Winter is coming.

And so, as autumn draws to a close, we must all brace ourselves for the season to come.

But not all is lost amid chilly temperatures and shorter days: after all, it’s the time of year when penguins suit up for their annual winter ball. With the holiday season just started, there’s plenty to be celebrated and feasted on. Food, once again, has taken centre stage.

Enter Winter Wonderland. For those of you who’ve not yet been: situated in London’s historic Hyde Park, it’s an amusement park within convenient walking distance from our college. Ever notice the Ferris Wheel at Hyde Park Corner? That’s the place I’m talking of.

As if modelled after a traditional German (or allow me to interject, Austrian!) Christkindlmarkt, food and souvenir stands exhibit an uncanny similarity to those found on the Continent. What’s more, the rides and attractions are all sourced from (presumably) Germany and Bavarian flags dominate the wonderland scene. Welcome to Europe!

Back to our foods menu: Winter Wonderland offers nothing short of roasted chestnuts (nut-lovers you’ll love this), mulled wine, Hungarian Langos and goulash. But the real highlight of the winter night? Hot dogs. They’re literally everywhere, and for good reason: the authentic German Weisswurst, grilled to perfection, tastes heavenly and can’t be missed out on. By far the greatest German invention, the Münchener Currywurst is a one-of-a-kind sausage that experts unanimously agree to be the long reigning king of the Wurst arena. A range of beers are served too and are best enjoyed at the Bavarian beer hut, where dance beats of the 80s and 90s liven up the atmosphere.

While the foods are delicious, the prices are a shocker. All foods are expensive and I’ve come to discover that hot dog prices vary from stand to stand. So watch out folks. Also, there are no free cash machines (there’s no such thing as a free lunch, after all), so make sure you have cash at hand when you visit.

Finally, Winter Wonderland offers an ice skating rink too, for those who want to work off the delicious drinks and food with some exercise.

Enjoy!