Earlier this year I was icing cakes at celeb-favourite Sweet Lady Jane in Los Angeles to celebrate Airbnb’s refreshed Experiences platform. The idea is simple: connect visitors with local experts through hands-on classes, tasting sessions, workshops and guided walks in more than 100 cities. In London the offering has mushroomed—now around 600 Experiences—thanks in part to a collaboration with Netflix’s Chef’s Table that added private menus, cooking classes and chef-led tastings to the roster.
Below are nine standout Airbnb Experiences in London for food lovers, creatives and literary fans.
1. Champagne tasting at the two-Michelin-starred Kitchen Table
Sommelier Sandia Chang hosts a 90-minute session at Kitchen Table in Fitzrovia, introducing Champagne’s regions and flavour profiles before pouring samples from three grower-producers. Small plates are served alongside the tastings, and the restaurant’s theatrical setting makes this both educational and indulgent.
2. Pasta-making class at Jamie Oliver’s development kitchen
Though Jamie Oliver doesn’t teach the class personally, the session at his studio starts with drinks and moves to his signature pasta dough. You’ll shape, cook and dress pasta, enjoy what you make, and get a behind-the-scenes tour of the studio.
3. John Keats’s Hampstead and a poetry workshop
Writer and editor Elida leads a guided walk around Keats’s Hampstead, beginning at his house and ending with a pint at The Flask. Along the way you’ll learn about Keats’s life and work, then try your hand at composing poems with Elida’s supportive guidance.
4. Nose-to-tail butchery and cooking class at Camille
Head chef Elliot Hashtroudi runs an immersive masterclass focused on butchery and French-influenced cooking. After a primer on farming and cuts, there are demonstrations, hands-on work—sometimes with adventurous ingredients like ox heart—and a shared meal that celebrates offal.
5. Five-course Malaysian tasting at Sambal Shiok
Chef-owner Mandy Yin’s Highbury restaurant, which grew from a 2013 street-food stall, offers an intimate tasting menu featuring dishes such as chicken and prawn laksa and nasi lemak. Reviewers praise the warmth and authenticity; the experience is family-friendly and well-staffed.
6. Jane Austen walking tour
Historian and curator Lizzie guides a walk through London locations associated with Jane Austen, from Mayfair addresses to sites connected with her publishing life and the Prince Regent’s properties. The tour blends social history and literary context with enthusiastic, well-reviewed storytelling.
7. Landscape drawing at The National Gallery
Artist Melina leads a relaxed drawing session inspired by landscape works by Turner, Poussin and Constable. You’ll warm up, study gallery pieces, try new techniques and produce your own sketches to take home.
8. Shaanxi tasting with Chef Guirong Wei (Chef’s Table)
Chef Guirong Wei, featured on Chef’s Table’s 2024 noodles season, presents a tasting at Dream Xi’an that showcases Shaanxi classics and her signature biang biang noodles. The multi-course meal finishes with dessert and a small take-home gift.
9. Udon and sushi masterclass at Dinings
At contemporary Dinings in Chelsea, learn udon-making—from kneading to shaping and boiling—before moving on to sushi with chef-owner Masaki Sugisaki and his team. The class ends with a shared meal of udon and sushi, paired sake and a traditional dessert.
These Experiences mix hands-on learning, intimate dining and cultural immersion, and they’re a great way to add depth to a London trip. Popular sessions sell out fast, so book early to secure the dates and times you want.
