One free ticket now gives visitors access to five major trade events at Excel London this September
This September, The National Restaurant, Pub & Bar Show will join forces with four other leading food and drink trade events for the first time, as part of the brand-new London Food & Drink Festival.
Taking place on 16-17 September at Excel London, the festival brings The National Restaurant, Pub & Bar Show together with lunch!, London Drinks Exchange, Natural & Organic Food Show and Artisan Food & Drink Show, uniting them under one roof for the first time. It’s a new format designed to give visiting buyers and operators access to the full breadth of the hospitality industry in a single visit – and crucially, one ticket now grants free entry to all five shows.
The co-located events will feature 1000s of new food, drink, tech and equipment products from 600 exhibitors, as well as 200+ world-class industry speakers across eight stages. With so much innovation on display, it’s shaping up to be the UK’s most comprehensive food and drink trade event this autumn.
“This is where business happens. Buyers aren’t just browsing, they’re making decisions that will shape menus, drinks lists and openings for the year ahead. Bringing us together with lunch!, Natural & Organic Food Show and the rest of the festival just raises the stakes: if you’re serious about hospitality, this is the one date you can’t afford to miss in 2026.”
Stephen Herring, Event Manager, The National Restaurant, Pub and Bar Show and London Drinks Exchange.
INDUSTRY LEADERS ON THE AGENDA
The show’s own Pub & Bar Stage, Casual DINING Stage and Restaurateur Stage will host confirmed industry leaders including Nick Mackenzie, CEO of Greene King; Andy Spencer, CEO of Punch Pubs; John Hutson, Chief Executive of JD Wetherspoon; Gemma Glasson, CEO of Wahaca; Nisha Katona MBE, Founder / Director of Mowgli Street Food; Des Gunewardena, Founder and CEO of D3 Collective; Tom James, MD of Bill’s; Laura Harper Hinton, Co-founder, Caravan, Gordon Ker, Founder of Blacklock; Anthony Pender Founder of Hoste; Shereen Ritchie, Group CEO, Coyo Taco UK / Kuvi Hospitality; James Nye, MD of Anglian Country Inns; Amber Wood, CEO of New World Trading Company; Duncan Stirling, Director / Co-founder, Inception Group and Sam Hagger, MD of Beautiful Pubs Collective
In addition to industry leaders, the festival speaker line-up has top names from marketing, operations and food innovation, bringing together the sharpest minds across every corner of the industry – giving visitors expert insight whatever their role or specialism.
MICHELIN-STARRED CHEFS ATTENDING
The show’s new CHEF LIVE Stage will bring together world-class chefs including Tom Aikens (Muse), Atul Kochhar (Kanishka), Nikita Pathakji (MAAI by Nikita), Maria Bradford (Shwen Shwen), Cyrus Todiwala OBE (Café Spice Namasté), James Golding (The Larder House), Abbie Hendren (Teal), Ayesha Kalaji (Queen of Cups), Steve Mangleshot (wagamama) and Tas Gaitanos (Brother Marcus). Three-Michelin-starred chef Mark Birchall (Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms) will also give an exclusive interview with Ann Elliott on the Restaurateurs Stage.
Other show features include Start-Up Zones, Innovation Challenge Galleries, live DJ sets and interactive festival features running across both days. It’s less a trade show than a new era for hospitality and retail events; a vital snapshot of where the industry is heading.
BIGGEST DRINKS OFFERING YET: LONDON DRINKS EXCHANGE
New for 2026, the show is going big on drinks with the launch of London Drinks Exchange – a dedicated ‘show-within-a-show’ giving restaurant, pub and bar operators a focused space to discover new listings, sample hundreds of products across every drinks category, and hear from expert speakers.
“This is an exciting opportunity for restaurant, pub and bar operators to come together and sample hundreds of innovative new products across every category, explore new listings, listen to expert speakers, network, and do business with the best brands in the market.”
– Chris Brazier, Group Event Director, London Food & Drink Festival
Exhibitors confirmed for London Drinks Exchange include Diageo, Carlsberg Britvic, Lilley’s Cider, Moth Drinks, Ocean Spray, Sunrise Beverages, Budweiser Budvar, Fierce Beer, Bunta Beer, Lonkero, North South Wines and Off the Wall Drinks. There is also an increasing alcohol-free offering with Club Soda, Three Spirit, Smiling Wolf and Nekta all showing how establishments can raise their game through their low and no alcohol offerings.
ONE TICKET, FIVE SHOWS
Visitors to The National Restaurant, Pub & Bar Show will also have full access to the four co-located events running alongside it, including lunch!, the national food-to-go and coffee shop event, and Natural & Organic Food Show, which shines a light on the fastest-growing corner of the industry via its own dedicated stage. London Drinks Exchange and the Artisan Food & Drink Show round out the festival with specialist drinks and artisan producers.
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
Free trade registration for The London Food & Drink Festival, including The National Restaurant, Pub & Bar Show, is open now at nrpbs.co.uk, with registration subject to verification ahead of the event. For anyone in restaurants, pubs or bars trying to stay a step ahead of what’s next, September’s diary date is one worth locking in early – FREE registration ends 15th September at 5pm.
NOTES TO EDITORS
The London Food & Drink Festival takes place 16-17 September at Excel London, bringing together lunch!, The National Restaurant, Pub & Bar Show, London Drinks Exchange, Natural & Organic Food Show and Artisan Food & Drink Show. One free trade ticket grants access to all five shows. For press enquiries, imagery or interview requests, please contact Joy Elliott.
