From barbecue to fine-dining and burgers, these are the unmissable food events of the year.
2026 is shaping up to be quite the year in the world of food and drink. Not only did more than 60 of the world's best chefs from 26 countries recently congregate at Convergence in Copenhagen – a five-day event celebrating a shared culinary language – but there's plenty to look forward to over the coming months, too.
From casual burgers to fine-dining and sizzling barbecue, these are the most hotly-anticipated pop-ups and residencies to put in your diary this spring and summer, all sure to whet your appetite.
Atoboy x Bryan Furman x Kann
Where: Kann, Portland, Oregon
When: 3-5 April
Soft light elevates Kann's bar into the restaurant's glowing focal point (Image: Steve Freihon)
Serving up wood-fired Haitian cuisine, chef, writer and James Beard-winner Gregory Gourdet's debut Portland restaurant has made a splash with the often-overlooked cuisine finally getting its moment in the spotlight. The wunderkind is hosting New York's Korean hotspot Atoboy and legendary pitmaster Bryan Furman for a one-off barbecue extravaganza. The residency takes place beneath the restaurant proper and will combine Southern American, Korean and Caribbean barbecue traditions with lashings of live-fire energy.
Alinea x Bellagio
Where: Bellagio Resort & Casino, Las Vegas
When: 16-31 April
Alinea's gazpacho – scented with tomato, peach and citrus – accompanied by a basket of citrus fruit over dry ice
In a world of here today, gone tomorrow concepts, 20 years for any restaurant is an impressive feat, so it's hardly surprising that Alinea – the successful group with the Chicago flagship launched by award-winning chef Grant Achatz two decades ago last year – has been celebrating by taking its restaurants on tour. So far, the taste trip has taken in culinary hives like New York, Miami, Los Angeles and Tokyo, and now it's time for Las Vegas to take centre stage with a residency at Bellagio Resort & Casino. From mid-April, the eponymous restaurant of celebrity chef Michael Mina will offer a fitting backdrop to the tour finale and promises an immersive gastronomic experience. Expect dishes that reflect Alinea's spirit while embracing the unmistakable Vegas flavour.
Burnt Ends x Boragó x Yiaga x Masque x A Casa do Porco
Where: Burnt Ends, Singapore
When: May - December
Kinmedai is a fatty, deep-sea fish grilled over charcoal at Burnt Ends (Image: Simon Pynt)
Barbecue heaven Burnt Ends is turning 13 with a bang: four Kitchen Takeovers bringing four of the world's most innovative culinary perspectives to one Singapore address. Expect the A-game from top chefs like Varun Totlani, head chef at Masque (27 July) to Janaína Torres, chef-owner of A Casa do Porco (7 December). Each takeover is designed with a produce-focused philosophy, from the berries foraged from the forests of Kashmir to wakame seaweed sourced from Victoria's coast.
Louise by Loïc Portalier x Duet by David Toutain
Where: Louise, Hong Kong
When: 14-15 April
Set in a two‑storey Grade II‑listed property, Louise's dining room blends French old-school charm with Hong Kong designer André Fu's modern take
French chef Loïc Portalier will throw open the doors to Michelin-starred Louise – his joint venture with JIA Group's Yenn Wong in Hong Kong – to welcome chef Valentin Fouache of Duet by David Toutain from The Ritz-Carlton in Bangkok. The elegant dining room within the beautiful gardens of the historic PMQ design centre will play host to a symphony of French flavours with Asian influences. From king crab and green asparagus to Brittany Dover sole and seven-day-aged duck, the seven-course menu will bring together both cultures on every delectable plate.
Tom Aikens x Moss Restaurant
Where: Blue Lagoon, Iceland
When: 11 April
For one night only on 11 April, flame-haired British chef Tom Aikens will be touching down at Moss Restaurant – the Michelin-starred eatery from chef Agnar Sverrisson at Blue Lagoon in Iceland – to serve up a six-course tasting menu in one of the world's most extraordinary landscapes. From the mountains to the seas and the rivers, ingredient-led Tom and ex-Texture Agnar will draw on inspiration from their surroundings with seasonal produce and sustainable dishes truly rooted in a sense of place. Better still, the duo has enlisted the esteemed Rioja winery Marqués de Murrieta to provide the pairings for each plate, while groups will be kept reassuringly small and intimate.
Mirazur x Ferran Adrià
Where: Mirazur, Menton
When: 1 April – 17 May
Following its 2019 refurbishment, Mirazur's dining room frames vistas of the Mediterranean and the harbour at Menton
At the foot of the Alps beside the Mediterranean just an hour from Nice, things couldn't get much better at three-Michelin-starred Mirazur in Menton, France – or could they? To celebrate its 20th anniversary this spring, Italian-Argentinean chef Mauro Colagreco will team up with Catalan icon and El Bulli founder Ferran Adrià for a commemorative menu. Each course will trace the evolution of the techniques and ingredients at the restaurant that specialises in food from the French Riviera, including what bagged it the No.1 spot in 2019.
Arte Culinaria x Montage Los Cabos
Where: Montage Los Cabos
When: 22-25 May
Montage Los Cabos offers open‑air, beachside dining overlooking the Sea of Cortez
Hosted at the Montage Los Cabos, Arte Culinaria – running from 22-25 May – will bring together Mexico's foremost culinary visionaries for a glorious celebration of their vibrant culture and cuisine. Set against a backdrop of desert sands and turquoise waters, guests will be able to get up close and personal with the likes of Dominique Crenn, Julien Royer, Manu Buffara, Richard Lee, Cristina Hanhausen and Erick Bautista, amongst others. It's not just about food, either – there's artistry, wine, music and Mexican spirits aplenty, as you might expect, while Handshake Speakeasy – No.2 on The World's 5 Best Bars 2025 list – will be curating bespoke drinks for a very special dinner by Jorge Vallejo of Quintonil in Mexico City and Daniela Soto-Innes of Rubra in Punta Mita.
Heard x Akoko
Where: Heard, London
When: Until the end of April
Akoko's menu is all about West African flavours brought to life through fire-focused cooking
Currently running in London's Borough and Soho until the end of April is a collaboration between burger restaurant Heard – which hails from two Michelin-starred chef Jordan Bailey – and Aji Akokomi of Michelin-starred West African restaurant Akoko in Fitzrovia. Channelling influences from Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria into burger form, diners can expect the likes of the Akoko burger – an aged British beef patty seasoned with a spice blend and layered with tamarind jam, sosu kaani, yassa-spiced onions and goat's cheese – alongside kelewele fries and calabash nutmeg ice-cream sandwich.
The Datai Chef Series 2026
Where: The Datai Langkawi, Malaysia
When: April - November
Datai Bay's oceanfront dining blends with the sweeping greenery of Langkawi's rainforest
From Mathew Long (2 and 4 April) and Wong Chin Hua (19-20 June) to Douce Steiner (7-8 August) and Monica Galetti (6-7 November), the Chef Series 2026 at The Datai Langkawi is worth booking tickets for. Hot on the heels of past editions, which has seen the likes of Angela Hartnett OBE and Tom Aikens jet in – The Art of the Distinctive, as this year's is named, brings a new roster of talent with the same focus on ingredients sourced from the hotel's zero-waste garden and the island's natural bounty.
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