Close your eyes for a second. You are standing in Regent’s Park on a warm June evening. The grass is green. The sky is doing that thing London skies occasionally do in summer, which is actually staying blue past 9pm. There is music somewhere. The smell of something being cooked over a live fire reaches you before you can see where it is coming from.
Around you: 36 of London’s best restaurants have set up camp in the park, each one serving signature dishes and festival-exclusive plates. Roti King is handing out roti fifty metres from a rosé bar. Hakkasan is serving award-winning Cantonese dim sum in the open air. Yauatcha’s Michelin-starred bites are available without a booking, without a wait list, without anything except Crowns and an appetite.
| That is Taste of London 2026. And it runs from 17 to 21 June at The Regent’s Park. |
The thing people misunderstand about Taste of London before they go is that it is not a single meal. Nobody goes to Taste of London for lunch. You go to eat small portions of extraordinary things from five, eight, twelve different restaurants over the course of an afternoon or evening. You discover places you would never have booked on a normal Tuesday. Then, you find yourself at a Georgian food stand wondering why you have never thought about Georgian cuisine before. You leave with a list of restaurants to visit properly. That is the point. That is what makes it one of the best food events London produces every summer.
| AT A GLANCE | |
| When | Wed 17 June to Sun 21 June 2026. |
| Where | The Regent’s Park, London NW1. |
| Size | 36 restaurants, 50 chefs, 150 producers, 130+ dishes. |
| New For 2026 | Hakkasan, Yauatcha, Harry’s, Ixchel, Sexy Fish, and more. |
| Crowns | Festival currency used to buy dishes. |
| Tickets | From £24, with VIP and Mastercard bundles available. |
| Taste Of The City | New citywide food series from 15–21 June. |
| Getting There | Regent’s Park or Great Portland Street Tube nearby. |
What Is Taste of London and Why Is It Different?
Image Source: london.tastefestivals.com
There are food festivals and there is Taste of London. The difference is the restaurants. Most food festivals feature food vendors who exist specifically for festivals. Taste of London invites actual London restaurants to bring their actual kitchens to a park. Hakkasan does not make festival food. It makes Hakkasan food, in a park, for five days. That distinction is everything.
The festival has been running since 2004. Every summer it takes over a section of Regent’s Park and transforms it into the most concentrated expression of what London’s food scene is doing right now. The 2026 edition is, by the numbers, the biggest yet. If you are building a wider summer plan around it, the events in London 2026 guide is a useful place to see what else is happening in the city around the same week.
| 2026 Number | What It Means |
|---|---|
| 36 Restaurants | London’s top food scene in one park. |
| 50 Chefs | Big names, rising stars, and hard-to-book favourites. |
| 150 Artisan Producers | Food, drink, and lifestyle brands in the marketplace. |
| 130+ Dishes | Festival plates, including exclusive specials. |
| 8 Sessions | Afternoon and evening sessions across five days. |
| 2 Daily Specials | Rotating menus with new options each day. |
The official Taste of London website puts it simply: turn up hungry, try as much as you can, and expect to linger longer than planned. That is both accurate and slightly an understatement.
Which Restaurants Are at Taste of London 2026?
Image Source: london.tastefestivals.com
The Taste of London restaurants 2026 lineup is the strongest the festival has assembled in years. This year balances returning favourites that people plan their sessions around with a wave of new names making their Taste debut. Here is the guide to who is there and why each stand deserves your Crowns.
| # | Restaurant | Cuisine | Why Go First | Status |
| 1 | Hakkasan | Cantonese | First Taste appearance, top dim sum. | New |
| 2 | Yauatcha | Chinese / Dim Sum | Michelin-starred dim sum in the park. | New |
| 3 | Sexy Fish | Japanese-Inspired | Mayfair favourite without the hard booking. | New |
| 4 | Ixchel | Mexican | Bold outdoor-friendly Mexican flavours. | New |
| 5 | Harry’s | Italian-American | Big debut, likely pasta queues. | New |
| 6 | DakaDaka | Modern Georgian | Fresh, underexplored Georgian food. | New |
| 7 | Pahli Hill Bandra Bhai | Regional Indian | Thoughtful regional Indian cooking. | New |
| 8 | Roti King | Malaysian | Cult roti favourite. | Return |
| 9 | Los Mochis | Japanese-Mexican | Creative Japanese-Mexican fusion. | Return |
| 10 | Dumpling’s Legend | Chinese | Chinatown soup dumpling favourite. | Return |
| 11 | Roka | Japanese | Elegant robata-grilled Japanese food. | Return |
| 12 | Gallio | Eastern Mediterranean | Mezze, fire, and sunny flavours. | New |
Beyond the restaurant stands, chefs making appearances in the Chefs Theatre and Fire Stage include Big Zuu, Imad Alarnab, Melissa Thompson, and Natty Can Cook. These demonstrations are included in your festival entry and run throughout each session. Check the schedule at Taste of London and build your day around the ones you most want to see.
And if this kind of chef-led festival is your thing, the guide to Foodies Festival Syon Park 2026 is worth bookmarking too, because London’s summer food calendar does not stop at Regent’s Park.
The Fire Stage and Live Cooking Experiences
The fire pit area has been a Taste of London landmark for years. It is exactly what it sounds like: professional chefs cooking over open flame in front of a crowd, explaining technique, answering questions, and producing food that smells extraordinary in an outdoor setting. The BBQ School runs hands-on sessions for anyone who wants to actually learn something. A Jack Daniel’s cocktail-making workshop runs on selected sessions. These experiences require a separate booking on top of your entry ticket.
The Artisan Marketplace
Running through the festival grounds alongside the restaurant stands is a curated marketplace of 150 artisan producers. These are not supermarket brands. The Truffle Guys. Exmoor Caviar. Saxby’s Cider. Small Beer Brew. Holy Moly Dips. Lovecorn. Freddie’s Flowers. The marketplace is where people spend the time between courses discovering things to take home. Budget for it. You will not leave empty-handed.
If you like this more casual grazing style of eating around the city, the guide to London street food markets is a handy next read. Budget for it. You will not leave empty-handed.
What Are the Sessions and Which One Should You Choose?
One of the things that makes Taste of London 2026 work logistically is the session structure. Rather than an all-day pass that leaves you wandering without a frame, each ticket covers a defined four-hour session. This is enough time to do the festival properly without feeling rushed. The question is which session to choose.
| Day | Afternoon | Evening | Best For |
| Wed 17 June | Noon–4pm | 5:30–9:30pm | Opening day energy. |
| Thu 18 June | Noon–4pm | 5:30–9:30pm | Quietest day, easier access. |
| Fri 19 June | Noon–4pm | 5:30–9:30pm | Most social evening session. |
| Sat 20 June | Noon–4pm | 5:30–9:30pm | Busiest, highest-energy day. |
| Sun 21 June | Noon–5pm | No evening session | Relaxed, family-friendly afternoon. |
The afternoon sessions are the better choice for serious eating. You arrive fresh, the kitchens are at full capacity, and the pace is slightly less frantic than evenings. The evening sessions are better for the overall atmosphere: the park at golden hour, the summer light going long, a drink in hand, the social energy of a Friday or Saturday crowd. Both work brilliantly. The midweek sessions are underrated. The Thursday afternoon session in particular gives you the festival at its most accessible and most relaxed.
For anyone turning Taste into a longer city break, this guide to the best things to do in London this summer gives you a few easy add-ons before or after your session.
How Do Crowns Work at Taste of London?
First-timers at Taste of London are sometimes surprised to discover that they cannot pay for food directly with cash or card at the restaurant stands. The festival runs on its own currency called Crowns. Understanding how Crowns work before you arrive removes the only genuinely confusing part of the experience.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What Are Crowns? | Taste of London’s festival currency. |
| Why Use Crowns? | They speed up food and drink service. |
| How Many To Buy? | Plan around 6–10 Crowns for dishes, plus drinks. |
| Typical Dish Cost | Usually around 3–5 Crowns. |
| Leftover Crowns? | Use them on drinks, market items, or experiences. |
The practical advice: buy more Crowns than you think you need before the day. It is much better to have leftover Crowns that can be spent at the artisan market than to queue at the exchange halfway through the best session of the afternoon. The Taste website has a full menu guide with Crown prices listed for every dish, which makes budgeting straightforward if you do a little planning in advance.
What Is Taste of the City and How Does It Fit In?
Brand new for 2026 is Taste of the City London 2026: a companion programme of one-off dining events running across London from Sunday 15 June to Sunday 21 June. It was created by the same team behind the main festival and it expands the whole Taste of London week into something that stretches across the whole city, not just Regent’s Park.
Think of it this way. Taste of London in the park gives you 36 restaurants doing festival versions of their menus. Taste of the City gives you the actual restaurants, doing extraordinary things specifically for this week, at prices and in formats they would not normally offer. The Michelin-starred Pavyllon London offering a menu at its most accessible price point is not something that happens on a regular Tuesday. That is what the City series is designed to create.
| Date | Venue | What’s Happening |
|---|---|---|
| 15–21 June | The Hoxton, Shoreditch | Rondo hosts rotating guest chef dinners. |
| 15–21 June | Pavyllon London | Michelin-starred Taste of the City menu. |
| Throughout The Week | Venues Across London | Chef collaborations, pop-ups, and special menus. |
| Full Programme | Taste Website | Check dates, venues, and booking details. |
Taste of the City events require separate booking and some sell out quickly. Check the full programme at the official Taste of London and book the ones that interest you as soon as possible. Some of the collaboration dinners have very limited capacity. Since these events are spread across London rather than one park, planning the route between your hotel, dinner venue, and next stop matters more than it usually would.
How Do You Get Taste of London 2026 Tickets?
Image Source: london.tastefestivals.com
All Taste of London tickets 2026 are booked through the official website. There are several ticket types designed around different budgets and approaches to the festival. Sessions do sell out, particularly the Friday and Saturday evening sessions. Book early.
| Ticket Type | Includes | From | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Entry | Session entry only. Crowns extra. | £24 | First-timers and flexible budgets. |
| Pre-Loaded Bundle | Entry plus dish credits. | £59 approx. | Avoiding Crown queues. |
| VIP Ticket | Priority entry, champagne, dish vouchers, VIP lounge. | Higher price | Groups and special occasions. |
| Mastercard Bundle | Exclusive cardholder bundles. | Varies | Mastercard holders. |
| Flexible Ticket | Choose session closer to the event. | £24 | Unsure dates. |
Mastercard cardholders should check for specially curated bundles available exclusively at checkout. These are not widely advertised and represent some of the best value in the festival. The Jack Daniel’s cocktail workshops and other paid experiences can be added at the point of booking.
How Do You Get to Taste of London in Regent’s Park?
Regent’s Park is one of London’s most accessible major spaces and getting to Regent’s Park London for the festival is straightforward from most parts of the city. Multiple Tube lines converge nearby and the park entrance is a flat, easy walk from all of them. It is also one of the city’s best summer green spaces, so the most beautiful parks in London guide is useful if you want to make more of the area before or after your session.
| Method | Route | Journey Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tube | Regent’s Park Station | 10 min from Oxford Circus | Most direct option, short walk. |
| Tube | Great Portland Street | Short walk | Good from King’s Cross and the City. |
| Tube | Baker Street | 10–15 min walk | More lines, slightly longer walk. |
| Bus | Routes C2, 18, 27, 30, 88, 205 | Varies | Useful from North and West London. |
| Private Transfer | Door to festival entrance | Fixed journey | Best for groups, families, and airport arrivals. |
If you are travelling with friends, children, luggage, or visitors flying in for the week, London event transfers can make the journey easier because the route, pickup point, timing, and vehicle size are planned before the festival crowds build.
What Tips Actually Make Taste of London Better?
Image Source: london.tastefestivals.com
Seven years of people going to Taste of London and making the same avoidable mistakes have produced a fairly clear set of advice. Here is the version that actually matters.
| Tip | Why It Matters |
| Come Hungry | Arrive ready to eat properly. |
| Buy Crowns In Advance | Skip queues and plan your spend. |
| Go Wednesday Or Thursday | Quieter sessions and shorter queues. |
| Do Not Fill Up Early | Graze first, then return to favourites. |
| Check Chefs Theatre | Free demos are included with entry. |
| Pair With Taste Of The City | Extra chef events across London. |
| Choose Your Session | Afternoons are calmer; evenings are livelier. |
If you are going with children, older relatives, or a mixed-age group, the family holidays in London guide can help you shape the rest of the day around easier walks, food stops, and calmer attractions nearby.
| One Extra Thing to Sort Early | Bags |
| If you are coming straight from a hotel, airport, or shopping stop, check the luggage guide before choosing a vehicle, because festival days and oversized bags rarely mix well. |
The Honest Case for Going to Taste of London 2026
Here is the thing about Taste of London Regent’s Park 2026. It is not cheap. Entry starts at £24 and Crowns add up quickly when you are eating your way through twelve restaurant stands with genuine enthusiasm. You will spend more than you planned. You will eat more than you thought possible. Also, you will leave with a list of restaurants you have never been to before and a vague feeling that London’s food scene is genuinely extraordinary.
That is exactly what it is designed to do. And it does it better than any other food event in the city.
In one session you can eat Michelin-starred dim sum from Yauatcha, Malaysian roti from Roti King, Japanese-inspired something extraordinary from Sexy Fish, Georgian dishes from DakaDaka, and close with a soup dumpling from Dumpling’s Legend. None of those restaurants share a postcode. Most of them have waiting lists. At Taste of London, they are all in the same park on the same afternoon, separated by a five-minute walk across the grass and a handful of Crowns.
That is the pitch. That is why Taste of London 2026 is worth the diary entry, worth the planning, and worth arriving hungry for. London does not produce many weeks better than this one. Five days. Thirty-six restaurants. One park. The only decision left is which session to book first.
Heading to Regent’s Park for Taste of London this June?
Plan the restaurants first, then make the journey simple. My London Transfer offers private, fixed-price transfers to and from Regent’s Park from any London address, hotel, station, or airport.
No crowded platforms after a long food-filled session, no route stress, just a smooth journey in and out of one of London’s best summer food festivals.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. When is Taste of London 2026?
Taste of London 2026 runs from Wednesday 17 June to Sunday 21 June at The Regent’s Park, London. Afternoon sessions run noon to 4pm and evening sessions 5:30pm to 9:30pm most days. Sunday closes at 5pm with no evening session. The companion Taste of the City programme runs across London from Sunday 15 June.
2. How much do Taste of London 2026 tickets cost?
Standard entry tickets for Taste of London tickets 2026 start from £24. Pre-loaded dish bundles start from around £59. VIP packages include champagne, dish vouchers, and lounge access and are priced at a higher rate. Mastercard cardholders can access exclusive bundles. Food at the festival is purchased in Crowns, the festival’s own currency, which are bought separately from your entry ticket at london.tastefestivals.com.
3. Which restaurants are at Taste of London 2026?
The Taste of London restaurants 2026 lineup includes 36 restaurants across five days. New faces include Hakkasan, Yauatcha, Harry’s, Ixchel, Rottura, DakaDaka, Gallio, Sexy Fish, Pahli Hill Bandra Bhai, and Prince Arthur. Returning favourites include Roti King, Los Mochis, Roka, and Dumpling’s Legend. The full restaurant list is available at london.tastefestivals.com.
4. What are Crowns at Taste of London?
Crowns are the official Taste of London currency. All food and drink at the restaurant stands is purchased in Crowns rather than cash or card. Buy Crowns in advance at london.tastefestivals.com for the best rates and to avoid queuing at the exchange on the day. Each dish typically costs 3 to 5 Crowns. Budget generously and buy more than you think you need.
5. What is Taste of the City London 2026?
Taste of the City London 2026 is a brand new companion programme running across London from 15 to 21 June. It features one-off dining events, chef residencies, exclusive collaborations, and special menus at top London restaurants and venues including The Hoxton’s Rondo and Pavyllon London. Events require separate booking and some sell out quickly. Full details at london.tastefestivals.com.
6. What session should I choose for Taste of London?
For the most relaxed experience with shorter queues and fresh kitchens, the Wednesday or Thursday afternoon sessions (noon to 4pm) are the best choice. For atmosphere and social energy, the Friday or Saturday evening sessions (5:30pm to 9:30pm) are the highlight of the week. Saturday is the busiest day overall. Sunday afternoon is the quietest and most family-friendly, closing at 5pm.
7. How do I get to Taste of London at Regent’s Park?
The nearest Tube stations are Regent’s Park (Bakerloo Line) and Great Portland Street (Circle, Hammersmith and City, Metropolitan), both a short walk from the festival entrance. Baker Street is also nearby with connections across multiple lines. For getting to Regent’s Park London from an airport or from across the city, a pre-booked private transfer drops you directly at the festival entrance. mylondontransfer.com covers all London airports and addresses with fixed-price, door-to-door transfers.
