Nightlife · London · United Kingdom
London nightlife
Where the evenings happen in London, from early drinks to late nights.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: MapRoomCabinetWarRooms20060617_CopyrightKaihsuTai.jpg : Kaihsu Tai derivative work: SilkTo, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
London's nightlife ranges from historic pubs and cocktail bars to theatre, live music and well-known clubs. Pubs usually call last orders around 11pm, while bars and clubs in Soho, Shoreditch and Dalston run much later, especially from Thursday to Saturday. The main areas are Soho, Shoreditch and Dalston, Camden, South Bank and Brixton.
Key facts
- Nightlife areas
- 5
- Stay near the action
- Covent Garden and Soho
- Local drink
- Cask ale
Where to go out
Soho
Cocktail bars, late-night restaurants, jazz at Ronnie Scott's and the centre of LGBTQ+ nightlife around Old Compton Street.
Shoreditch and Dalston
Warehouse bars, rooftop terraces and clubs with a young crowd, busiest from Thursday to Saturday.
Camden
Live music at the Roundhouse, the Electric Ballroom and smaller pub venues most nights of the week.
South Bank
Riverside bars, the National Theatre and Southbank Centre concerts, with views of the illuminated north bank.
Brixton
Big concerts at the O2 Academy Brixton plus bars and late food around Brixton Village market.
Nightlife tips
- The Night Tube runs on Friday and Saturday nights on the Victoria and Jubilee lines and most of the Central, Northern and Piccadilly lines; night buses cover the rest.
- Many clubs ask for photo ID at the door whatever your age; carry a passport or driving licence.
- Pubs fill with after-work drinkers from about 5pm on weekdays, especially on Thursdays and Fridays in the City.
Evening sights
Viewpoint · South Bank
London Eye
Book a time slot online for a lower price than on the day, and in winter aim for late afternoon to watch the city lights come on.
- Time needed
- 1 hour including queues
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- Kids
- Couples
- Iconic
- After dark
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Viewpoint · City of London
Sky Garden
If the free slots are gone, a reservation at one of the Sky Garden's bars or restaurants also gets you in.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Architecture
- After dark
What to drink
- Cask ale — Traditional British beer conditioned in the cask and pulled by hand pump at cellar temperature, so it is less fizzy and less cold than lager. Bitter, mild, porter and stout are the classic styles.
Evenings through the year
Sunset and the overnight low decide how long the outdoor part of a night lasts. July has the warmest evenings, with lows around 14°C (57°F).
| Month | Sunset (15th) | Overnight low | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | About 16:20 | 3°C (37°F) | 11 |
| April | About 19:56 | 6°C (43°F) | 9 |
| July | About 21:12 | 14°C (57°F) | 8 |
| October | About 18:08 | 9°C (48°F) | 11 |
Getting home late
- Metro — Use the same card or phone for every journey so the daily and weekly caps apply automatically.
- Bus — Routes 11 and 15 pass many central landmarks and make a low-cost sightseeing tour from the top deck.
- Walking — Many central sights are 10–20 minutes apart on foot, and the Thames Path along the South Bank links Westminster with Tower Bridge.
- Taxi — Never get into an unbooked minicab that approaches you on the street.
Late-night bites
- Afternoon tea — Hotels in Mayfair and Piccadilly, department stores such as Fortnum & Mason, and museum cafés for lower-priced versions.
- Salt beef beigel — The 24-hour beigel bakeries at the northern end of Brick Lane in Shoreditch.
- Scotch egg — Gastropubs and stalls at Borough Market.
Staying safe at night
London is generally safe for visitors, but pickpocketing and phone snatching are common around Oxford Street, Westminster, Covent Garden and on busy Tube platforms. Ignore street gambling games such as the 'three cups' trick on Westminster Bridge.
- Emergency number
- 999 or 112 for police, fire and ambulance; 111 for urgent medical advice
Where to stay for nightlife
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife, food lovers and couples
Covent Garden and Soho
The core of the West End holds most of London's theatres, the Covent Garden piazza with its street performers and Apple Market, and Soho's dense grid of restaurants, bars and Chinatown around Gerrard Street. Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery are a five-minute walk away, and the Piccadilly, Northern and Elizabeth lines all stop nearby.
- Good
- Walk to theatres, the National Gallery and the river; Huge choice of restaurants and bars; Excellent Tube connections
- Watch out
- Among the most expensive hotels in London; Crowded and noisy late into the night
- Nearby
- National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Chinatown, Seven Dials
Questions travellers ask
+Where is the best nightlife in London?
Soho, Shoreditch and Dalston and Camden. Cocktail bars, late-night restaurants, jazz at Ronnie Scott's and the centre of LGBTQ+ nightlife around Old Compton Street.
+Which area of London is best for nightlife?
Covent Garden and Soho: Theatreland, the market piazza and late-night restaurants in the West End.