101 London Date Ideas

101 London Date Ideas | Quirky Things To Do On Date Night

Chances are high that you’re either in a relationship, or single.

And whichever it is, well, you’re going to need date ideas.

And that’s where we come in, because while yes the whole of The Nudge is filled with amazing London date ideas, with hidden spots and romantic nooks for you to explore, we’ve also just updated this: our humble collection of 101 London Date Ideas which will help you to A) Secure the lifelong devotion of whomever it is you’re trying to impress, and B) Have fun discovering the very best of London while impressing them.

We’d call that a win-win.

1. WATCH FILMS ON THE ORIGINAL 16mm REELS
Hackney | ££

At Ciné Real’s screening nights. 
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2. DINE WITH LIVE MUSIC AT BRASSERIE ZEDEL
Piccadilly Circus | ££

Then sip cocktails in their authentic 1930s bar… 
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3. FEAST ON DIM SUM IN CHINATOWN
Chinatown | ££

And finish with ice cream in fish-shaped cones from Bake.
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4. STOCK A PICNIC BASKET AT ONE OF LONDON’S BEST FOOD MARKETS
All Over London | ££

Then take it to one of the many lovely parks in London.
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5. TAKE A CANDLELIT WINE BATH TOGETHER
Strand | £££££

It’s how you’ll be living out your retirement years, so test the waters (so to speak) now. 
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6. GO TO THE MUSEUM OF THE HOME
Hoxton | Free

Talk like you’re in the time period of each room you walk through. 
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7. BRAVE A TAXIDERMY CLASS
Hackney | ££££

And give each other crabs! 
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8. SPARK OLD-SCHOOL ROMANCE AT A JAZZ BAR
Across London | £

It’s hard to beat.
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9. GET YOUR PRESCRIPTION AT THE MIDNIGHT APOTHECARY
Rotherhithe | £

Namely: unlimited marshmallows for toasting, a candlelit garden with firepits, and botanical cocktails.
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10. TOUR LONDON’S UNUSUAL MUSEUMS
Across London | £

First to find UCL’s famous Jar of Moles wins.
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11. BUILD-A-BOUQUET AT THE COLUMBIA ROAD FLOWER MARKET
Bethnal Green | ££

And no, a single rose doesn’t count. 
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12. GET LOST IN THE BARBICAN CONSERVATORY
Barbican | Free (but reserve ahead)

A pop up bar, terrapins, and 1,500+ species of plants…
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13. HURL SOME AXES AT A WALL AT SKEETERS
Hackney Wick | £££

Because trust is the bedrock of any relationship. 
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14. THEN TOAST YOUR NEW TALENT AT BARGE EAST
Hackney Wick | ££

Just a really lovely date spot, an axe’s throw away.
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15. WHISK YOUR DATE OFF ON A NUDGE ITINERARY
Across London | £

Our growing collection of neighbourhood strolls, with suggestions of where to eat, where to drink and what to see…
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16. LISTEN TO SOME LITERALLY LIFE-CHANGING MUSIC
Wapping | ££

At One Track Minds, a kind of mash-up between TED Talks and Desert Island Discs…
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17. MAKE CANDLES TOGETHER AT EARL OF EAST
London Fields/King’s Cross | £££

Though obviously, nobody holds a candle to your date… 
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18. PRESS FOR CHAMPAGNE AT BOB BOB RICARD
Soho | ££££

Trust us, it’s glorious.
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19. SEE THE DINOS AT CRYSTAL PALACE PARK
Crystal Palace | Free

Then track down one of London’s greatest sandwiches at Chatsworth Bakehouse.
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20. CHECK OUT ONE OF LONDON’S NEWEST RESTAURANTS AND BARS
Across London | ££

Or plan ahead, with our guide to restaurants opening soon.
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21. BOOK IN FOR AFTERNOON TEA
Across London | ££-££££

These places somehow make egg and cress an aphrodisiac.
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22. HIT UP A RESTAURANT WITH A VIEW
Across London | £££

With a view to impressing your date. 
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23. SPEND A DAY EXPLORING SPITALFIELDS MARKET
Spitalfields | £

Compete to see who can find the most hilariously old-school record cover.
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24. THEN MOSEY DOWN BRICK LANE
Brick Lane | £

Mooch round the vintage stores, go bowling, feast on Indian food and get the city’s best hot chocolate at Dark Sugars.
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25. BREAK CODES FOR COCKTAILS AT THE BLETCHLEY
Chelsea | £££

And give each other codenames for the evening.
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26. SPEND AN ENTIRE DAY IN VICTORIA PARK
Hackney | £

Start with a Sri Lankan breakfast at Pavilion, take a boat across the lake, peruse the Sunday market and finish with a little light roller blading.
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27. TAKE IN AN EXHIBITION
Across London | ££

Fashion! Hieroglyphics! Overly intimate sounds of eating!
^

28. ASSIST A 1920s CRIMINAL GANG IN TAKING OVER LONDON
Camden | £££

Yes, you can now actually be a Peaky Blinder.
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29. ENTRUST THE BARTENDER WITH AN OMAKASE COCKTAIL EXPERIENCE
Knightsbridge | ££££

And leave with a bottle of your favourite to take… somewhere else.
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30. GO CRAZY GOLFING IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Across London | £

Or, you know, Barnet.
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31. EXPLORE AN ART EXHIBITION WITHOUT FRAMES
Marble Arch | £££

Tell your date they’re a work of art.
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32. MAKE YOUR OWN BESPOKE PERFUMES
Covent Garden | £££££

Now you’re making scents.
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33. GET TO KNOW THE BIRDS & THE BEES AT VAUXHALL CITY FARM
Vauxhall | Free, donations encouraged

Then get to know each other at Brunswick House…
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34. DO A SWEEP OF THE SOUTHBANK
South Bank | £

Grab a bite at the Southbank Centre’s food market, take in an exhibition at the Hayward, watch a show at the National, then hole up in Lyaness for a nightcap.
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35. PLAY THE MOST ROMANTIC ROUND OF CRAZY GOLF EVER AT SWINGERS
Oxford Circus/The City | ££

Remember: in golf, being sub-par is a good thing. 
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36. LISTEN TO LIVE MUSIC IN A CHURCH CRYPT
Charing Cross | ££

It’s surprisingly lively down there…
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37. RENT A HOT TUG
Canary Wharf | ££££

It’s literally a hot tub. That’s also a boat. 
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38. SIP DRINKS ON A ROOFTOP OVERLOOKING THE CITY
Across London | ££

We have some suggestions here... 
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39. PLAY A FEW ROUNDS OF DARTS AT FLIGHT CLUB
Finsbury Square/Bloomsbury/Victoria/Islington | ££

Use the board to determine what you drink.
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40. SEE SOMETHING AMAZING AT THE THEATRE
Across London | ££

Remember this? It’s like Netflix, but 3D. 
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41. TRY FRESH VEG-TURNED-FINE DINING AT TURNIPS
Borough | £££

Ex-City Social chef Tomas Lidakevicius is plucking ingredients right from Borough Market and whipping them into tasting menus on the spot.
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42. DO EVERYTHING AT THE HORNIMAN MUSEUM
Forest Hill | £

They’ve got a butterfly house, a farmers’ market, an outdoor musical garden, a pygmy goat enclosure, an aquarium, a functioning bandstand, a Dutch barn, 16 acres of gardens… and a giant overstuffed walrus.
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43. ORDER THE DUCK AND WAFFLE AT DUCK AND WAFFLE
Bishopsgate | £££

Best order it at 4am. Just because you can. 
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44. EXPLORE ABANDONED TUBE TUNNELS BELOW GROUND
Across London | ££££

At these intimate subterranean tours.
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45. (ATTEMPT TO) SING KARAOKE
Across London | £

At two of these spots, you can take a bow, then take a bao…
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46. NERD OUT AT FOUR QUARTERS
Peckham | ££

Show off your video game skills at Four Quarters. Loser buys a round of craft beers. 
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47. GO TO AN UNUSUAL RESTAURANT…
Across London | ££

For when you feel like wildebeest tonight, like wildebeest tonight. 
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48. STEP INTO ANCIENT TROY
Woolwich | £££

At Punchdrunk’s latest immersive show, The Burnt City…
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49. MAKE EACH OTHER BOTTLES OF GIN AT THE GINSTITUTE
Notting Hill | ££££

Then take them home for a nightcap.
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50. WATCH A FILM SOMEWHERE BEAUTIFUL
Across London | ££

Cocktails, blankets and cinema beds. 
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51. INVITE YOUR DATE TO PLAY SQUID GAME
Southwark | £

It’s probably not exactly like the show. Probably.
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52. GO TO THE THURSDAY LATE AT NOVELTY AUTOMATION
Holborn | £

Play a friendly game of Divorce, then make up over a glass of wine.
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53. WATCH COMEDY IN A HISTORIC CHURCH
Highbury | ££

They’ll have you rolling down the aisles.
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54. DRINK COCKTAILS AT NIGHTJAR
Old Street | ££

They have 100 year-old Pimm’s. 
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55. BLOW YOUR MINDS AT AN OPTICAL ILLUSIONS MUSEUM
Oxford Circus | £££

Dan Weill Photography

It should put a spin on your typical date in London…
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56. GIVE CUPID A RUN FOR HIS MONEY
The City & Canary Wharf | ££

Practise your aim with virtual clay pigeon shooting at Clays.
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57. TAKE THE BOAT FROM TATE BRITAIN TO THE TATE MODERN
Bankside | £

Then talk about the signs, doors, and chairs as if they were exhibits. 
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58. TAKE A STROLL ON HAMPSTEAD HEATH
Hampstead | Free

Take in the Pergola, Kenwood House, and a pub. Or two. 
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59. VISIT LONDON’S MOST BEAUTIFUL SEWAGE PLANT
Abbey Wood | £

If your date turns up, you’re on to a winner.
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60. DRESS UP ’40s STYLE AND GO TO CAHOOTS
Soho | £££

Order one of their ‘Dig for Victory’ vegetable cocktails.
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61. KAYAK YOUR WAY TO CRATE BREWERY
Hackney | ££

And quench your thirst when you get there. 
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62. GO BOWLING AT ALL STAR LANES
Holborn / Westfield / Brick Lane | ££

And see who can come up with the most puns about balls, pins, and splits. 
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63. HIT UP ONE OF LONDON’S MOST ROMANTIC RESTAURANTS
All Over London | ££

Carol Sachs

Some beautiful London date spots, with a little candlelight, a little live music, a lot of love in the air (which here, smells a lot like steak).
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64. EAT CHEESE TOGETHER. ON A BARGE.
Paddington | ££

The key to anyone’s heart. Except the lactose intolerant.
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65. TAKE A BOAT TRIP TO GREENWICH
Greenwich | ££

Fas Khan

And drink like sailors at one of Greenwich’s best pubs.
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66. THEN CLIMB THE O2 BY TWILIGHT, DRINK CHAMPAGNE AT THE TOP
Greenwich | £££

It’s a long climb. Perfect for checking out, or improving, your date’s stamina. 
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67. STROLL THE GLASS WALKWAY ABOVE TOWER BRIDGE
Tower Bridge | ££

Then look back on it over dinner at Tavolino.
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68. HIT THE OLYMPIC PING PONG TABLE AT BOUNCE
Farringdon / Shoreditch | ££

Invent victory dances. 
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69. SIP ABSINTHE AT THE LAST TUESDAY SOCIETY
Hackney | £

Then descend into Viktor Wynd’s cabinet of curiosities below…
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70. FEEL OUTRAGEOUSLY ROMANTIC AT NOMAD
Covent Garden | ££££

Save room for the chocolate ganache with malt ice cream.
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71. ATTEND A CONCERT IN A SUBTERRANEAN, VICTORIAN CAVERN
Rotherhithe | ££

They say Brunel was building a tunnel… but really, he was creating a Grade A date spot.
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72. TAKE A CROSSWORD TO ONE OF LONDON’S COSIEST PUBS

Once you’ve got one answer, take a break and have a well-deserved whisky.
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73. MAKE MOLECULAR COCKTAILS IN THE BREAKING BAD RV
Hackney | £££

And see if there’s good chemistry. 
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74. TOP UP A TAB CARD AT VAGABOND WINES, DRINK DOZENS OF SAMPLES.
Various Locations | ££

Then buy a bottle of your favourite for your next date.
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75. WATCH UN FILM ROMANTIQUE AT THE INSTITUT FRANÇAIS
South Kensington | £

That’s French for ‘a romantic film’… 
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76. SMUGGLE BOOZE ONTO THE LONDON EYE
Westminster | £££

These guys totally managed it. 
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77. TAKE A CANDLELIT TOUR ROUND SIR JOHN SOANE’S HOUSE
Holborn | £££ (Free by day)

Feat. salvaged architecture, an imaginary monk, and moving walls… 
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78. WANDER ACROSS ACRES OF URBAN WETLANDS
Walthamstow | Free

Then hole up in Tottenham’s tiniest pub. 
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79. BROWSE THE STALLS AT LONDON’S FLEA MARKETS

Buy each other an obnoxious piece of bric-a-brac, and insist they display it in pride of place at home.
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80. PICK OUT A BOOK FOR EACH OTHER AT DAUNT BOOKS
Marylebone | £

Then read the first chapters to each other over strudel at Fischer’s.
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81. PIT YOUR WITS AGAINST AN ESCAPE ROOM
Across London | ££

If you can survive an hour of high-intensity puzzling while locked in a room together, it probably bodes well. 
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82. SEE WHO CAN HAGGLE THE BEST DEAL AT PORTOBELLO MARKET
Notting Hill | ££

Paul Hudson/Flickr

The most quintessential of London dates. 
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83. GET ON YER BIKES, AND GO ON A MONUMENT CRAWL
Around London | £

Mike Peel

A proper London date. We recommend including the Monument itself, the view up there is amazing.
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84. HAVE A SHUFFLEBOARD CONTEST
Shoreditch | ££

Then toast your victory with cocktails.
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85. GO FOR A MOONLIT SWIM IN A HEATED LIDO
Hampton | ££

They’ll supply the drinks and glow-sticks.
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86. PLAY BOARDGAMES TOGETHER AT DRAUGHTS
Dalston/Waterloo | ££

Do NOT play Monopoly if you want there to be a second date. 
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87. TRY NOT TO PROPOSE AT CLOS MAGGIORE
Covent Garden | £££

It’s craaaazy romantic there. If you book a table in the right room (this one). 
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88. CATCH A SHOW AT WILTON’S
Wapping | ££

Then go for post-show drinks at the 300-year old Mahogany Bar.
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89. GO TO LONDON ZOO. DECIDE WHY THE ANIMALS ARE IN PRISON.
Regents Park | £££

Those zebras are wearing comedy burglar outfits. 
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90. HIRE YOUR OWN BOAT FOR THE DAY
Paddington | £££

And speak like pirates all day. 
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91. TAKE A TOUR OF LONDON’S SECRET GARDENS
Around London | Free

And finish up at Petersham Nurseries for dinner. 
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92. GO TO ELTHAM PALACE, PRETEND TO BE ROYALTY
Greenwich | £

Bring a picnic to have on the stunningly well-manicured lawn.
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93. GO FOR BRUNCH
Across London | ££

Because if the date doesn’t go well, at least you’ve had brunch.
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94. RUN AWAY FOR THE DAY
Not London | ££

These lovely places are all reachable in 2 hours, but we’ve included some hotel suggestions if you wanted to stay…
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95. TOUR THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN EVERY LONDON NEIGHBOURHOOD
Across London

Your first 49 dates? Sorted.
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96. WANDER THROUGH A SPITALFIELDS HOUSE TRAPPED IN TIME
Spitalfields | £

The candlelit evening tours are silent – so you can save all your best jokes for dinner at Brat afterwards.
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97. TAKE A DAY TRIP TO A VINEYARD NEAR LONDON

Resist the urge to sing I Heard It On The Grapevine over and over.
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98. OR STAY PUT, AND VISIT LONDON CRU
Fulham | ££

You can literally squeeze grapes with your squeeze.
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99. TACKLE THE BERMONDSEY BEER MILE
Bermondsey | ££

For some pint-sized fun.
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100. SIP PITCH-PERFECT COCKTAILS IN A RETRO BASEMENT
Shoreditch | ££

We’d believe that romance was invented at Seed Library.
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101. BREW YOUR OWN SAKE IN PECKHAM
Peckham | £££££

And toast the future.

Looking for more London date ideas? Take a look at what’s on in London this month