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Oktoberfest: who needs Munich when there's so much stein-sligning/sausage-munching/lederhosen-flaunting action right on London's doorstep? Follow the sounds of oompah music, or (probably easier) check out our guide, below.
Pengefest (13 September)
Bringing the village fete vibes to Oktoberfest, the annual Pengefest is one Oktoberfest you can bring the kids and dogs to — plus money raised goes towards St Christopher's Hospice. It takes place in Penge's Empire Square, and though deets for 2025's event are thin on the ground at time of writing, previous Pengefests have featured brass beats from the London Oompah Band, brews from Penge brewery Southey, and appearances from Alpaca Attack and Radio Penge. Imagine Bavarian. But much more Pengey.
Oktoberfest @ Munich Cricket Club (18 September-1 November)
The three cavernous drinking halls of Munich Cricket Club (in Victoria, Canary Wharf and Tower Hill) host Oktoberfest shenanigans for a month and a half, with authentic brews (inc. Hacker-Pschorr and their own session bier) live oompah, Bavarian games, photo booths and the ceremonial tapping of Oktoberfest barrels.
Oktoberfest @ The Delaunay Counter (19 September-5 October)
While many of the events on this list err on the side of debauched, for those looking for a more refined Oktoberfest experience, the Delaunay Counter in Aldwych has your back. For just over two weeks, the all-day brasserie lays on a menu featuring warm pretzels, roasted poussin with lemon and caper butter, and freshly-made strudel. There's also a Stiegl beer cart, serving up ice cold suds — and while we know Stiegl is Austrian, it is bloody delicious. Music isn't from a full-fat oompah band, but an Austrian accordionist (26 September and 3 October).
Oktoberfest @ German Gymnasium (19 September-30 October)
Given its teutonic title, it's only right that German Gymnasium gets stuck into the Oktoberfest action with gusto. Spruced up with Bavarian decorations, the King's Cross restaurant (which really did used to be a gym used by Germans) is pouring Warsteiner pilsner and König Ludwig weissbier, and serving an 'Oktoberfest Spezialitäten' menu from 19 Sept-30 Oct, featuring the likes of hendl mit kartoffelsalat (half roast chicken with potato salad) and scwheinebraten (pork belly roll roast with beer sauce, cabbage and dumplings). On Friday evenings there's also a live oompah band. And if you show up wearing lederhosen/dirndl there's a free stein of beer with your name on it.
Oktoberfest @ Albert's Schloss (20 September-12 October)
Albert's Schloss on Shaftesbury Avenue has banging bier hall vibes year-round, but for a few weeks, they're ratcheting it up a notch with a dedicated Oktoberfest, featuring the likes of wiener eating competitions, keg tapping, brass bands and 'best lederhosen' competitions. This is also one of the few places you can drink all of the 'Munich Big Six' Oktoberfest beers (Hofbräuhaus, Löwenbräu, Augustinerbräu, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr and Spaten-Franziskaner) although we wouldn't recommend trying the whole lot in one go, especially if you're on the steins. No tickets or door charges, just book a table or show up. "Everyone ist willkommen to join das party."
Oktoberfest @ Bermondsey Bierkeller (20 September-31 October)
On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights (and Saturday daytimes if you can stomach beer for brunch) at this Bavarian-themed bier hall by London Bridge, you can sink a Paulaner or drei, to the sounds of live oompah from the Bavarian Strollers plus DJs. There's currywurst, schnitzels and German doner kebab for soakage, while entertainment includes fire eaters, jugglers and dancers. Oh ja.
London Kraft Oktoberfest 2025 (26-28 September)
Bidding a fond farewell to Mercato Metropolitano — which is due to be closed sometime soon — German Kraft (brewers of some of London's most authentic Bavarian-style beer) raise one last stein at London Kraft Oktoberfest 2025. There'll be authentic one-litre maßkrug steins (filled with their own tasty brews, and ample guest beers too), live oompah bands/late-night DJs, and pretzels/sausages for soakage. It's free entry, too. Just show up between 1pm-12am on 26, 27 or 28 September.
OktoberRest @ Shirker's Rest (26-28 September)
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One of our fave south Londoner boozers is putting German-style beers on the bar — including brews from Anspach and Hobday, Orbit and Verdant — for a three-day Oktoberfest-style sesh, featuring games, prizes and complimentary snacks. Wunderbar.
Oktoberfest @ Between the Bridges (27-26 September, 3-4 and 10-11 October)
Between the Bridges — an encampment of food, drink and live entertainment on the South Bank — hosts a trio of Oktoberfest weekends at its makeshift bier hall, with drag queen Miss Leigh Ding hosting raucous blowouts featuring Bavarian-style street food, drum and brass 10-piece, Old Dirty Brasstards, and resident DJ Additional Flexin' keeping the vibes sky-high with a genre-hopping soundtrack.
Brick Lane Oktoberfest (3-4 and 10-11 October)
Cabaret queen Eva Von Schnippish hosts Brick Lane Oktoberfest — two weekends of partying at Juju's Bar & Stage on Brick Lane, featuring music from The Bavarian Strollers and their special brand of singalong 'Oompop', and Bavarian inspired fest-food from BBQ specialists Cue Point. Each sesh commences with a beer tapping ceremony.
Oktoberfest @ Boxpark (4, 11 and 25 October)
You've got four Boxpark Oktoberfests to select from these days: Shoreditch (4 October), Croydon (4 October), Wembley (11 October) and Camden (25 October). Each is a ticketed event laden with mammoth serves of beer, singalongs, stein holding contests, trivia and a pretzel-eating showdown.
Camden Oktoberfest (4, 11, 18 and 25 October)
Billed as "The UK’s Craziest Oktoberfest Party!" Camden Oktoberfest is a veritable beano of Bavarian bacchanalia, lubricated with great quantities of Spaten and Löwenbräu — served up by folk in dirndl and lederhosen at a makeshift beerhall in Electric Ballroom. There will be, it goes without saying, lashing of oompah.
Oktoberfest on the Common (10-25 October)
11 sessions over three weekends are expected to host more than 22,000 guests, as part of the gargantuan Oktoberfest on the Common festival (that Common being Clapham). The Paulaner Biergarten brewery brings the beers, at what is one of the beefiest Bavarian blowouts in the capital this year. Throw in live oompah, fairground rides and sausages galore — and you've got a helluva party on your hands. Prost!
City Oktoberfest (16 and 23 October)
A new entry for 2025: the cavernous Steelyard venue in near Cannon Street hosts two Oktoberfest instalments, with all the blue-white-chequered tables, bunting, fancy dress and beer. It's noteworthy that both take place on a Thursday, suggesting it really is the new Freitag.
London Oktoberfest @ Finsbury Park (9-11 October) and @ Hammersmith (16-18 and 23-25 October)
London Oktoberfest is essentially two separate parties, on three long weekends; giant tents pitch up in Finsbury Park for three days, before moving onto St Paul's Green is Hammersmith for a series of six dates. At both locations, thousands of revellers will chug a few frosty ones, scoff schnitzel and stomp their feet to brassy Bavarian music. You can order your lederhosen/dirndl from their website.
London Bierfest (not happening 2025)
Thousands of revellers enjoy the live music and unlimited steins of ABK Beer at one-dayer, London Bierfest, held in Old Billingsgate — but in 2025 it's taking a fallow year. It'll return in 2026.
Oktoberfest pubs and bier halls in London
A few other places in London where it's ALWAYS Oktoberfest...
🍺 Katzenjammers near London Bridge are no strangers to a bier hall-style blowout, boasting a menu sourced fresh from Bavaria every week by German chefs. Every Thurs-Sat, the place practically shakes with the sounds of brass bands.
🍺 German Kraft is a London-based brewery producing (very quaffable) German-style beers made to ancient purity laws (including helles, hefeweizen and keller lagers). They're stationed in a number of venues across London: Mercato Metropolitano in Elephant and Castle, the stunning Mercato Mayfair, and a bar in Brixton. Also see London Kraft Oktoberfest (above).
🍺 Stein's is a trio of German restaurants/bier gardens (Kingston, Richmond, Kensington), where you can get stuck into authentic Bavarian fare year-round. It's got nothing to do with Rick, as far as we know.
🍺 Bullfinch Brewery in Herne Hill is by no means a beer hall, but this taproom beneath the arches has a teutonic bent, often festooned with Bundesflagges, and boasting a solid range of Franconian beers in the fridge. Ideal for a super lowkey Oktoberfest.
