Date spot in South Bank and Borough
Hawksmoor Borough
Share a big charcoal-grilled steak at Hawksmoor's handsome restaurant tucked behind Borough Market.
Winchester Walk, Borough
Address: Hawksmoor Borough, 16 Winchester Walk, London SE1 9AQ- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Big night
Why it's a good date: A handsome, polished room that suits a celebration, with excellent cocktails. Have a look round the market first if you go at lunchtime.
More from our South Bank and Borough guide
Tate Modern
Bankside, by the Millennium Bridge
Address: Bankside, London SE1 9TG- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
Wander the free collection in the old Bankside Power Station, starting in the vast Turbine Hall, then climb to the top-floor viewing level for a look over the river to St Paul's.
Why it's a good date: There's enough here for a whole afternoon, and it costs nothing unless you book a paid exhibition. Pick one floor each and show the other your favourite piece.
Photo: Thomas Dahlstrøm Nielsen, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
Borough Market
Borough High Street, by London Bridge
Address: 8 Southwark Street, London SE1 1TL- Activity
- Rain-proof ☔
- Cheap and cheerful
- Dog friendly
- Foodie
Graze your way round London's best-known food market under its Victorian iron and glass roof, sharing a bit of everything from the cheese, bakery and street-food stalls.
Why it's a good date: Agree to split everything, so you each get to try twice as much. It's busiest on Saturdays, so a weekday lunchtime is calmer.
Photo: Stephen Armstrong, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Shakespeare's Globe
New Globe Walk, Bankside
Address: 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London SE1 9DT- Culture
- Mid-price
- Big night
See a play in the open-air reconstruction of Shakespeare's theatre, standing in the yard as a groundling or seated in the galleries; in winter, plays move into the candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse next door.
Why it's a good date: Standing in the yard is cheap and puts you right by the stage, so it's a great first taste. Bring a layer for the open-air season: the yard has no roof.
Photo: Tristan Surtel, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
