With football fever in full swing, All in London brings you a top selection of the very best places to watch matches, eat, drink and celebrate (or dare we say, commiserate) in style.
Watch it on the big screen
If your television just isn’t quite big enough to absorb all the action there are plenty of huge screens all around London to get the full World Cup effect. A selection of Odeon cinemas will be screening matches in June and July to offer a truly cinematic World Cup experience. Matches will be screened throughout the tournament, from the group stages all the way until the finals, allowing fans to keep tabs on the action. Odeon cinemas at Covent Garden, Greenwich, Wimbledon and Leicester Square will be screening World Cup 2006 matches, offering plenty of choice of where to watch World Cup football in London.
Alternatively, head to the Clapham Grand. With the biggest screen in Europe – 40 square metres – football doesn’t get much bigger than this. Private reserved areas with prime viewing is on offer, plus food, complimentary waitress service and drinks promotions, not to mention the chance to attend the final if you're a lucky winner.
Tiger Tiger is another great venue where you can enjoy live matches on 42" plasma screens. Join one of the biggest and best atmospheres in the West End, with a capacity of 1800 people and the opportunity to celebrate and party until 3am.
You could also try The Elbow Room this summer. With two big screens and 5 plasma TVs – not to mention a pitch installed in the front of the bar, an England brass band conducting the singing, World Cup themed burgers and full waitress service all game every game.
If that all seems rather claustrophobic, try The Gun situated in the Docklands, home to whopping eight 42” plasma screens situated both inside and outside the pub. With two private rooms, a stunning riverside terrace and a sun deck accommodating up to 150, this makes for a memorable World Cup experience.
Other London Venues
Other London venues showing the big games include:
Digress Soho - Piccadilly Circus
The Warwick - Piccadilly Circus
Jewel - Piccadilly Circus
On Anon - Piccadilly Circus
Hand & Racquet - Piccadilly Circus
Oxygen - Leicester Square
Zoo Bar & Club - Leicester Square
Bar Soho - Leicester Square
The Loop Bar - Bond Street
Hush - Bond Street
Red - Oxford Circus
Latin Square Restaurant & Havana Bar - Farringdon
Ember - Farringdon
Corney & Barrow Wine Bar - Liverpool Street
Play - Barbican
Ochre - St Paul’s
The White Swan - Chancery Lane\n\nGet interactive at Madame Tussauds
You can have the world at your feet – or at least football at your feet – at a new Madame Tussauds football exhibition featuring interactive attractions, exclusive new wax figures and classic football history.
World at Your Feet allows you to get up close and personal with the likes of David Beckham, Michael Owen and Sven-Goran Eriksson, not to mention a new wax figure of star striker Wayne Rooney, shown celebrating a goal in emphatic style. Put your commentary skills to the test at a unique, interactive attraction, where you can record commentary for a selection of classic goals. Or you can test your ball skills in Goal Striker, a hi-tech football game testing accuracy and power.
The exhibition opens at Madame Tussauds on Wednesday 24th May and remains open until the end of the year. For further information and booking call 0870 400 3000.
Head down to Selfridges
If you need somewhere to set up a more permanent football camp this summer, head to the "ultralounge" at Selfridges, where football action will be shown live from Germany.
A World Cup football mecca, the stylish lounge will feature high definition LCD screens and over 20 Sky HD feeds.
In between matches there will be screenings of a selection of classic football feature films and documentaries every day. Added to this there will be a unique interactive photo, featuring grass roots players and professional stars alike.\n\nFootball and Food
It’s half time, you’ve drunk too much beer and you’re feeling peckish… but there’s not a scrap of food in sight. Don’t get caught out - here we give you a selection of some pubs and restaurants that combine tasty food with great football viewing.
Beach Blanket Babylon With specially installed Bond style screens in the bar, guests will be able to watch the games in a sophisticated environment and choose form a variety of Tapas style bar food.
The Living Room W1 For £10 per person you can watch the game in the comfort of the upstairs restaurant, enjoy a few drinks and order food from a condensed a la carte menu.
The Bar and Grill Smithfield Companies can hire the entire venue and The Bar and Grill Smithfield will tailor make an event to suit your every need. Whether it be drinks and canapés or a full three-course meal, the choice is yours.
Awana Awana, one of London's finest Malaysian restaurants, will be showing all the England games live and offering a sumptuous package that includes first class food and drink.
Cantaloupe Cantaloupe have got masses of space, three plasma screens and offer 4 bottles of Heineken for £10.
Route 66 London Route 66 London is London’s premier sports diner located in Park Royal. With a stunning new American Pool tables and huge screen TV’s, Route 66 London is a prime place to be to watch all the big world cup games.
Navajo Joe Besides eight giant plasmas & surround sound, there is a post match 1/2 price happy hour, live bands & DJs till 3am.
City Cafe Diners wishing to enjoy the best of the weather as well as the sporting action, should head for City Café’s terrace located on Art Street where they can enjoy a fantastic barbecue with chilled wines and cold beers whilst watching the matches al fresco.
Dock Blida This underground gem offers private spacious alcoves with your own screen and a Buffet feast, as well as an entertaining area with 3 plasma screens.
Villandry A selection of scrumptious bar snacks is available here, from burgers to lemon sole goujons and beer galore.
Hush For £20 per person you can cheer on your team with bangers and mash at half time and beer on arrival.
In addition we’ve also linked up with TopTable to bring you yet another guide to restaurants in the capital showing the big games for Football Fans, and there’s also a section for Football Widows looking to avoid the action. Take a look at the guide by clicking the link below:
Got World Cup Fever... or not?
