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Date spot in South Bank and Borough

Lyaness

Order inventive cocktails built around unusual house-made ingredients at Ryan Chetiyawardana's bar in Sea Containers London, by the river.

Sea Containers London, a long riverside building with rows of windows and its name on the roof, beside the Thames

Sea Containers London, Upper Ground, South Bank

Sea Containers London, 20 Upper Ground, London SE1 9PD

Why it's a good date: Some of the most creative drinks in London, in a calm, plush room. The staff are happy to guide you through the menu, and walk-ins are welcome, though booking is safer at weekends.

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Photo: Acabashi, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

More from our South Bank and Borough guide

  • The Old Operating Theatre's wooden operating table, seen from the curved tiers of standing rails where students once watched

    Old Operating Theatre Museum

    St Thomas Street, London Bridge

    9a St Thomas Street, London SE1 9RY

    Climb a narrow spiral staircase into the roof of an old church to find Europe's oldest surviving operating theatre and a garret of medicinal herbs.

    Why it's a good date: Small, strange and fascinating, and it gives you plenty to talk about over a drink afterwards. It's only open a few days a week and the stairs are steep, so check before you go.

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    Photo: Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

  • The National Theatre's stepped concrete terraces and fly towers, with pink National Theatre banners on the square in front

    National Theatre

    Upper Ground, South Bank

    Upper Ground, South Bank, London SE1 9PX

    See a play at one of the National's three stages, in the concrete landmark by Waterloo Bridge, with bars and terraces looking over the river.

    Why it's a good date: There's always something on worth seeing, and the foyers are lovely for a drink before curtain up. Keep an eye out for cheaper day seats if you're happy to decide last-minute.

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    Photo: Anthony O'Neil, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)

  • A painted Maltby Street Market cart at the end of a lane beside brick railway arches, with colourful umbrellas and stalls under a blue sky

    Maltby Street Market

    Ropewalk, off Maltby Street, Bermondsey

    Arch 46, Ropewalk, Maltby Street, London SE1 3PA
    • Activity
    • Foodie

    Eat your way along Ropewalk, a narrow lane of street-food stalls and bars tucked under the railway arches in Bermondsey.

    Why it's a good date: Smaller and more relaxed than Borough, with a proper neighbourhood feel. It's a weekend market, so make it a lazy Saturday or Sunday and finish with a drink in one of the arches.

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    Photo: Bex Walton, CC BY 4.0 (cropped and resized)

From our guide to date ideas in South Bank and Borough

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