Date spot in Soho and Covent Garden
Kiln
Pull up a stool at the long counter and share fiery Thai dishes cooked over a wood fire, in woks and in clay pots, right in front of you.
Brewer Street, Soho
Address: 58 Brewer Street, London W1F 9TL- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- Mid-price
- Foodie
- Cheap and cheerful
Why it's a good date: Watching the chefs at work gives you something to talk about, and the small plates are made for sharing. It gets busy, so go early or be ready to wait with a drink nearby.
More from our Soho and Covent Garden guide
Prince Charles Cinema
Leicester Place, off Leicester Square
Address: 7 Leicester Place, London WC2H 7BY- Activity
- Rain-proof ☔
- Cheap and cheerful
Catch a cult classic, a late-night film marathon or a sing-along screening at the independent cinema just off Leicester Square.
Why it's a good date: The crowd joins in, which makes even a film you've both seen feel new. Look at the programme together and pick something neither of you would choose alone.
Photo: LavaLampBamboo, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Neal's Yard and Seven Dials
Monmouth Street and Shorts Gardens, Seven Dials
Address: Neal's Yard, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9DP- Activity
- Free
- Outdoors
Wander the seven little streets that meet at the Seven Dials sundial pillar, then duck into Neal's Yard, a tiny courtyard of brightly painted shopfronts, window boxes and cafés.
Why it's a good date: It costs nothing to wander, and there's a café or a cheese shop to stop at whenever you like. Go in the morning or early evening, when the courtyard's at its calmest.
Photo: Anthony Webb, CC BY-SA 3.0 (resized)
Swift
Old Compton Street, Soho
Address: 12 Old Compton Street, London W1D 4TQ- Bar
- Rain-proof ☔
- Mid-price
- Big night
- Romantic
Start with an aperitivo at the bright bar upstairs, then head down to the low-lit basement for a cocktail, a whisky or the house Irish coffee.
Why it's a good date: Two bars in one, so you can pick the mood: lively upstairs, intimate downstairs. Upstairs is walk-in, and it's worth booking the basement on a weekend.
