Jimmy Garcia's winter pop-up, Southbank

This winter, London's Southbank becomes home to its very own Alpine themed ski lodge, courtesy of pop-up entrepreneur Jimmy Garcia.

Situated on the river along the Queen's Walk, the lodge boasts an upstairs dining room called The Refuge: a wooden cabin overlooking the river with a fondue and steak-heavy set menu. Downstairs, the Alpine Bar will be serving up winter warmer cocktails and mulled wine, alongside the Chalet Snack Bar where visitors can sample festive street food including Raclette Burgers and Venison Hot Dogs. Available for private hire are the Lodge's now infamous snow globe-style Igloos kitted out in full Alpine fashion, in which diners can enjoy their own playlist and breathtaking views of the Thames.

The principle is simple – responsibly sourced ingredients, warming winter cocktails and dishes which encompass a taste of the Swiss Alps. And what an enticing taste it is: guests are spoiled for choice with an authentic menu that includes ‘double duck’ smoked duck breast, home-cured salmon with pickled beets, and cured meats sourced exclusively from third-generation butchers in Jimmy’s father’s home town of Asturias. But it is Jimmy's fondue that really steals the show. Neal’s Yard artisan cheeses and others imported from Switzerland are melted together in a vat of rich, warming, full-flavoured boozy indulgence: just the kind of hefty meal you’d want to be welcomed home with after a day on the icy Swiss ski slopes. There is even a mushroom-based vegan fondue option on offer this year. 'We do fondue' is a motto The Lodge more than lives up to.

Now an established name on the pop-up dining scene in London, Garcia’s winter lodge is sure to delight London foodies looking for a taste of the Alps again this winter. And as the nights get colder and longer, The Refuge provides the perfect sanctuary to warm the cockles and indulge in a festive winter spread.