London’s heritage lives and breathes through its creative culture—and nowhere more vividly than across its extraordinary dining scene. The London Restaurant Festival 2026 returns for its eighteenth year, transforming the city into a month-long culinary showcase. The capital becomes a playground for the gastronomically inclined, inviting you to wander from storied dining rooms to hidden hotel gems, from beloved local haunts to corners steeped in history. Here, London reasserts itself as the world’s culinary provocateur, serving innovation with a side of tradition.
Title Partners & Loyalty Perks
This year’s festival owes its grand scale to the seamless cooperation between its longtime partner, American Express, and its new global partner, ALL Accor. As title partners, they combine offerings in fine dining, luxury hospitality, and premium lifestyle experiences. For fortunate American Express Cardholders, the partnership unlocks a new world: Membership Rewards points flow effortlessly into the ALL Accor loyalty fold, status levels align, and doors to exclusive travel and dining privileges swing open. During October, the partnership is brought to life by dedicated ALL Accor festival menus and carefully selected hotel stays, making sure that all the interactions reflect a dedication to high-end craftsmanship and superior hospitality.
Brunch Club Debut at Market Halls Oxford Street
The festival will be kicked off on Sunday, 4 October with the debut of the Brunch Club at Market Halls on Oxford Street, a completely new idea designed to inject high energy into the morning hours. . With an entry fee of five pounds, you are treated to live entertainment, fresh coffee from the emerging British brand Grind, and a classic Bloody Mary; the street food vendors will prepare one-day-only exclusive brunch dishes available only on that day, proving just how well the festival combines street-level innovation with top-quality standards. Built as a social, group-friendly affair, Brunch Club allows Cardmembers to book up to 10 tickets per person—well above the usual six-ticket cap for other festival events—making it the ideal weekend gathering.
Hands-On Culinary Masterclasses & Chef Sessions
After the first weekend, the festival’s famed Masterclasses invite you to an insider’s look at the culinary world. Here, you can apprentice yourself to the masters—whether it’s chasing the elusive harmony of a cocktail at The Alligator Bar, coaxing a wood-fired pizza into existence with Napoli on the Road, conjuring classical Indian flavours alongside Vivek Singh at Cinnamon Kitchen, or attempting the high-wire act that is Beef Wellington at Sussex Restaurant. These practical, interactive sessions highlight the dedication and culinary expertise which characterise London’s finest kitchens and bars.
Top Ten Cuisines Chef-Led Dining Series
The festival will also include a Top Ten Cuisines series that celebrates international diversity by featuring ten different global culinary traditions at ten prominent dining locations in London. You are afforded the opportunity to not only taste one-night-only, four-course menus, but also converse with the chefs who orchestrate these edible journeys. Among the venues highlighted are the newly opened Tavern, where the finest examples of modern British cooking are on show, as well as Louie, a temple to French refinement nestled in the city’s heart.
Discover Tours & Art-Infused Cultural Highlights
If you’d like to investigate a bit more about the connection between food, art, and the city’s ever-changing urban history, the festival’s Discover Tours and Cultural Highlights offer guided wanderings through London’s most evocative neighbourhoods. You might stroll the storied lanes of Marylebone or witness the culinary changes underway as part of the multi-billion-pound regeneration at Olympia. Blending culture and fine dining, these experiences pair immersive digital art at Frameless with a meal at The Italian Greyhound, or offer a low-carbon dinner at Sofitel London St James that demonstrates just how luxurious sustainable dining can be.
Month-Long Festival Menus Across Hotel & Olympia Destinations
For the whole month, you can use the special Festival Menus available at a wide range of participating venues. At prominent hotel restaurants in the capital, specialised ALL Accor Menus will be provided, such as at The Hoxton Shoreditch, House of Louie, Pullman London St Pancras, Novotel London Canary Wharf, Mercure London Bankside, and Novotel London Blackfriars. Meanwhile, the freshly minted Olympia district tempts with exclusive offers at Pillar Hall, Wolves of Tokyo, and Bar Arriba, each a new chapter in London’s ongoing culinary tale.
Amex Platinum Mayfair Weekend & Private Club Access
If you are an American Express Cardmember, the London Restaurant Festival 2026 will give you enhanced access throughout the festival, alongside a special collection of Amex Platinum Events, which includes a luxurious cultural weekend at Mayfair and St James’s. This is no ordinary getaway; it’s a multi-stop Gourmet Odyssey through the district’s finest tables, a Phantom of the Opera afternoon tea at Sofitel London St James, and a night at the storied Sofitel London St James. As a final flourish, Cardmembers are ushered into some of London’s most elusive private clubs, from Lighthouse Social to the venerable Ivy Club.
ALL Accor Shoreditch Culinary & Culture Weekender
A major feature of the month is the first-ever ALL Accor Weekender, which occurs from 10 to 11 October in the lively creative heart of Shoreditch. This thoughtfully selected weekend blends outstanding dining, the local culture of the area, and luxury lodging. You’ll begin with a private mixology lesson at Bar Swift, then embark on a guided Gourmet Odyssey visiting Shoreditch’s most renowned culinary establishments, and close the night with a stay at The Hoxton, Shoreditch.
Claim Your Culinary Adventure
With a month full of one-off events, chef masterclasses, and neighborhood tasting tours, there is no better time to explore how London eats, drinks, and celebrates. If your appetite leans toward a languid Sunday brunch, a masterclass with a kitchen magician, a foray into an unfamiliar neighbourhood, or a weekend of unrepentant luxury, the festival will keep London’s vibrant dining scene at the heart of the action. All information about the events, menu details, and ticket booking can be found on the official London Restaurant Festival 2026 website.
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All images courtesy of the London Restaurant Festival.