Bars
7 quirky London cocktail bars for an alternative date night
Fancy something more exciting than usual for your next special date? Head to one of these 7 original London cocktail bars for something… very different.
1. The Bletchley, Chelsea
Go for: A weird experience
Dating a history geek? This immersive cocktail bunker is for you! It is themed on the home of Second World War code breaker Alan Turing. First you need to work together to crack some codes. Whisper them into the retro telephone and you’ll be sent over some clever cocktails, which are made uniquely to your taste and smell preferences.
2. Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town, Liverpool Street
Go for: Breaking the ice
What great date didn’t start with a journey through a Smeg fridge? Head inside and you’ll discover the Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town cocktail den, with its playful cat theme and some pretty tasty concoctions. This place is still a firm favorite on our list of secret London bars, take your special someone here and we guarantee you’ll have tons to talk about.
3. ABQ, Hackney
Go for: Something badass!
Date night doesn’t get any less atypical than sitting in a fake meth lab making your own “science experiments”. Welcome to ABQ – themed on the cult TV show Breaking Bad. Climb into the RV van in Bethnal Green, slip into your yellow jumpsuit and get ready to make some bubbling cocktails.
4. Last Tuesday Society, Dalston
Go for: Zero romance
This is probably the ultimate when it comes to anti-romance dates. Covered in taxidermied animals, with dead squirrels and sheep heads swinging from the ceiling, it feels like a cross between the Natural History Museum and granny’s attic. You certainly won’t get bored in here.
5. Ninety Eight Bar & Lounge, Shoreditch
Go for: Escapism
This place is like Willy Wonka’s living room… on acid. There are bubblegum machines and retro toys on display in this quirky cocktail bar, which also serves up some pretty crazy drinks too. It all feels like a very weird dream, especially the “bondage room” (it has to be seen to be believed).
6. Baranis, Covent Garden
Go for: Some friendly competition
This French-inspired bar is truly unique, with its indoor Pétanque court (a French version of bowls, but way cooler). Challenge your date while sipping on a glass of heady pastis or absinthe. It’s so much more fun than staring into each other’s eyes over a bowl of spaghetti.
7. Pharmacy, Chiswick
Go for: The surprise element
Take your date to this 1920’s style Pharmacy for a very, very surprising evening. Once inside, the lights will dim and you’ll be handed a sketchy prescription bag before you get ushered into a secret speakeasy bar. It’ll definitely be a story to tell the grandkids!
So for your next date night, how about ditching the candle-lit swanky wine bar and trying something a bit different? Life is so much more fun when you step out of your comfort zone!
