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Whether you’re planning something special for Valentine’s Day, a first date, an anniversary or ‘just because’, you’ll surely want to impress your date or other half. At least, we would hope so. (If you’re here for bad date ideas, you’ve come to the wrong place – we don’t enjoy planning bad dates, only hearing about them). Luckily for you, me and the rest of the dating world, London has so much to offer in terms of date night ideas and Valentines plans.

At first glance, these big bulky buildings and ever-grey skies don’t seem that romantic. But boy, can this city whip up a good date. Its variety means you can make sure that the person you are dating is bound to have the best date ever, whatever the vibe you’re after.

Places for dinner and drinks in London:

There is certainly no shortage of bars and restaurants in London – in fact, we’d say some of the best bars and restaurants in the world, you know. But maybe we’re a bit biased.

Whether you’re looking for rooftop bars with incredible city views, somewhere for a quick bite to eat before a show, or a restaurant for a three-course dinner, London’s got your back. Here are some ideas for places to go in London for dinner and drinks this date night:

Hawksmoor Spitalfields & Bar

Location: Shoreditch
Check it out here: Hawksmoor Spitalfields & Bar

Restaurant Ours

Location: Knightsbridge
Check it out here: Restaurant Ours

68 and Boston

Location: Soho
Check it out here: 68 and Boston

Six Storeys on Soho

six storeys on soho date night

Location: Oxford Circus
Check it out here: Six Storeys on Soho

The Culpeper Rooftop

Location: Aldgate
Check it out here: The Culpeper Rooftop

Percy & Founders

Location: Fitzrovia
Check it out here: Percy & Founders

Fun activity bars in London:

We’ve spoken about the rise of activity bars in London before, and we’re hoping it continues. Why? Because they’re fun, and also because they make a very good date. It might be for a first, second, third or hundredth date, but rest assured, you’ll have a great time. The awkward silences or the disappointment of a dating app catfish don’t even matter when you’ve got a competitive game – it’s a date dream.

You’ve got a mix of activity bars in London – golf, darts, axe-throwing. Here are a few of our favourites:

London Shuffle Club

Location: Shoreditch
Check it out here: London Shuffle Club

Swingers West End

Location: Oxford Circus
Check it out here: Swingers West End

Swingers City

Location: Gherkin
Check it out here: Swingers City

Bounce – Old Street

bounce old street date night

Location: Old Street
Check it out here: Bounce – Old Street

Bounce – Farringdon

bounce farringdon date night

Location: Chancery Lane
Check it out here: Bounce – Farringdon

Courthouse Hotel Shoreditch

Location: Shoreditch
Check it out here: Courthouse Hotel Shoreditch

VR and unique experiences for a date:

The trends of VR and immersive experiences are becoming bigger and bigger in London – and they might be just what you need to impress your date. It’s something that not many people have experienced, yet it’s actually pretty easy to find a place like London.

Some suggestions? You got it:

Otherworld

Location: Haggerston
Check it out here: Otherworld

Boxpark Wembley

Location: Paddington
Check it out here: Boxpark Wembley

The Medieval Banquet @ Ivory Vaults

Location: Tower Hill
Check it out here: The Medieval Banquet @ Ivory Vaults

The best karaoke bars in London:

If you reckon you’ve got a voice like Bublé and could easily impress your date with a bit of Bon Jovi or Britney, why not head to a karaoke bar for your date? Disclaimer: karaoke is very much like marmite. We would not recommend as a first date when knowledge of your date’s interests, hobbies and dislikes is limited.

But if your date IS a fan of belting out some well-known lyrics, you should hit up one of these places for a bit of karaoke in London. Even if you end up changing your mind about karaoke half way through, they’ve got some great bar spaces too – perfect for drinking to forget absolutely ruining Bohemian Rhapsody in front of the person you fancy.

Mama Shelter

Location: Hackney Road
Check it out here: Mama Shelter

Lucky Voice Islington

Location: Highbury and Islington
Check it out here: Lucky Voice Islington

Lucky Voice Holborn

Location: Holborn
Check it out here: Lucky Voice Holborn

Huckster

Location: Paddington
Check it out here: Huckster

Cooking classes in London:

Fancy yourself as a master in the kitchen? Or maybe the complete opposite? A cooking class is a cute date idea because again, it’s a fun activity for the both of you. It might even persuade you away from having microwave meals every night of the week.

Cook up a storm and whip up your favourite kind of food in a cooking class at one of these cool London venues:

Benk Bo

Location: Spitalfields
Check it out here: Benk Bo

Bellavita Academy

Location: Tower Hill
Check it out here: Bellavita Academy

Sauce

Location: Oxford Circus
Check it out here: Sauce

Buddha Bar

buddha bar date night

Location: Knightsbridge
Check it out here: Buddha Bar

The Petersham

Location: Covent Garden
Check it out here: The Petersham

Cocktail masterclasses in London:

So, maybe cooking is your strong point. How about cocktail making? There’s nothing like a bit of Dutch courage, but this time you’ll be knocking up those drinks yourself. It’s a fun date night idea where you do more than just buy and drink the drinks, and you might pick up some tips that you can take home for your next dinner party.

If you think a cocktail making date might be the one for you, get in touch with these quirky venues about a mixology or cocktail making class: