LDNERS

The best thing we’ve ever done is get matching tattoos and there’s no better place than The London Social.

As Clapham girlies, we’ve tried all of the best coffee spots, but this takes first place for a coffee/pastry/yap/walk.

We don’t love many activity dates, but this tips the lot, it’s like Aladdin’s cave, if Aladdin was a girl who liked jewellery.

We’re always after the best matcha and by best, we mean most obscure with the most interesting flavours.

If you’re in town and you need somewhere equal parts easy and delicious - this is Ally Mac approved for ramen and noodles.

Nothing better than a fresh blow dry and there’s nowhere else we’d rather be than Larry King.

No market stall is safe when we’re around and this is one of our favourites for finding things you don’t need but can’t be without.

Pre-brunch, post-night out, middle of the working day, our go-to exercise class that we can both get into is spin - make sure you book your bikes side by side!

We love their Sunday lunch club. It’s hands down the best roast in London!

Who doesn’t love karaoke?! If you need to blow off steam, or you just need to laugh at your friend's rendition of ‘Hopelessly Devoted’, this is for you.

Tiny bar, big heart. The £8 martinis are the headline act (and they’re properly made), but it’s the lovely, welcoming team and easy, good-time atmosphere that keep people coming back. Now a proper neighbourhood gem that reminds you why Dalston does bars so well. Must try: Vodka Martini

Hidden in plain sight on Kingsland Road, this sultry little speakeasy trades big bar chaos for velvet draped intimacy. Expect sharp, spirit-forward cocktails, candlelight, and a crowd where all are welcome. Ask the bartender and they create to your taste.

From the A Bar with Shapes for a Name team, this Dalston spot feels more like a creative studio than a typical cocktail bar. Expect playful prebatched serves, experimental flavours and a crowd that is here to try something new. Casual, social and quietly cool. Must try: the Dulce De Leche Espresso Martini

A Dalston classic for people who care about what’s in their glass. Seasonal menus, proper technique and flavours that feel thought-through rather than showy. Small, intimate, and dangerously easy to settle into for the night. Must try: Lil Green Olive.

A listening bar first, cocktail spot second but the drinks still hold their own. Japanese-influenced serves, vinyl-only sound system and a crowd that appreciates both. Start mellow, end dancing. Must try: White Negroni.

Just reopened with more space, this is a wine bar-meets-cocktail hangout-meets DJ-led hotspot. Natural wines, clever mixed drinks and a soundtrack that keeps the room buzzing. Come for one, stay for the whole night. Must try: the Blackberry Clover Club or the Pickle Martini

Jazz bar, cocktail den and late-night sanctuary rolled into one. Expect elegant drinks, low lighting and live music that turns a casual drink into the perfect date spot. Must try: the Rampai

Agave lovers, this one’s yours. Tequila and mezcal take centre stage, from punchy margaritas to smoky sips. Lively energy, neon glow, and always a good choice. Must try: Mirror Margarita

This wonderfully gaudy and glitzy decor in this swish Anglo-Russian restaurant is an easy conversation starter. The ‘press for champagne’ button on every table will come in handy if your date starts talking about their own home improvement projects, or politics. Just drink through it, darling.

Excellent food in any of the capital’s three outposts, the kind of place someone who can recognise a cheese when wearing a blindfold would love. It’s low-lit in case your skincare routine isn’t coming up with the goods that evening, and intimate enough that you can probably do all that appalling hand-holding over the table without anyone noticing. (But please don’t do this.)

Airy, sophisticated and chic, the NPG is the perfect place for a slow wander arm-in-arm through some of the world’s most famous mugshots. Good conversation starter too – ascribing ‘would bonk’ and ‘wouldn’t bonk’ status on various celebs or long-dead ministers for the Department of Agriculture.

Romantic, atmospheric, and a chance to appreciate the beauty of classical music in muted lighting and celestial surroundings. And with a bit of luck you might get a smidge of Vivaldi or something you recognise off an advert.

If your thirst for one another can survive being kettled by Instagrammers photographing giant strawberries while you’re choking on a cloud of raclette steam, maybe it’s meant to be. And there’ll be oysters – nature’s phlegmy, gritty Viagra.

A bracing walk in Parliament Hill Fields and then the chance to stare out at the London skyline in all its bleak and haunting beauty. And if you get bored, you can always venture farther into the Heath to visit the infamous F•ck Tree, favoured by George Michael in his cruising days.

It has to be done, really. I know. As imaginative a date locale as ham is a sandwich filling, the south side of the river does at least host a couple of date-friendly bars, in the National Theatre and the BFI. Perfect for staring out at the glimmering, murky river and questioning your life choices as you resolve to delete Hinge as soon as you get home.

Flashy, a little cheesy maybe, and the vista of a distant Lewisham isn’t for everyone, but the surroundings are luxe enough to keep things romantic. Plus, you would be surprised how strong a bond can be forged over dainty sandwiches and scones the size of a thumbnail.

The monarch of bookshops is a theme park for literary nerds. Gauge your date’s long term potential with a sneak preview of their bedtime reading – scurry off in different directions and pick out a book for one another. If they come back with something spicy like ‘Heated Rivalry’, buckle up, baby; if they hand you a copy of ‘The Gonorrhoea Cookbook’, perhaps fake a stomach ache.

Nothing says commitment like wandering several hectares of polite and tasteful ‘small c’ home furnishings. Feel your heart burst with love as you imagine the lovely things in a flat you don’t yet share – and get a good idea just how rabid and ugly a cushion habit your date may cultivate in the future. Then go for a scone in the top floor café and check whether anyone has favourited you on Tinder in the last 24 hours.

I love spicy food, so Singburi is an obvious favourite. I’m thrilled they’ve found a new home in Shoreditch. Fingers crossed they have the grilled pork neck or moo krob on the menu.

The best Neapolitan pizza in London, and the polar opposite of our own style. It works perfectly as a kind of pizza palate cleanser for me.

Just across the street. Perfect when I’m craving a burger, and the wait is usually much shorter than you’d expect.

Just down the road from the shop. Great Guinness and excellent chicken and chips. If you’re lucky, you might even snag a last-minute table at One Club Row upstairs.

Brilliant for discovering brands you might not know yet. A go-to for a great piece for yourself or an easy present for a friend.

Excellent pies for sharing, arguably the best steak tartare in London, and a great wine list.

A place I have a great relationship with. I love their restaurant concepts, the location is spot on, and the rooms are always excellent.

The best cocktails in the city. It’s the perfect spot to unwind after a shift.

The energy and the breakfast are unmatched, in my opinion. Always worth the queue.

Consistently the tastiest coffee around. I drink mine black, so you really notice the balance and depth.

Gennaro who runs Pezze has heart and definitely knows his stuff. His dad has a suit shop in Naples so he’s grown up around smart clobber. It’s eclectic and relevant and you can always expect the unexpected. My all time favourite vintage t-shirt was found in Pezze.

Just up the road from Hilda is Inneoss, run by friends Georgea and Natalie. I always love their accessories and they are brilliant at championing small, sustainable brands.

For something really special, I love Hai on Boundary Street known for dupion silk, dreamy ruffles and pastel ballet flats. The store is dark wood panelled and the changing cubicles are silk lined and somehow I feel like I'm in Manhattan when I'm here.

If Hilda had a rebellious big sister, she’d be Alta Store. It's tucked away in a neat little Soho spot and they stock brands like Hairy Mary, Lauren Perrin and S_BA, showcasing London's emerging best.

My fave showroom in London Fields has opened a masterly curated retail space under the same name, showcasing an edit from their brand repertoire including brands like Story MFG, & Daughter and Cawley.

When I have a free Sunday, Pimlico Car Boot is my go-to, especially in the spring. It's always a little hit and miss, but that's part of its charm. I came away with a barbie pink tulle tutu on my last outing.

I always feel close to my late dad when I’m in here. It’s wonderfully well worn, a little moody at times and unchanged. It’s very special. Long may it stay open.

This charity shop in Pimlico is a treasure box for real vintage seekers. It’s a work-out for the upper arms - the rails are jam packed but if you’re in the mood for a proper rummage (and potential mending project) then this is the spot. Top tip: their archive pieces tend to shine behind the counter.

Equal Parts is co-owner Carina Soto’s only London outpost, all her other venues are in Paris and well worth a look up next time you’re there. Equal Parts is the perfect neighbourhood bar, with a brilliant team, a vinyl soundtrack and cocktails that are so delicious you’ll name check them on your next visit.

Bar Kinky is still a bit of a hidden gem but is certainly somewhere to seek out next time you’re in the West End. Co-Owner Diana Khromova is a force to be reckoned with and works so hard to showcase her team’s incredible work behind the stick, whilst her exacting eye for design has made for a minimalist's heaven.

Co-Owners Thea Cumming and Lucia Massey have created one of the most welcoming and wonderful spaces in the city. The bar was born out of their long-standing friendship and focuses on damn good mezcal alongside community-building activities from cabaret to cooking, club nights and comedy. Thea also co-founded Dangerous Don mezcal so it’s clear she knows her stuff.

Head Bartender Benedetta Paris is one of the most recognisable faces on the London bar scene, not least because of her incredible sartorial choices. Impeccably turned out, a true crafts(wo)man when it comes to drinks and someone you truly wish was your bestie - she’s the first face you see when you descend the stairs to Happiness Forgets.

Co-Owner Coral Anderson has been with the business since they opened in Soho ten years ago, working her way through the ranks to become a co-owner with Edmund Weil and Roisin Stimpson. She’s truly the best in the biz and you’ll see her commitment and care at every turn in all three of their venues.

Leaning in to all things agave, Co-Owner Emma Murphy has ensured that Hacha has become one of the city’s must-visit tequila bars. Her passion for the category doesn’t just stop with bars though; she’s also one half of the incredibly successful Mirror Margarita (a crystal clear bottled Marg) and is currently writing a book all about agave spirits from first hand experience in Mexico.

Another rising star, Lucy Thomas has been with the multi-award winning Lyan group for yonks - and now holds the position of Bar Manager of the first, and only, 3 PIN bar in the world. She’s warm, wonderful and incredibly passionate about hospitality.

Head Bartender Giulia Cuccurullo is one of the biggest names in the global cocktail scene but when she’s not travelling, she’s behind the bar at the Artesian creating truly delicious cocktails. Shout out must also go to Bar Manager Lorenza Pezzetta who steers the ship.

Since its gorgeous renovation a while back, Vesper Bar has been under the watchful eye of Bar Manager Lucia Montenelli who is a true and consummate host, remembering niche drinks orders and recreating them - sometimes without request!

If you’re lucky enough to get into the newly revamped Kensington Roof Gardens, expect to see Bars Manager Sophie Bratt - our ultimate host! However, her job is much more than just a welcoming committee; behind the scenes she’s in charge of every delicious beverage made within the building and runs a very tight ship to ensure excellence.