There’s a difference between adding a new restaurant to your list and booking something you won’t be able to experience next month. While we’re counting down the minutes for some of these restaurants to launch, there’s plenty of exclusive food and drinks experiences in London this October that are worth bookmarking.

Restaurants, drinks brands and artists are joining forces for limited-run menus, special wine pairings and collaborations that bring something unexpected to the table. Some revolve around a single evening; others run for a few weeks, but don’t assume you have all month to make up your mind.

If you’re after a memorable night out or fancy trying something new, these six are worth getting in the diary sooner rather than later.

1. London Restaurant Festival

Throughout October

London Restaurant Festival celebrates the capital’s restaurant scene with exclusive menus, one-off dinners, wine tastings, cocktail masterclasses and food experiences across the city. Its October programme brings together restaurants at different price points, giving diners the chance to try new openings, explore unfamiliar cuisines and book special experiences beyond the usual à la carte menu.

There’s still plenty to book for the second half of the month. Tiny Wine in Fitzrovia hosts a Latin American small-plates and wine pairing on 20 October (£75), while Bar ALTA in Kingly Court offers a Basque-inspired wine pairing on 22 October (£55). For a more substantial evening, a Mexican-Japanese fusion dinner across Amiga and Azteca takes place on 28 October (£85).

• When: Throughout October 2026
• Where: Restaurants across London
• Price: Varies by event

2. Hibiki’s 24 Moments of Artistry

1 October – 30 November

Japanese whisky brand Hibiki is bringing traditional Japanese craftsmanship into the cocktail glass with 24 Moments of Artistry, a limited-edition drinks programme spanning 24 bars and restaurants across the UK. Bartenders are creating original cocktails inspired by four Japanese craft disciplines: woodworking, ceramics, textiles and traditional papermaking, following an immersive workshop exploring these techniques at Japan House London.

London highlights include Verdant Porcelain at Waltz, combining Hibiki Japanese Harmony with white bean paste, fig and tonka bean, and the Washi Old Fashioned at China Tang at The Dorchester. Other participating venues include Kwãnt, Lyaness, The Aubrey and The Spy Bar at Raffles London at The OWO. Each bar has developed its own interpretation, making the programme an opportunity to explore Japanese artistry through very different cocktail styles.

• When: 1 October – 30 November 2026
• Where: 24 bars and restaurants across the UK, including London
• Price: Varies by venue

3. TOZI’s Big Five: five days of Italian pasta

From 6 October

Pasta fans have a new reason to book a table at TOZI in Victoria, where executive chef Maurilio Molteni is marking National Pasta Month with The Big Five, a sharing menu celebrating five regional Italian classics. Available Tuesday to Saturday, each day brings a different dish, from orecchiette with turnip tops, sausage and chilli on Tuesdays to seafood fregola on Fridays and tonnarelli alla carbonara on Saturdays.

Wednesdays bring Roman-style gnocchi with slow-cooked oxtail ragout, while Thursdays are dedicated to pizzoccheri, a northern Italian pasta dish with Savoy cabbage, potatoes, Alpine cheese, garlic and sage. Each dish costs £50 and serves three to five people, with optional Italian wine pairings selected by senior restaurant and bar manager Stefano Meloni from £10 a glass. It’s a menu made for sharing, with a different regional speciality to try each day.

• When: Tuesday–Saturday, from 6 October 2026
• Where: TOZI Restaurant & Bar, 8 Gillingham Street, Victoria, SW1V 1HJ
• Price: £50 per sharing dish for 3–5 people; wine pairings from £10 a glass

4. MOTH x Permit Room: the Rani Mojito

Throughout October

MOTH has teamed up with Dishoom’s Permit Room for a limited-edition cocktail that gives its canned Mojito a Bombay-inspired twist. The Rani Mojito combines MOTH’s mix of Duppy Share rum, lime and mint with Permit Room’s cardamom vermouth, adding an aromatic spice to the familiar citrus-and-mint combination. Its name, Rani, means queen, a nod to cardamom’s reputation as the queen of spices.

It’s the first time MOTH has collaborated with another brand to put a twist on its canned Mojito. The drink is available throughout October at Permit Room locations in Portobello Road, Brighton, Cambridge, Oxford and Liverpool, offering a limited-time way to try the ready-to-drink brand’s cocktail with a distinctly Indian influence.

• When: Throughout October 2026
• Where: Permit Room, including 186 Portobello Road, London W11 1LA
• What to try: The Rani Mojito

5. El Rayo Exhibits at Fair Play Art Fair

15–18 October

Art, tacos and tequila come together at El Rayo Exhibits, a courtyard takeover at the inaugural Fair Play Art Fair in Marylebone. The tequila brand is partnering with the artist-first fair for a programme combining artwork, food, drinks and music, with a Tequila bar inspired by modern Mexico and Voices Radio hosting DJs and live performances.

The showcase features work by Guadalajara-based artist Mario Higinio, who has shaped El Rayo’s visual identity since its early days, and Margate-based collage artist Alice Isaac. The collaboration also sees the first unveiling of an Alice Isaac x El Rayo limited-edition bottle, with only 250 produced and Fair Play visitors getting the first opportunity to buy one. It’s a chance to explore the creative side of the brand while stopping for tacos and a drink during the fair.

• When: 15–18 October 2026; opening evening on Thursday 15 October, 5–10pm
• Where: One Marylebone, 1 Marylebone Road, London NW1 4AQ
• What to expect: Art, tequila, tacos, DJs and live performances

6. Tbilvino x The Jugged Hare: a Georgian wine dinner

21 October

Georgian wine takes centre stage at The Jugged Hare on Wednesday 21 October, when the City restaurant welcomes Tbilvino, one of Georgia’s leading wine producers, for a five-course dinner pairing its game-focused cooking with Georgian wines. Six wines have been selected for the evening, spanning amber-hued qvevri wines and reds, including Mtsvane, Qvevris Kisi and Saperavi.

The menu combines Georgian specialities with some of the restaurant’s own signatures, from Imeretian khachapuri to crispy cod cheeks with smoked roe, buttermilk and dill dust, followed by The Jugged Hare’s signature hare with nutmeg mash. At £75 per person, the dinner offers a chance to explore a wine region with a distinctive winemaking tradition alongside a menu designed around the restaurant’s style of cooking.

• When: Wednesday 21 October 2026, 6.30pm
• Where: The Jugged Hare, 49 Chiswell Street, London EC1Y 4SB
• Tickets: £75 per person