Best date ideas in London
Dating as a single person in London is a complex thing. On the one hand, there are endless possibilities for rom-com-worthy meet-cutes like sharing a smile with someone on the tube and slipping your number on a napkin to someone in the pub. On the other hand, you’re wondering if dating apps are personally attacking you with your “most compatible” suggestions.
But once you bag a baddie, the number of good date spots in the capital is abundant. You can lose hours of your day in galleries, giggle at comedy clubs, try local pints direct from the brewers and pretend to understand natural wine at chic bars.
And if you’re stuck for an idea, we’ve gone through each type of date scenario and pulled out the best London date spots to take your beau or belle – no matter your situationship status.
If it’s a first date…
First dates should be liquids only, with the option for a quick getaway. You're only testing the waters at this point and a great way to do that is over coffee.
Watch House takes brewing seriously, so you know the flat white will be 10/10, and hopefully, your first date will be, too. It’s got several locations, including one near Hampstead Heath – perfect for a stroll.
Or there’s Saint Espresso, which is roasted in Hackney and a great conversation starter if there’s a lull, talk about tasting notes, bean origins and milk alternatives – riveting conversation.
If you're after a boozy first date, Brick Brewery has some of the freshest pints you’ll taste. Sat under the train arches, go beer-for-beer and if the evening goes well, grab a slice of pizza from World Famous Gordos, which has a residency at the Peckham spot.
Lower Wine in Waterloo serves up some very special glasses of vino in an intimate setting – think low lighting and sharing a bottle. That’s an ideal first date if you ask me.
If you really fancy them…
You might be a few dates or months in at this point, and the magic is brewing. It’s time to show off your expertly crafted and curated knowledge of “can’t believe you haven’t been here before” locations when really, you just read our blog. We don’t blame you, though.
Time to woo, and the way to woo me is often with pasta. Darling’s will have you slurping your pasta like Lady and the Tramp to the tune of mafaldine.
Half Cut Market is a wine bar, restaurant and shop and they take wine pretty seriously, as is hopefully translated to your date when you choose this spot.
For the plant-based boos, naïfs serves delicious family-style vegan set menus that change with the seasons. Nothing says “I like you” than letting them have the last mouthful on the plate.
If you’re a pair of music lovers, Next Door Records hosts cosy gigs in their shop so you can bop along to some tunes, enjoy a drink, and bop on out arranging your next date.
If you don’t fancy them but still want to have fun…
No Doubt was on to something with “Don’t Speak”, because that’s what these date ideas are designed for. You may be feeling the spark fizzle, but there is no reason why you can’t have a great last date.
The worst-kept secret in central; Top Secret Comedy Club. With surprise big-name guests and hilarious sets by up-and-coming acts, you can enjoy this one without chatting. Just be sure not to sit at the front. I’ve witnessed a comedian make a couple on a first date sitting at the front kiss for the first time via a crowd chant.
Another on the comedy front, Greenwich spot Up the Creek, offers a different kind of comedy night every Thursday called The Blackout, where you decide how funny each act is. A judgement you’ll also be passing on your date.
Become immersed in art at gallery Chisenhale in the East End. It was founded by artists and always has something with an experimental edge going on.
Finally, nothing screams the spark is dead like going to the cinema. Electric Cinema in Portobello shows the latest flicks and special oldies, too. Two separate popcorns, please.
If you’re about to secure the relationship status…
Asking someone to be your partner over a posh caff breakfast? Count me in. Norman’s Cafe does beans on toast but make it “relax, let me take a picture” worthy.
Going “official” over dinner is a classic, too. Tamila is the new South London venture from the North London Tamil Prince. You can dip and dunk and talk about how much you like each other over a Sunday roti.
Fallow is another memorable dinner spot for special occasions, and taking it from dating to relationship is note-worthy. It does all-day dining, so you can celebrate the new status with a dinner or brunch the next morning.
If you’re looking for some Dutch courage, you can ask your lover out over fine wine at Binch. It specialises in stocking an array of bottles from French vineyards, so it’s bound to be romantic.
If you’re going on an anniversary date…
Anniversaries deserve to be marked with something special – but please don’t be out there celebrating your one month, these are one-year-plus date ideas…
With pasta and dishes made over a charcoal grill, Trullo cooks in a way that puts freshness and flavour at the forefront. A Tuscan trattoria but in Islington, go true Italian style with several courses and indulge in the dishes and your date.
Oranj is one to mark down as it hosts rotating chefs, you can visit each anniversary and enjoy a whole new dining experience every time. Be sure to book this spot to avoid sitting at the counter, though.
Down in South London, there is Levan, which offers a six-course chef’s menu of their favourite dishes, which will soon become yours. And right next door is Bar Levan for when you don’t want the evening to end. Try one of their special mezcals…
And what says an anniversary like being a tourist in your own city and enjoying an overnighter? Sink into a four-poster bed or take a dip in a rolltop bath with a stay at the Kensington Hotel.
If you're going to dump them…
Meet by South Bank, bring a film crew and dump them like Spencer and Louise from Made in Chelsea. No date location needed.
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