If you're a South West Londoner – and even if you're not – you'll want to keep this weekend in your diary, as the grassy expanse of Battersea Park is being dedicated to showcasing the best local food a drink. Beer favourites Sambrook's Brewery will be making an appearance, alongside deli-cum-restaurant The Butcher & Grill and botanical-tastic Graveny Gin. There'll be food from Neapolitan specialists Fundi Pizza and veggie-friendly SpiceBox; workshops from Lickalix ice lollies; and even the vaunted Magic Garden Pub will be popping up for the weekend with its seafood safari. That's just a brief summary, though – visit the website for more details.
Tequila & Mezcal Fest
The Boiler House at the Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, E1 6QR; 17-18 September. Tickets from £15
You might be surprised to learn that there's much more to tequila than your Saturday night lemon-and-salt slammers. And no, we don't mean tequila suicides. Drunk in the right way, the Mexican spirit – and its sister mezcal – can actually be a delicacy, and that's something you can learn more about at Tequila & Mezcal Fest, taking place at the ever-hip Truman Brewery. Patrón is this year's primary sponsor, so you can expect to find plenty of its handcrafted 100% Weber Blue Agave tequilas, while other brands to look out for include Amores Mezcal, Casco Viejo and Rosa Picante, which is making its first foray outside of Mexico and North America. What's more, you'll be able to soak up all that booze with London finest Mexican food from the likes of Lupita, Camion and Wahaca, and dance it off to the sound of a mariachi band. Olé!
Summer and gin go hand in hand – particularly at a Fever-Tree tonic-fuelled event like the Telegraph's Gin Experience. It's not just a tasting, either: it's a two-day extravaganza dedicated to London's favourite spirit. A host of hand-picked craft and boutique gins will be making an appearance, including Darnley's Spiced gin, Slingbsy gin from Harrogate, and City of London's Christopher Wren gin, so you can well and truly acquainted with their different serves, while Telegraph Drinks columnist Susy Atkins will be presenting an exclusive masterclass. And it's not just drinks: chow down on food from The Roof Garden's glorious outdoor barbecues to soak up all that gin.
Prepare yourself for some serious meat sweats: Meatopia is returning to Tobacco Docks this September, and bringing an all-star line up of chefs and music along with it. There'll be appearances from the likes of Tomos Parry, Argentina's Francis Mallmann, Brad McDonald and Pitt Cue's Tom Adams, all known for their love of cooking with flame, along with José Pizarro, Yotam Ottolenghi and Selin Kiazim. Everything is cooked over logs or charcoal; each animal will have been raised naturally and lived the best of lives; there'll be dishes involving the whole animal, from nose to tail; there'll be paired drinks; and, last but not least, there'll be a music line up featuring Professor Green, Jazzie B and Norman Jaye. Get booking.
Photograph by Tom Gold
If you've ever fancied testing your tastebuds, head to Foodies Festival on 27, 28 and 29 July, where you'll be able to take part in both a chilli eating competition and a jungle bug eating challenge. Or you could just stroll around the splendid surrounds of North London's Alexandra Palace and sample food from the Street Food Avenue, top up your pantry with produce from the Artisan Market, or get cooking tips from Rosemary Shrager and Aldo Zilli in the Aga Rangemaster Chefs Theatre. It's the third London event from Foodies Festival this summer (the others being in Syon Park and Blackheath), so it's fair to say the organisers have got the line up nailed. You'll find us wetting our whistle by the Giant Pimms Teapot.
