20 Things To Do In London At Night

One of the most popular cities in the world, London welcomes around 30 million visitors every year. And most visitors to London make it a habit of returning for more. While there is an endless list of things to do in London during the day, the evenings and nights bring out London’s unique energy and culture. London may be in lockdown, but there’s no harm in dreaming and planning your next night out.

The city has 24-hour tube services on Friday and Saturday nights, and with plenty of well-known attractions and the more unique, a night in England’s capital is fun for everyone. Exploring famous London landmarks after dark is a great way to soak up the sights, but there are plenty of other attractions to lure you back. From gin palaces to private museum tours and comedy clubs, here are 20 unique, quirky and unusual things to do in London at night.

Things To Do In London

20 Things To Do In London At Night

1- Eat Your Way Around The World At Mercato Metropolitano

Mercato Metropolitano started as part of the World Expo 2015 in Milan, a pilot project that regenerated a disused railway station, transforming it into a popular social hub.

Following this success, the first permanent site was opened in 2016 in Elephant & Castle in London.

Mercato Metropolitano’s marketplace features selected local food suppliers offering visitors global cuisines.

The market prides itself as having a ‘movement of artisans and people passionate about seasonal produce, natural food and preservation of the environment’, which is evident when visiting.

At the Elephant & Castle site, dishes from around the world, including Japan, Italy and Colombia, are available.

Due to the market’s unwavering success, another permanent location was opened in Mayfair, and two other locations across London will open in the coming months.

It’s one of the hidden gems in London to visit at night for a late bite to eat, excellent drinks and an unforgettable community atmosphere.

Mercato Metropolitano is at 42 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6DR.

Nearest tube station: Elephant & Castle is a five-minute walk away.

2- Laugh At Angel Comedy Club

Angel Comedy Club has run since 2010, when it began launching weekly gigs.

Over its 10-year reign, Angel now offers free gigs seven nights a week, with donations welcome at the end.

The comedy club takes pride in its support of new comedy talent on the circuit and its accessibility for audiences and comedians. 

Within the club is a dedicated rehearsal space for comedians to meet, plan and practise their routines before stepping on stage.

The club also works with schools, care homes and local charities as part of their commitment to the local community.

Each night of the week offers visitors something new, from Monday night improv shows to Sunday evenings where comedians, new and old try out new material.

Shows start at 8 pm, and the club advises patrons to arrive early to get a good seat, as spaces fill up fast.

Angel Comedy Club is at The Camden Head, 2 Camden Walk, London, N1 8DY.

Nearest tube station: Angel Station is a seven-minute walk away.

3- Catch A Gig At The 100 Club

The 100 Club has existed in two forms since 1942.

It began its life in 1942 as The Feldman, a Jazz Club, which has allowed the 100 Club to earn the title of the world’s oldest independent venue.

In 1964 it became the 100 Club and has been a significant music venue in the capital.

Since opening, the 100 Club has hosted The Who, Sex Pistols, The Rolling Stones and Metallica, to name a few.

As well as being a must-visit music venue for gigs of up-and-coming artists and world-renowned bands, the 100 Club also hosts comedy specials, which have previously included gigs from Simon Amstel and Adam Buxton.

The 100 Club is at 100 Oxford Street, London, W1D 1LL.

Nearest tube station: Tottenham Court Road is a four-minute walk away.

4- Have A Cocktail At The Piano Works

The Piano Works is a bar and restaurant inside the basement of a converted Victorian warehouse.

The venue’s unique aesthetic and musical allure attracts visitors from all over the world.

Pianists take requests from the audience and the Piano Works is the only non-stop live music venue in London.

Cocktails served are classic, from Manhattan’s to Old Fashioned, and a wide and varied selection of wine is on offer.

Food is also served from both dinner menus and a bar menu.

The Piano Works now has two venues, one in Farringdon and one in the West End.

The Piano Works Farringdon is at 113-117 Farringdon Road, Corner of Ray Street, Farringdon, London. 

Nearest tube station: Farringdon is a four-minute walk away.

The Piano Works in the West End can be found at The Piano Works West End, 47 Whitcomb Street, Off Wardour Street, London. 

Nearest tube station: Leicester Square is a three-minute walk away.

5- Go On A Ghost Bus Tour

Described as the ‘world’s only comedy-horror theatre show on wheels’, the Ghost Bus Tour is an unusual evening activity in the capital.

Visitors board a 1960s Routemaster bus for a tour of London’s main sights at night, which include the Tower of London, Houses of Parliament and Tower Bridge. 

Your tour guide on this hour and the 15-minute journey will lead you into London’s grizzly and haunted history with facts and tales shared at each stop along the route.

The tour departs from 8 Northumberland Avenue, outside of the Grand Hotel. Find out more here.

Nearest tube station: Charing Cross is a three-minute walk away.

6- Dine On Board Bustronome

Offering gastronomic meals on a double-decker London bus, Bustronome is one of London’s most unique dining services.

The bus runs twice daily, once at lunchtime and once in the evening for dinner service.

The dining room is on the top deck, offering panoramic views over the city through its wide windows and glass roof.

Food served combines English gastronomy with a French flair, and diners can choose from a four or six-course menu featuring seasonal produce.

While onboard, diners are given an unusual tour of London, with local tour guides offering up the city’s secrets. Book your seat here.

The Bustronome departs from Coach Bay 40B, Victoria Embankment, London. 

Nearest tube station: Embankment is a two-minute walk away.

7- Go On A Bat Walk

Turn your evening in the city into one in nature with a Bat Walk in Kensington Gardens or Hyde Park.

With a knowledgeable guide, head through the park at dusk for a chance to see several species of bats, and to learn more about these nocturnal creatures.

During Bat Walks, visitors are given a bat detector, allowing humans to hear the bat’s echolocation calls.

Kensington Gardens was once part of Hyde Park but is now considered a separate garden. Both are at W Carriage Drive, London, not far from The Gore Hotel.  

Nearest tube station: Marble Arch is a 16-minute walk away.

8- Drink Gin At The Haunted Viaduct Tavern

The Viaduct Tavern is a traditional Gin Palace and offers a wide variety of gins.

The tavern opened its doors in 1869 and occupied the site of a former jail.

The Viaduct Tavern is close to The Old Bailey and Newgate Prison. During its time as a Gin Palace, the pub gained popularity with lawyers, officials and even convicts awaiting trial.

The tavern is also close to the site where public executions were once held.

The pub is one of several pubs in London believed to be haunted by ghosts, including one that likes to steal people’s drinks.

Head here after dark for a spooky pint in boldly and ornately decorated surroundings.

The Viaduct Tavern is at 126 Newgate Street, London. 

Nearest tube station: St Pauls is a four-minute walk away.

9- Have A Cocktail At The Last Tuesday Society

The Last Tuesday Society has provided literary refuge for creatives and thinkers in London since 2005.

It is considered to be London’s longest-running ‘Literary Salon’.

Founded by pataphysicist Victor Wynd, the cocktail bar and curiosity museum is certainly a unique attraction.

Within the bar are taxidermy animals, fine art and rare antiques.

The bar’s cocktail menu is extravagant.

Cocktails are uniquely named and feature unusual twists, such as Alchemist #88, served with a North American Coyote claw as a take-away souvenir.

Sit with Leonora, a taxidermy lioness wearing a red top hat, for a very unusual evening.

The Last Tuesday Society is at 11 Mare Street, Dalston, The City and East London. 

Nearest overground station: Cambridge Heath is a three-minute walk away.

10- Eat A Fresh Bagel At Brick Lane Beigel Bake

Open 24 hours a day, Brick Lane’s Beigel Bake is a must-visit if you’re feeling peckish late at night.

This East End institution has served up bagels to Londoners since 1977.

The shop serves delicious and authentic bagels, either plain or filled.

They are most famous for their salt beef-filled bagels and classic cream cheese with smoked salmon.

As the bakery is open 24 hours a day, the bagels are always fresh and are continuously made. This tour may suit if you’re keen to discover more East End foodie secrets.

Beigel Bake is at 159 Brick Lane, Shoreditch, London. 

Nearest overground station: Shoreditch High Street is a four-minute walk away.

For more ideas around England, read:

11- Step Back In Time At Dennis Severs’ House

Dennis Severs’ House is a time-capsule home from the 1700s when the house belonged to a family of silk-weavers.

Severs is an artist who made the house appear as though visitors had interrupted the Jervis family, a family of Huguenot silk weavers.

As you move through the house, you can hear snippets of conversation just out of sight, as though the family were talking in another room.

Evening tours of the house by one of its expert curators are available for a more detailed look at the house and its treasures.

Dennis Severs’ House is at 18 Folgate Street, London. 

Nearest train station: Shoreditch High Street is a minute walk away.

12- See A Show At Wilton’s Music Hall

Wilton’s Music Hall is the world’s oldest Grand Music Hall and a Grade II-listed building that hosts over 300 performances each year.

The building was originally an alehouse dating from the mid-1700s.

In 1839 the building was developed to include a concert room, with it being enlarged to hold more guests in 1850.

Wilton’s has held Olivier Award-nominated shows such as Songs for Nobodies and the English National Opera’s Paul Bunyan.

Spend an evening at Wilton’s for some incredible music in beautiful surroundings.

Wilton’s Music Hall is at Wilton’s Music Hall, 1 Graces Alley, London. 

Nearest DLR station: Tower Gateway is a seven-minute walk away.

13- Take A Night Tour Of Sir John Soane’s Museum

Fancy a night at the museum? If you’re wondering which museum in London to choose, here’s a smaller museum that runs night tours. 

Sir John Soane is one of England’s greatest architects.

His house became a museum featuring Soane’s collection of paintings, antiques, sculptures and more following his death over 180 years ago.

The museum runs a different late-night tour each month, with each night focusing on a different theme within the collection.

While viewing the collection, the museum’s exterior and interior are lit by spotlights.

Tickets to Soane Lates include an expertly guided tour and a gin and tonic from Sipsmith. Tours run from 6 pm to 9 pm and last one hour.

Sir John Soane’s Museum is at 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London. 

Nearest tube station: Holborn is a four-minute walk away.

14- Spend The Night At ZSL London Zoo Lodges

Offering a unique stay in the capital, ZSL London Zoo’s lodges are an opportunity to spend the night at the zoo within ‘roaring distance’ of their Asiatic lions.

The lodges are inspired by the lion’s native home of Gujarati, India. They are decorated traditionally and themed to reflect an animal found living harmoniously with the lions in the Gir Forest.

Lodges have private verandas so guests can sit outside and listen to the sounds of the zoo at night in the tranquil surroundings of Regents Park.

When staying in the lodges, guests also receive three tours after closing time and learn about the behind-the-scenes running of the zoo.

ZSL London is at ZSL London Zoo, Regent’s Park, London. 

Nearest tube station: Mornington Crescent is a 19-minute walk away.

15- See The Stars At Royal Observatory Greenwich

The Royal Observatory Greenwich is the home of Greenwich Mean Time, or GMT, and the world’s Prime Meridian.

The observatory is built on the ruins of Greenwich Castle, with construction beginning in 1675.

Many evening events are held at the Royal Observatory, including an Evening with the Stars.

The evening consists of a planetarium show, which offers visitors an opportunity to view the night sky through the 18-tonne Victorian telescope and drinks on the Meridian Line with views over London illuminated against the sky.

Whilst attending an evening at the observatory, visitors will be able to meet numerous astronomers who lead lecture series on a range of astronomical topics.f

Royal Observatory Greenwich is at Blackheath Avenue, Greenwich, London.

Nearest DLR stop: Greenwich is a 16-minute walk away.

16- Cook At The Cookery School at Little Portland Street

Book a cookery class at The Cookery School at Little Portland Street for a unique night in the capital.

The Cookery School has been named London’s most sustainable cooking school.

Cookery School aims to get people back into honest and homely cooking that tastes delicious and is enjoyable to make.

The school was set up in 2003 when the school’s founder Rosalind Rathouse noticed a decline in people passing home cooking skills to younger generations.

Classes at the school cover myriad gastronomic themes, including Christmas, vegan menus, and the best Sunday dinners, to more unusual topics such as the versatility of tinned tomatoes.

Cookery School at Little Portland Street is at 15b Little Portland Street, London. 

Nearest tube station: Oxford Circus is a two-minute walk away.

17- Watch An Old Movie At The Prince Charles Cinema

The Prince Charles Cinema is the last independent cinema operating in London’s West End.

The cinema was originally a theatre in the 1960s before being developed into a cinema in 1991.

The cinema offers a variety of film formats, including 35mm and 70mm films.

Past evening events have included an all-nighter of Jurassic Park movies, seasons featuring Studio Ghibli and Paul Thomas Anderson, and 70mm screenings of classics such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Casablanca.

The Prince Charles Cinema is at 7 Leicester Place, London. 

Nearest tube station: Leicester Square is a two-minute walk away.

18- See The View from The Shard

Construction on one of London’s most iconic architectural wonders began in 2009.

The Shard, designed by architecture firm Broadway Malyan, is now one of London’s most popular tourist attractions and housing a hotel, restaurant and offices.

The View from The Shard draws tourists to the building, and with incredible views over an illuminated London at night across the River Thames, it is easy to see why it draws such crowds.

The Shard is Western Europe’s tallest building, and views over the city for up to 40 miles can be seen from its viewing platform and open-air sky deck on the 72nd floor. Skip the line and book your ticket here.

The View from The Shard is at The Shard, Joiner Street, London. 

Nearest tube station: London Bridge is a two-minute walk away.

19- Go Dancing At The Rivoli

Rivoli is the last intact 1950s-style ballroom in London.

The ballroom was designed by Henley Attwater and first opened its doors to the public in 1913.

The ballroom’s interior has changed little since the 1950s, allowing it to retain its vintage allure and charm.

Rivoli is a well-known filming location, with scenes from The Avengers, Legend and The Muppets all being shot here.

An evening dancing at Rivoli is one visitors do not forget for a long time.

Evenings at Rivoli include Jive Party with a live band, Rouges at the Rivoli with the 70s and 80s disco funk, and even cinema screenings.

Rivoli is at 350 Brockley Road, Crofton Park, London. 

Nearest train station: Crofton Park is just across the road, less than a minute’s walk away.

20- See A Show At The West End

No trip to London would be complete without seeing an evening performance in the glittering West End, London’s theatrical district.

The West End has shown a variety of shows on limited runs over the years but has seen.

Agatha Christies ‘The Mousetrap’ running at the same theatre, St Martin’s, for 68 years. This has made it the world’s most succe3939ssful and longest-running play.

Must-see performances in the West End include The Lion King (at the Lyceum Theatre), Sister Act, The 39 Steps, Mary Poppins (at the Prince Edward Theatre) and Wicked The Musical (at the Apollo Victoria Theatre).

Nearest tube stations: Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and Covent Garden.

For more exciting cities at night, read: