Stuck for some cool date ideas? St Valentine’s Day is approaching but you have no clue how to celebrate? Don’t worry, I’ve got you! Whether you want to splash out to treat your better half or keep it on budget, do something totally unusual or do a deep dive into romance, you should find some ideas for the inspiration below. There is no excuse for a boring date in London, scroll down to find out the ways to impress your date and have a great time!

• Enjoy a cooking class together at L’atelier des Chefs (various locations)

We all know that eating, cooking and learning something new together brings people closer. Well, how about combining all three in a cool unusual date?

L’atelier des Chefs is a cooking school where you can learn new recipes and cook them with some help from professional chefs. They teach dishes from many cuisines, expanding your gastronomical horizons from Caribbean to Scandinavian meals. I went there to make chicken katsu curry burger with Asian slaw and that same week there were other options of making Thai and Mexican delights, so your selection won’t be limited!

Classes vary in time and prices: you can get a 30 mins lunch class for £15 or a 2.5 hour macaroons workshop for £70 with many options in between. The classes are made to be fun, easy and enjoyable, followed by a yummy sit-down meal you’ve cooked.

Come here either for an original date or even with some friends and family to enjoy a fun social experience while mastering your cooking skills.

Tip: Get exclusive 12% off your cooking class with the code “CHEF12“, apply at checkout before 31/03/18. The code is valid for 60min, 90min, 2hr, 2.5hr and 3hr classes. 

• Laugh your head off at the Comedy night (various locations)

Now, this is genuinely one of my favourite dates. We all love a good comedy stand-up and watch many comedy shows – so why not experience them live and maybe if you’re (un)lucky, you might even get the chance to be roasted by the performer!

Treat yourself and your lucky partner to a night of fun and laughter at one of London’s fantastic comedy clubs. A little tip from me: do not look down at the names of the comedians you’ve never heard before. I’ve been to few comedy clubs in London and always had a lineup of people I’ve never seen before and guess what? They were absolutely hilarious! London’s comedy market is competitive, so trust me: mediocre performers simply wouldn’t stay in the line-up for long.

• Have a ball in Bounce (various locations)  

As the venue that has been carrying table tennis heritage since its very establishment in 1901, Bounce guarantees a fun time out. Book your tennis table, get equipped with the rackets and a drink and prepare for the competition! The place always buzzes with table-tennis lovers, so get ready to ignore table tennis balls flying around you while you’re killing it (or not) on your table.

For winners and equally for losers, there is a good list of cocktails, drinks and food / pizza available to indulge in. All of the above is accomplished with the neon lights and dancy music, allowing you to have a chilled fun time and get to know your date better.

Prices start from £11 for 30 mins of off-peak usage of the tennis table and I highly recommend to book the table in advance.

• Snuggle up at the London Icebar, Mayfair

What’s the best way to make your crush cuddle up to you? Try to freeze them! London Icebar is the UK’s only permanent frozen cocktail bar, offering an extraordinary experience of winter right in the middle of London. The bar’s temperature is kept at -5°C as everything that you see around – the tables, the walls, the sculptures and even the glasses – are all made of Arctic ice!

A visit to the Icebar is a fantastic experience and the one your date will remember. Read more about it in my dedicated post about my visit and check out the best-valued packages here.

• Dance away at the Silent disco at the View from the Shard, London Bridge

Ready to impress your date? Want to sway to the music AND do so in luxurious settings with stunning panorama over London? Well, here is a cool date idea for you!

Silent discos in Shard are absolutely class: as soon as you get to the top of the EU’s tallest building, you dive straight into it. Everyone has a set of headphones with three colour-coded music channels. You can swap between the channels and the music variety ensures to fit everyone’s taste. Prepare to hear good old 80s hits, rock, pop and R’n’B to mention few. There are two bars to pick your drinks from and an open-air viewing deck on the 72nd floor – not a bad place for your first kiss, eh!

What I love about this disco is how relaxed and joyful the atmosphere is. As everyone listens to different music in the headphones, they all dance to different rhythms and many sing out loud. Witnessing this was so funny that I did occasional breaks from dancing just to watch other people do their thing – so much entertainment! Unlike most of discos, this one seems to have much more space, feels very secure and doesn’t have horrible sticky floor, haha.

Read more about Silent Disco at The View from the Shard in my dedicated post. Tickets are normally priced at £37.50.

Alternative

Do you fancy visiting the Shard in daylight, either on its own or combined with a delicious meal or fancy afternoon tea nearby? Check out some savvy options here.

• Dine at an interactive Japanese: Inamo (various locations)

Love your Japanese food and looking for a different dining experience? Check out Inamo – a pan-Asian fusion restaurant where your table surface is fully interactive, with a projector beaming down.

Want to have a look at the menu and see how the dishes look like? Click on the table to see what’s on offer. Do you feel like doing a little scribble? Why not do so with the interactive paints and pencils? Perhaps, you feel like playing a game with your date? Inamo’s interactive tables offer all of these options and more!

This is also a perfect spot for a date as the food is created to share and comes in small plates to nibble on.

Are you intrigued? Feed your curiosity and book a table to check it out! Get up to 50% off with one of these great deals.  

• Glide away at Canary Wharf Ice Rink, Canary Wharf

Enjoy one of everyone’s favourite winter activities and take your date to this stunning ice rink! Canary Wharf is my favourite London ice rink I’ve been to, offering 1300 sq m to skate on. Show off your pirouettes or teach your date how to ice skate backwards (or, like in my case, how to even stand on ice!). Regardless, this experience is a good chance to have a laugh and get to know each other better.

The ice rink is on until 24th February and tickets for adults start from £9.95. Read more about it and other things to do in Canary Wharf in my post here.

• Enjoy a vegetarian / vegan feast at Vanilla Black, Chancery Lane / Holborn

Is your date vegetarian or vegan? Don’t panic, I’ve got your back! Vanilla Black is a hidden lush gem that serves vegetarian and vegan fine dining in relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Each dish they present is a work of art, a masterpiece that is unique, delicious and filling! Vanilla Black knows how to cleverly mix the flavours and textures to impress any of their guests  whether vegetarian or not.

Now here is the tip from me. Everyone has to come here to try one must-have – Peanut Butter Cheesecake and Cracked Cocoa Bean with Caramelised Banana Purèe. This. Will. Blow. Your. Mind! Seriously delicious! If you don’t fancy a full 2-3-course meal or want to treat your date to something special without breaking a bank, come here for this dessert!

• Take in free panoramic views of London at Sky Garden, Bank

The famous “Walkie-Talkie” building offers some spectacular views over the capital, often accompanied by live music. Guess what, you can get it all for free! Tickets are released every Monday one week prior to the visit, all you need to do is simply reserve them…and enjoy Sky Garden!

This very impressive building with an unusual shape has a stunning dome that provides huge open space inside, spread over 3 open floors. The three floors are covered by beautiful planted garden and offer observation decks, open terrace, 2 bars and 2 restaurants.

Beautiful Sky Garden gives a truly luxurious experience, offering an unspoiled 360 degree panorama…all for free! Look around to spot the city’s most famous landmarks, from St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower of London and London Eye to Gherkin, the Shard and Canary Wharf. Long story short, this is the perfect place for a date to impress.

Tip: The queues are long and slow due to security checks, so arrive here early to avoid extra wait and hassle.

Have you enjoyed my suggestions? Come back to this page for regular updates and more unusual dates ideas in London. As I continue my discoveries and collect new inspirations, I will share them here.

Do you have some favourites that are worth listing? Get in touch and let me know what those are, I’ll check them out!

P.s. You now have plenty of date ideas and need tips for a last-minute present?

• Get a cheeky Ann Summers treat for yourself or your partner with their current offer of up to 50% off selected lines.
• Chocolate is always a great idea! Cadbury Gifts have some fabulous hampers (some even with wine and bubbly) for very reasonable prices. “Roses” anyone?  
• Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Even if you’re not quite looking for diamonds and actually are searching for a gift for a guy, watches and jewellery are always great presents to gift. H.S Johnson is the perfect go-to brand when you want to treat your special someone. Currently, they offer up to 75% off some items, so hurry up! Who knows, maybe it’s the right time to pop the question? 
• Experience is one of my favourite types of gifts, it’s always exciting to give and receive. Virgin Experience Days offer inspirational gifts for anyone, from a helicopter ride and meals out to hotel stay-overs and spa visits. If you’re buying a really-last-minute present, instead of delivery pick “email print-out”, sorted!
• Gift for a creative soul? Cass Art offers quality tools every artist needs for affordable prices. As a hobbyist artist, I love their store and suggest you check it out.