Tuesday Top Ten… great date places.

by Devil’s Food Cake

Can we say how much we love dates? There’s something fantastic about the thrill of it all – dressing up, meeting up, setting off on some wild, unknown foray into… well. A bar seems to be most likely these days. But London is a city of many wonders, and your attempt at some kind of romance need not be a drunken fumble in some random pub. Need some ideas? We’re happy to oblige.

1. Primrose Hill

It’s summertime now, yes, but even in cold winter, Primrose Hill is lovely. Pack a bottle of Prosecco and some strawberries, or a thermos of hot chocolate for a more wintry evening, and climb up to the top for a really spectacular view of London; then lie on the grass and chat for as long as you want.

Where? A fifteen minute walk from Camden tube/ten minute walk from St. John’s Wood tube.

Cost? Free! Plus whatever you bring to eat/drink.

2. London Zoo

Just over the road from Primrose Hill is the amazing London Zoo, a 36-acre wonderland and the oldest scientific zoo in the world. Even if you don’t think you’re the kind of person that goes for animals, this is a fantastic experience – the sheer size of it alone means your whole day will be likely taken up, so get there early. The grassy knolls scattered around the park make for great picnic spots and if you’re the more hands-on kind, there’s a petting zoo, ostensibly for kids, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Where? A 15-minute walk from Regent’s Park, Camden and Baker Street tubes, or get the 274 straight from Angel or Marble Arch.

Cost? Peak season tickets are £19.80 for adults, including a donation. Off-season tickets are £19.00, including a donation. You can find more details about pricing here.

3. Borough Market

Another thing you could do for hours, Borough Market is definitely one of my favourite places in London – and not just because I love the heck out of food. You and your date can walk through picking out ingredients for a meal to be made later, or simply grab a glass of prosecco from one of the wine stalls and have a wander, choosing from a variety of soup, curries, hot dogs and much more from the surrounding vendors. If alcohol’s not your thing, try the barley grass shots or freshly-made juices. Just make sure you’re not agoraphobic – on Saturdays especially, the market can get very crowded – and to bring cash – your plastic won’t be accepted here! The market is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. More details here.

Where? A three minute walk from London Bridge station (Jubilee/Northern/mainline rail lines)

Cost? Free! Except what you buy. Of course.

4. Secret Cinema

For those of you who believe there’s nothing quite like a good old-fashioned movie date, consider a twist on the original and go for something utterly unexpected. Signing up for a Secret Cinema ticket means you commit to a film you don’t know and may never even have heard of – but you won’t find out until the night. With venues varying from car parks to random rooftops, locations are always unexpectedly, quirkily cool. Sign up for the email list here.

Where? I couldn’t tell you.

Cost? Ticket prices vary – £19.50 for students, £23.50 adults.

5. Hip-hop karaoke

Talk about an ice-breaker. If a good old drink and dance is more your kind of thing, why not go an extra half-mile and do something a little different? Behold the twice-monthly hip-hop karaoke sessions at the intimate The Social. Two Thursdays of each month, you can bedazzle your beloved with a little hibbedy-hop – and if you can’t sing, you just need to be a rapt audience. Be warned – this isn’t your typical boozy tune-belting, these people are good. Also, as a tip: don’t sing Push It. It really has like, ten lines. The rest is moaning.

Where? The Social, a five-minute walk from Oxford Circus tube.

Cost? Free! Dutch courage not included.

6. Secret supperclubs

Dinner’s a pretty safe date: you go out, you get food, you talk… there’s not necessarily a lot different to it. But if a spin on things is what you’re looking for, a secret supperclub might be right up your alley. You don’t get to choose your food, obviously (apart from vegetarian options, which many seem to offer). And the location is less Gaucho and more grill in many circumstances. But there’s something awesome about sitting in the dining room or back garden of a stranger and having them cook up food they really love for a select group of people. You get to meet new people and the conversation’s unlikely to get boring – perfect for a date. You can find a good supperclub by doing a little research, but this and this might help you along.

Where? Varies

Cost? Varies

7. Take a Thames Riverboat

Who doesn’t love the Thames? I mean, I’m pretty sure it’s where the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles came from and yes, many a dead body have been found in it, but the river is a marvel. In addition to the commuter services run on the river, TfL now runs leisure services too, making a trip on the Thames a pretty fantastic idea for a date. You can take a planned sightseeing tour, a proper lunch or dinner cruise or even a themed evening tour. More info here.

Where? Piers around London include Westminster, Embankment, Kew, the London Eye and Greenwich.

Cost? Prices vary, but generally start at £8.00 single and £10.50 return.

8. Hampstead Heath

We’ve written before about the wonders of Hampstead Heath Lady Pond, but it must be said again. A little similar to a day on Primrose Hill, but with swimming! Feel free to throw yourselves in either the lady pond or the mixed pond. Just be prepared to search for your nipples after. It’s cold.

Where? Hampstead Heath overground station, or find more directions here.

Cost? Free, apart from whatever you have to eat or drink. There’s also a recommended £2.00 donation per person for use of the ponds.

9. Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

There’s really nothing as gorgeous as London in the summertime, and the open air theatre in Regent’s Park only helps to take advantage of this fact. The upcoming program at the moment includes The Comedy of Errors and a re-imagining of Macbeth, so if a little theatre is your thing, take full advantage of the short time the theatre is open – it only runs during the summer months. More details here.

Where? Nearest tube is Baker Street, then a walk into Regent’s Park (through York Gate from Marylebone Road).

Cost? From £10.00

10. Take a train somewhere

If London’s less your thing, or you just want to get away from it all for a bit, there’s a lot more to good old England than first meets the eye. And there’s nowhere better than London to catch a train – there are 9 major rail stations in London, each of which serve a different part of the capital. If you book in advance, prices aren’t too high, and if you’re under 25 and have a railcard, it’s even cheaper. You can plan a journey here.

Cost? Varies

Venue? Varies