Tucked away off of Charlotte Street lies shy and retiring Windmill Street, home of Drakes Tabanco, a small, traditional and totally charming Andalusian tapas and sherry tavern. It is the sister restaurant of the superb Barrica and a recent addition to Fitzrovia. With its modest white front (so modest you could almost miss it), light and airy interior and welcoming Spanish staff, Drakes instantly invites you into a different country and culture.
The Southbank is an electric part of London, popular with tourists and Londoners alike, all enjoying the atmosphere, sights and entertainment that happens every day and night alongside the river.
With so much to see and do along the Southbank it’s one of the best places in London to go on date. Read on for all the information you need for a date on the Southbank…
If you’ve never been to Kew Gardens then now is the time – though Kew Gardens is beautiful in all the seasons, it’s Springtime when some of the most beautiful flowers start coming out making it the perfect place at the moment for a date. Here you’ll see the stunning beauty of flowers including snowdrops, crocuses, bluebells and daffodils.
Image courtesy of RBG Kew
Just a short walk around the back of Kings Cross Station leads you to the not so well known, ‘Granary Square’ an imaginative oasis of redeveloped warehouses, hidden by a wall of construction. I realize that this picture does not paint one of romance but I think its secrecy is the key to its charm. My date and I arrived at sunset, where outside the red-lit fountains glistened in the evening sun, providing the mood for the evening ahead.
Sitting on Soho’s Archer Street near Piccadilly Circus is the aptly named, ‘Archer Street bar.’ With the fabulous Bocca Di Lupo restaurant across the street and the delicious ice cream parlour ‘Gelupo’ a few doors down, it really is in the perfect spot for a date in the West End.
Running from 18th – 22nd March and 25th – 29th March Shuttlecock Inc. return to London with a Gallic spin-off of their sell-out pop-up, Rumble At The Deli… Rumble: Part Deux.
An off-the-wall parody of France’s rich gastronomic tradition, Part Deux will be fronted by Shuttlecock’s latest comedy creation, Arnaud Hérouville-Saint-Clair-Escoffier: great-grandson of culinary legend, Auguste, and chef/proprietor of Parisian institution, La Constellation – so named for its unrivalled string of Michelin stars.
From the creators of Secret Cinema, Future Cinema offers a movie experience like no other (apart from Secret Cinema). Even before getting in, the world of the film you’re there to see bursts out in to the streets and unfolds in front of you. With actors everywhere encouraging you to get involved, you have no choice but to lose yourself in this wonderful experience.
A rollicking comedy musical that is a must see for any lovers of the classic film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, in fact it’s a must see for anyone who likes a laugh or needs some silliness in their life.
Fitzrovia is a gem of an area sitting between Tottenham Court Road, Goodge Street and Great Portland Street. With restaurants and bars to suit all budgets it is an ideal location to go to for a date in London.
Barrica is a stylish and authentic Spanish tapas bar that sits close to the centre of Fitzrovia on Goodge Street. Recommended by a friend as serving the finest white Rioja ever – I knew I had to sample its delights. It serves up some damn fine food, wine and sherry and who doesn’t like tapas? You can’t go wrong with this stunning little restaurant.
Have you ever fancied being part of a studio audience and seeing a TV show whilst it’s being filmed? Going to the recording of a show be it TV or radio can be a fantastically fun and is a quirky idea for a date. On top of that it’s free!
Sitting halfway along Dean Street in Soho is Dean Street Town House, an upmarket hotel and bistro owned by the Soho House Group serving high quality British fare. It was a Thursday night and packed! The wait for walk in’s was long but luckily I had a table booked.
Even before entering the Townhouse we could feel the buzzing atmosphere resonating from inside the restaurant.
It was very busy when I visited, these images are Dean Street Townhouse’s
Sitting in a pretty Georgian townhouse, The Modern Pantry offers fresh, imaginative and well cooked food making it a perfect choice for a date.
Valentine’s Day is upon us once again, if you’re feeling the pressure to come up with something extra special for Valentine’s Day – don’t panic. We have some of the best Valentine’s Day date ideas in London so read on for inspiration and solutions to make you’re Valentine’s day the most romantic, intimate and enjoyable yet.
This romantic restaurant is near invisible. The only sign it exists is if you either a) look up as you are walking past at night and notice people sitting in the windows or b) walk by the entrance on the side street and see the label on the buzzer. But Upstairs is truly one of London’s hidden gems and well worth making the trip to Brixton to sample their delicious menu.
A stone’s throw from Highbury and Islington Station, perching just on the Highbury Island roundabout, The Hen & Chickens Theatre Bar is one of London’s most famous venues for up and coming comics, be it sketch, improv or stand up. With two shows on every evening at 19:30 and 21:00 at just £12 per ticket, a night of merriment is a guarantee.
It was the final Friday before Christmas, I had promised my date the week before that I would treat her to a romantic Christmas meal in town, but heavy work do’s and last minute Christmas shopping had distracted me from my promise and I found myself in a mad rush to find an available slot at a good restaurant. Call after call I was greeted with the same response, ‘Fully booked.’ Having no luck by phone, I consulted TripAdvisor which gave a great recommendation to a charming French bistro on Brick Lane – Chez Elles (ranked 10th best London restaurant) I immediately called them and thankfully managed to get the last table of the night at 21:30. I was in for a treat!
London is vast, new bars and restaurants open every day, nice places come and go and The London Date Guide can’t cover every awesome date venue. So, if you’re after more ideas for a date in London check out these fantastic books to give you inspiration for your perfect date in the big smoke.
Just a stones throw from Brick Lane, down arty Cheshire Street is ‘The Carpenter’s Arms’, a cosy and warm pub rumoured to be an old haunting ground of the famous Kray Twins. It serves a small menu of scrumptious food and an excellent selection of wines and beer. This pub was recommended to me by a friend who lives nearby and I thank her for such a great find.
Escape to Pop Up Ping Pong’s secret Elf Factory in Hackney for one last round of festivities on the Saturday before Christmas.
Columbia Road Flower Market is one of my favourite markets in London, lined with boutique shops, tea rooms and art galleries, the sight, sounds and smells of Columbia Road Flower Market is fabulous experience. If the weather is fair then Columbia Road is definitely a must do Sunday date in London, you basically cannot go wrong.
