15 Things You Should Eat in London This September

September is one of the best months to eat seasonally in London.

It's that point between summer and autumn when the last of the summer produce is still around, while apples, pears, figs, plums, damsons, sweetcorn and other early autumn ingredients start appearing. The National Trust describes September as “probably the most abundant month for British grown produce.”

And then there are the things that feel particularly September-ish in London native oysters returning for the season, game appearing on restaurant menus and food festivals bringing some very good excuses to eat.

So if you're in London this month, here are 15 things worth eating or looking out for.

1. Native oysters

If you're a seafood lover, September is the month to get excited about oysters.

The native oyster season runs from September to April, and London's seafood restaurants start putting them back in the spotlight. Bentley's, for example, specifically lists its native oysters as being available from September to April.

Native oysters are different from the rock oysters you'll find throughout much of the year. They're flatter, more delicate and have a distinctive flavour.

And September 2026 has an especially good oyster event.

London Oyster Championships

Friday 18 September | Bentley's Oyster Bar & Grill

The fourth London Oyster Championships takes place at Bentley's on 18 September, celebrating the start of the native oyster season with competitions for professional shuckers and chefs.

The 2026 judging panel includes Stanley Tucci, alongside food writers and chefs.

So if you've been waiting for an excuse to eat oysters, September has just given you one.

Try: native oysters with a simple mignonette.

2. British apples

September is when British apples really start coming into their own.

The National Trust lists apples among the key September crops, alongside pears, plums, damsons and figs.

This is also a good time to look beyond the standard supermarket varieties.

You may find heritage British apples at farmers' markets and specialist produce stalls, with differences in sweetness, acidity and texture that you don't necessarily get from the usual supermarket selection.

And don't just eat them raw.

September is the perfect month for:

• Apple crumble

• Apple tart

• Apple cake

• Apple chutney

• Baked apples

• Apple desserts with custard

Try: a proper British apple crumble with custard.

3. Damsons

Damsons are one of those fruits that can make a dish feel instantly seasonal.

These small purple plums have a naturally tart flavour, which makes them particularly good when cooked.

September is a good time to look for them alongside other seasonal British fruit.

You'll find damsons used in things such as:

Damson crumble

Damson jam

Damson fool

Damson tarts

Damson sauces

They're also a good ingredient to look for at farmers' markets if you want to take some home and cook with them yourself.

4. Pears

September is also the beginning of the autumn pear season.

The National Trust includes pears among the fruit to harvest or buy during September.

And pears are one of those ingredients that work equally well in sweet and savoury dishes.

Look for:

Poached pears

Pear tarts

Pear and chocolate desserts

Pear with cheese

Pear and honey

If you see a restaurant menu describing a dessert as a seasonal pear dish this month, it's worth paying attention.

5. Fresh figs

September is a particularly good time to look for fresh figs.

They're included among the September fruits listed by the National Trust, and they work beautifully in both sweet and savoury dishes.

You'll often see them paired with ingredients such as:

Goat's cheese

Honey

Walnuts

Yoghurt

Prosciutto

A simple plate of fresh figs, cheese and something salty can be one of the best ways to enjoy them.

Or look for them in September desserts.

6. Blackberries

Blackberries are another fruit that fits perfectly into this summer-to-autumn crossover.

September is a good month for them, particularly when combined with other seasonal fruit.

And one combination is particularly hard to beat:

Apple and blackberry crumble

You get the sharpness of the berries, the sweetness of cooked apples and then the crumble topping.

Add custard and you've got one of the easiest September desserts to look for in London.

If you visit a farmers' market, you can also pick up the ingredients and make your own.

7. Plums

September isn't just about damsons.

Plums are also among the fruits listed by the National Trust for September.

Look for them in:

• Tarts

• Crumbles

• Cakes

• Compotes

• Jams

• Chutneys

And if you're lucky enough to find different varieties at a market, try them side by side.

Some will be much sweeter while others have a sharper, more complex flavour.

8. British sweetcorn

Sweetcorn is another ingredient that still feels like summer while fitting perfectly into September.

The National Trust lists sweetcorn among September's seasonal crops.

The simplest preparation is often the best:

Charred sweetcorn + butter + salt.

But London restaurants and food stalls can take it much further.

Look for:

Grilled corn

Corn with chilli and lime

Charred corn salads

Corn alongside grilled meat

It's a great September ingredient because it still gives you that late-summer feeling while autumn starts creeping into everything else.

9. Seasonal tomatoes

September isn't only about autumn produce.

Some summer crops are still going strong.

The National Trust specifically lists tomatoes among the crops still highly productive in September.

So if you see beautiful British tomatoes at a market, don't assume you've missed their season.

This is a great time for:

Tomato salads

Tomato and burrata

Roasted tomatoes

Tomato bruschetta

Fresh tomato pasta

It's one of the last chances to make the most of that really good summer tomato flavour before the season moves on.

10. Courgettes and summer squash

Another summer ingredient that is still around in September is courgette.

The National Trust lists courgettes and summer squash among the September crops.

That means you can still find them on menus in lighter dishes, grilled preparations and salads before the heavier autumn vegetables completely take over.

Look for:

Grilled courgettes

Courgette flowers

Courgette pasta

Courgette salads

Roasted summer squash

It's a good reminder that September isn't suddenly all pies and game.

11. Autumn vegetables

While summer produce is still hanging around, autumn vegetables are beginning to arrive too.

The September seasonal list includes vegetables such as beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, celery, fennel, potatoes, spinach and shallots.

This is where London restaurant menus start becoming interesting.

You may see these ingredients moving into:

Roasted vegetable dishes

Seasonal soups

Gratins

Vegetable sides

Warm salads

September is basically the month where menus start changing personality.

12. Grouse and seasonal game

If you're interested in British game, September is a good month to start looking for it on London menus.

Grouse season begins in August, meaning restaurants can feature grouse during September.

One London example is La Poule au Pot in Belgravia, which has highlighted grouse with seasonal vegetables, celeriac mash and game sauce.

The important thing here is that game isn't going to appear on every London menu.

Instead, look specifically for restaurants running seasonal game menus.

If you've never tried grouse, September is a good opportunity.

Try: grouse with seasonal vegetables and a rich game sauce.

13. Red partridge

Grouse isn't the only game worth looking for.

Red partridge also starts appearing on seasonal game menus around this time of year.

La Poule au Pot has specifically announced red partridge as part of its September seasonal offering following its grouse menu.

Partridge has a milder flavour than some of the stronger game birds, so it can be a good introduction if you're curious about game but don't want something too intense.

Again, the key is to look for seasonal game menus, rather than expecting it to be available everywhere.

14. Eat something cooked over fire at Meatopia

This isn't a seasonal ingredient in the same way as apples or damsons.

But if you're asking what food should I eat in London during September, you can't ignore one of the month's biggest food events.

Meatopia

3–6 September | Tobacco Dock

Meatopia returns to Tobacco Dock from Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 September 2026, bringing up to 75 live-fire chefs together to cook dishes over wood and charcoal.

And because you're buying food directly from chefs cooking over fire, this is a great place to try something you wouldn't normally order in a restaurant.

The festival has different opening times depending on the day:

Friday 4 September: 2pm–10pm

Saturday 5 September: 12pm–10pm

Sunday 6 September: 12pm–6pm

So if you're a serious food lover, this is one September date worth putting in your diary.

15. Go looking for seasonal food at London's farmers' markets

Sometimes the best September food isn't attached to a particular restaurant.

It's sitting on a market stall.

Because September has such a broad range of seasonal produce apples, pears, figs, plums, damsons, sweetcorn, tomatoes, courgettes and more farmers' markets are one of the easiest ways to see what's actually in season.

For example, Walled Garden's farmers' market is scheduled for Saturday 5 September 2026, 9:30am–2:30pm, with seasonal produce and independent growers.

You could go with a simple challenge:

Buy one fruit, one vegetable and one ingredient you've never tried before.

Then figure out what to cook with them.

That might be more memorable than another restaurant meal.

So what should you actually eat this September?

If you want to keep it simple, start with the things that are genuinely associated with September's seasonal produce:

Apples, Pears, Damsons, Plums, Figs, Blackberries, Sweetcorn, Tomatoes, Courgettes, Seasonal autumn vegetables

Then, if you're eating out, look for:

Native oysters, Grouse, Red partridge, Live-fire dishes

The key is that not everything needs to be eaten in one particular restaurant.

Sometimes the most seasonal thing you can do is simply walk into a good London market and see what has arrived that week.

September is the month when London's food changes

That's what makes September interesting.

August still feels like summer.

October feels properly autumnal.

September sits right between the two.

You can still eat tomatoes, courgettes and sweetcorn while apples, pears, damsons and figs begin appearing.

Seafood lovers get native oysters back.

Game starts appearing on restaurant menus.

And London's food calendar starts filling up with events like Meatopia and the London Oyster Championships.

So instead of asking:

“Where should I eat in London this September?”

Try asking:

“What's actually in season right now?”

You'll probably discover something you wouldn't have ordered otherwise.

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