Date Night in London
If romance is on the cards then the capital is absolutely the place to be. Blessed with beautiful parks and gardens, breath-taking views and amazing nightlife entertainment, there’s no shortage of great places to take a date in London. We’ve narrowed our favourites down to the following recommended date-night bars, packed with interesting choices offering something for everybody when looking for fun date ideas in London.
Last updated on 10th December 2020
With delicious steaks and impressive cocktails on the menu, from the City to Chelsea, Marco Pierre White and James Ogilvie Robertson's restaurant makes for a stylish choice on date night. Expect old-school service, with knowledgeable waiters available to help with everything from wine decisions to an excellent dessert.
Angel's neighbourhood cocktail bar is a sure-fire way to impress on date night. To start with, it's from the same guys as Callooh Callay, so you can expect a banging list of cocktails made with great skill and imagination. The place offers a super chilled out vibe with cosy seating and attentive staff, and with Alice in Wonderland themed quirks never too far away, this is a must-try for date night close to Islington's buzzing Upper Street.
@ The Castle Tooting on Various dates from Monday 17th May 2021
Based in Castle Tooting in South London, The Big London Bake is a fun event that's perfect for the city's many foodies. Taking inspiration from one of Britain's most iconic TV shows, the event will see guests take part in a number of testing challenges in order to find out who London's true star bakers are.
A bit of a schmoozing playground where expert sommeliers are on hand serving fine bottles of wine and top rated mixologists blend top class cocktails behind the bar. 68 & Boston is the answer to all of your where to go for date night in London qualms, plus they keep their bottles of wine at seriously affordable prices.
The masterminds behind the successful Nightjar bar have now their attention towards Covent Garden, offering London's many young couples a great date night in the form of Swift bar. Using an arsenal of international spirits, fruits and spices, and promising a quick turn around for each drink, the expert team of mixologists serve both classic and inventive cocktails to its guests.
Nothing beats date night in London like a secret drinking hideaway unbeknown to the general population. If you're looking to impress, Found is the key to your success (no rhyme intended). Once you've discovered this coveted cocktail club in Shoreditch, you'll return for a piece of the top mixology over and over again.
Whoever thought of pairing the world's two most loved indulgences is an absolute hero. Leading the craze of dessert bars in London, Basement Sate plates up Parisian chic interiors to a backdrop of patisserie desserts that are quite literally melt-in-the-mouth moments. Get your fix of exquisitely crafted cocktails and divine sweets for your London date night.
As well as a collection of more than 200 types of rum, Burlock serves up a menu of authentic Cuban and Caribbean food to complement its cocktails. This Marylebone spot also has a nifty cocktail list, with a unique happy hour offering deals from open until close and a Grasshopper Challenge donating £1 from each sale to human rights organisations.
Sometimes, there's so much hype surrounding a bar that the experience fails to match your expectations. With Nightjar that is absolutely not the case. Constantly celebrated as one of the best drinking dens in the world, it's the irresistible set-up combining beautifully mixed drinks with soothing, serenading live music that makes this prized bar so good if you're pulling out all the stops for date night.
Somewhere in amongst the hustle and bustle of Islington's Upper Street lies Hoxley and Porter; a dream of a date night destination promising an experience completely different to the norm. Escape to this lair of intoxicating liquors and discover the fineries of a venue styled as an opulent first-class train carriage from a bygone era.
One of the prettiest bars in London, The Bloomsbury Club Bar is filled with twinkling lights and intimate corners. Named after the notorious writing set which included Virginia Woolf and E.M Forster, the bar is perfect for telling tales and whispering secrets, with cosy tables and a punchy cocktail list.
@ Merchant House on Various dates from Wednesday 3rd March 2021
Go all out and hire your own private bar for something a little intimate. Complete with your own music selection and a personal bartender, you can explore whatever spirits take your fancy. Perfect as a double date spot, or for just the two of you - we've even heard rumour of proposals taking place here...
Set in what was a former public conveniences, The Bermondsey Arts Club is as stylish and suave as cocktail bars come. Designed with art deco gumption and a contemporary persuasion, you'll find a bespoke space of unique furniture pieces where you can experience their hand crafted liquid extravagances in the form of their cocktail list.
@ Chelsea Funhouse on Various dates from Wednesday 3rd March 2021
One of the most unique cocktail experiences in the city, this quirky bar in Chelsea brings you vintage-inspired interiors and the chance to play code-breakers in a fully immersive environment.
Standing out in the crowd thanks to its iconic black exterior and with a reputation for serving some of London's most refreshing cocktails, the Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings is a quirky bar based just a short stroll from Angel station. From brunch through to dinner, this townhouse is pretty enough for all occasions.
Brought to London by the team behind the multi-award winning Nightjar, this is a sumptuous bar of global influence. Designed to tease all of the senses and take you on a journey of discovery, settle in at the Oriole and enjoy cocktails mixed with the finest exotic ingredients going. There's similarly delightful grazing plates, and live entertainment comes in the form of live jazz, swing and blues music throughout the week.