The night can really highlight some features of a city, don’t you think? The monuments, illuminated, in sharp contrast with the sky, or the city lights blending together from a panoramic viewpoint, like Primrose Hill or the Skygarden (which unfortunately closes at 6pm, but if it’s winter it will look close to nighttime).
Happy hour
There are plenty of bars where to start your night! Whether you like a cozier environment or a loud, fun crowd, you can find the right one for you:
- Powerplant Camden; let’s start with a personal favorite! Happy hour starts early at 4pm, which is good if you intend to move onto other activities. It’s also vegetarian, soooo that’s good if you need to find a vegan or vegetarian happy hour in London! They host events too!
- Skylight Peckham offers a beautiful view and great cocktails, a little uppity, it’s also a very good option for brunch! We like.
- Get loud(ish) at SingEasy in the West End, a musical bar with singing waiters and an increible host.
- Simmons, oh, Simmons! The king of happy hour, with venues everywhere in the city, find your nearest one here. It’s very London.
- Have a panoramic drink at Skygarden and fall in love with the picture below and around you. You can stay here for free until 6pm, but after that, you’re either a client or you’re outside – that’s the rules!
Dinner, maybe?
London doesn’t really have a “typical” cuisine: it has typical cuisines from everywhere around the world! So take advantage of that at the various restaurants, cafe’s, foodtrucks and food markets!
Let’s start with sit-down restaurants:
- Bao London is a need we didn’t know we had. The Bao, the steamed buns, are the main dish, and the rest is delicioius too! But it’s not just a restaurant, no no, it also has Karaoke Rooms for you to sing your heart out with your friends! Check out where here.
- If a steak is what you’re craving, make sure you hit Blacklock Soho, a reconverted brothel with a deep atmosphere and great, great food. Top-rated!
- If you like eating pretty, Pollen Street Social is it: very curated ingredients, very interesting vegan and vegetarian options
- Ma Petite Jamaica requires you be ready for it. It is A LOT, and you can forget it easily. Intense and rich flavours
- Quick, cheap, great – it’s Murger Han bringing Northern Chinese food just off Euston Road, and we thank them. Vegan and vegetarian options, when ot in the menu, can generally be arranged.
- Dumplings’ Legend gives you dream-stuffed dumplings at less than 1£ each, so good they’re worth the bit of fuss.
We love a good foodtruck before (or after) the club, it feels more dynamic, keeps the ball rolling, doesn’t halt the engine, doesn’t kill the boil, makes a day a night, calls the chicken to the… okay that didn’t even make sense. ANYWAY!
- Pizza Pilgrims have it all: the restaurants and the foodtruck blessing us with handmade pizza in the neapolitan way – in crust they trust, and so do we!
- Born in London, inspired by Tokyo, inspiring everybody with amazing food and an amazing philosophy: “Food for Freedom” is Rainbo’s mantra and that’s why 20p from every meal purchased goes directly towards the rescue and support of child laborers!
- Baba G’s Bhangra burger is a favourite… but maybe ot if you’re going dancing after. A mix of culinary traditions giving birth to terrific, unexpected burgers – vegan and vegetarian options available and thriving – remember to check out the menu of each location as they are different!
- You Doughnut hits the spot if your choice is sweet over savory! Bite-sized doughnuts dripping chocolate, glaze, and whatnot – whatyes!
Honorable mentions:
- The Piano Works Farringdon, where you can have dinner AND ask the band what you want to hear, a modern pianobar that lasts all night long!
- Enjoy a lovely dinner, followed by an evening of dancing at Amazing Grace!
- We love that prohibition charm, the 1920s elegance, and The Candlelight Club, an elusive speakeasy hidden in the heart of London, is the absolute best for that.
- 222 Vegan was one of the first vegan restaurants in London, and made us (vegans and non-vegans) fall in love with it. The menu is to die for, the flavors intense and varied, a great spot to enjoy a perfect cruelty-free meal
- Unity Diner has the best non-prawn tempura and tempeh sticky ribs. No seriously, you have to try them.
- Proud Cabaret City allows you to enjoy a decadent meal whilst feasting on the spectacular show in front of you. Expect burlesque, jazz and a whole lotta sass.
Shall we dance?
London’s nightlife is non-stop! If you want to dance, here’s our suggestions:
- Fabric: the number one. Big, important, three roms with a bodysonic dancefloor, it’s everything more.
- Cargo is cool, it’s under the railway arches of shoreditch, also offers food. The music is varied, it’s maybe a bit more chill, spirit-wise. Like, less serious about it. Good choice.
- Ministry of sound is 30 years old and carries them easily – it’s an absolute classic, junt can’t go wrong!
- Electric Brixton is South London’s gem, check out big-name events or enjoy the regular electric, house, and dance nights!
Other than dancing, check out night time events at the museums, they’re constantly changing!
More ideas, venues, a vague itinerary? Here!
The Skygarden is a good starting point: get a 360° view of the City until dusk – after that, you can join the clients of the bar to stay, or move to the Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden for drinks with a view, maybe you’ll catch a live show too!
Close by there is our beloved London Eye; it closes at 8pm but on weekends it extends to 10pm, so that is a great option to see lights of London from a high viewpoint, and it looks beautiful at night!
Grab a late-night dinner in Soho or at Duck&Waffle in Liverpool Street (and enjoy the view), then throw it down on the dancefloor at one of the many, many, many, many… many clubs in London, like the iconc Fabric, or let the morning light surprise you in the courtyard of Egg London, check out Heaven for a gay night or live music! Hit Village Soho for an LGBTQ+ dedicated event or catch drag karaoke at King’s Arms!
If you don’t feel like dancing, theaters and cinemas are there for you! Choose a theater pub for a play and some drinks, it’s always a great combination, don’t you agree? Pick your favourite:
- The Excetera; one of the very best according to the Guardian
- Above the Stag; award-winning theater, UK’s only professional LGBTQ+ theater
- The Finborough; if you like the cerebral, nichey niche writings and plays, old and new, this one’s for you.
- The Hen&Chickens; here you can find The Comedy, strap in for a good laugh at this Victorian pub
Have all the fun you can get – and you can get a lot of it!