every day.
Miracle at Henrietta, Covent Garden, 10 November-23 December 2025.
The Montague Ski Lodge, Bloomsbury
The Montague Ski Lodge transports Londoners to a wintry mountaintop by way of a mock-up ski lodge. There are lanterns, fairy lights, snuggly woollen blankets, ski equipment pinned on the walls — plus a menu of festive drinks featuring spiced cider and hot chocolate cocktails. Look out for one or two snowmen too. Here's the rub: the Ski Lodge is for exclusive hire and hotel residents only. EXCEPT they occasionally accept walk-ins. So if you happen to be in Bloomsbury and fancy a festive snifter, it's worth popping your head round the door and asking nicely.
The Montague Ski Lodge, Bloomsbury, 12 November-31 December 2025
Humbug, Waterloo
Bar Humbug, indeed! Down in the depths of the Vaults, Humbug takes the concept of a dive bar, and stirs in a few fistfuls of festive cheer. A 'Naughty and Nice' cocktail list starring drinks like 'The Grinch', and 'B'ah F*****g Humbug' will get you in the mood for role play with characters including a disgruntled waitress, a mailman who's lost all his letters, and a hip version of the man in red himself. Speaking of Santa, there's live music from him and his rock group, complete with on-stage break-ups/getting the band back together. And a solo DJ set from Mr Christmas too. A good one for group parties, this, and definitely not one for those seeking a quiet sherry.
Humbug, Waterloo, 18 November-28 December 2025
Churchill Arms, Kensington
London's most instagrammable pub once again cracks out some 90 conifer trees, slaps them on the building's exterior and smothers them in fairy lights. We can only assume that the soaring leccy bills are cancelled out by the stream of thirsty punters pouring in through the doors. Though the Churchill Arms is not a festive pop-up per se, the pub's interior is also draped in garlands and twinkling fairy lights (plus the odd bonus tree because you can't have enough trees), and they serve mulled wine — a must-have on any festive drinking bucket list.
Churchill Arms at Christmas, 13 November 2025-New Year 2026
The Three Jingle Bells, London Bridge
As part of Flat Iron Square's transformation into 'Yuletide Yard', the Three Jingle Bells — aka 'the world's smallest pub' — has opened for business beneath one of the railway arches. If you're looking to swerve the hustle and bustle of hectic yuletide pubs like the Churchill Arms (see above), this might be just the (gin and) tonic. That said, the beer selection — overseen by Camden Town Brewery — is somewhat selective. Maybe order a Christmasy cocktail instead.
The Three Jingle Bells, until 22 December 2025
