Great places for an unusual date
You'll leave your date wide-eyed and hungry for more
Dating. It ain't easy. Particularly in London.
There's a lot of hip, interesting, beautiful, single folk out there all vying for the attention of the one person you're destined to spend your life with.
Damn it.
So what are you gonna do?
What are you gonna do to make that jaw-dropping first impression so that the apple of your eye bins their dating diary and starts doodling your name in their French text book? (That's a euphemism, you understand... we're not encouraging you to date high schoolers.)
Luckily for you, Auntie All In London is at hand with suggestions guaranteed to leave your date wide-eyed and hungry for more.
And if turning up at the pub wearing a thong and covered in jelly doesn't do it, you can try these...
Not all dates have to involve cocktails, fine wine and scintillating conversation – education, history and period houses can be sexy too. The John Soane Museum is one of the most romantic spots in London. The architect’s life work is on display in the house, which includes antiques, furniture, paintings and a beautiful old library. Make sure to book in advance for the candlelit evening tour.
Grab your partner and whisk them off to Herne Hill Velodrome for a day of track riding. Hire bikes before channeling the likes of Laura Trott and Sir Chris Hoy as you battle each other in your very own Keirin races. Whoever loses buys the beers!
Nike Town
236 Oxford Street W1C 1DE
Sports Shops
Opening Times
Photos
Nothing says I love you like designing someone a new shoe. Head to the Nike id Studio where you and your partner can giggle over pixilated footwear for hours. There’s no food and no drink but you won’t notice that that when you’ve got the positioning of a Swoosh to think about.
Originally The Scotch was <i>the</i> rock and roll spot of the Sixties with bands like The Beatles, The Stones and Jimmy Hendrix all with their own table in the Mayfair bar. Thankfully rock history has been resurrected and the bar is back open again as a late night drinking den for the seriously hip. Open from 11pm until 5am, access is by appointment only. Bag a table, take a date and knock back whisky and water till the wee hours.
London has many romantic walks but Highgate Cemetery has got to be among the most moving and atmospheric. Take a guided tour of the West Side – the older and somewhat spookier side – where an expert will fill regale you with information and anecdotes as you wander through the flora and fauna.
Archipelago
53 Cleveland Street W1T 4JJ
International
Opening Times
Impress your far out personality on your prospective date by taking him/her to one of London’s most extraordinary restaurants, Archipelago. Exotic, global cuisine is served amongst peacocks, bronze Buddhas, palm tress and luxurious furnishings. Located on Whitfield Street, you can expect to find the likes of crocodile, wildebeest and kangaroo on the gourmet menu.
Take a bread-making course together. Bring each other flour instead of flowers and recreate <i>that</i> scene from Ghost, only with dough instead of clay. Its location in the arches east of Hackney’s London Fields means that afterwards there will be no shortage of bars and restaurants to move on to.
Ping
180 - 184 Earl's Court Road SW5 9QG
If there is one sport that anybody can start at a reasonable standard then it is… badminton. However, table tennis comes close and so it is no surprise that ping-pong is taking over the world. Ping in Earl’s Court is the perfect place for couples to get competitive over ping-pong, cocktails and party tunes. Just not <i>too</i> competitive.
If it is an impressive destination you want for your date, then the Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town is a must. Don’t be put off by the strange name – that just adds to the weird. Turn up to the Breakfast Club, Spitalfields branch on Artillery Lane, ask to see ‘the Mayor’ and you will be granted access to the basement cocktail bar after passing through the ingenious hidden doorway. Trust us on this one.
