Drink, dinner, movie? Try something a little bit different and a little bit adorable instead…
1. The Pottery Café
So you’re at the stage where you can potentially fill each other’s cupboards with crockery. The Pottery Cafe in either Battersea or Fulham is perfect for a rainy-day date. Cosy up with a cup of Earl Grey, served with milk in a little jug they have made and painted themselves, and share a slice of homemade cake while you paint from a collection of pre-made (thank god) mugs, plates, milk jugs or a penguin.
2. Shuang Shuang
Cheeky Nandos? How about a cheeky ramen? Shuang Shuang is a different kind of self-service.
A bit like the Chinese version of Yo! Sushi, it’s not California rolls that roll round the conveyor belt but up to 50 fresh ingredients that you can add to your very own hot pot. Just pick your choice of broth and dipping sauce and then grab ingredients from the conveyor to cook yourself. Simples!
Plus no MSG, only British and free-range meat and sustainably sourced fish. Put a date in the diary to try out the new ingredients on the belt specially for Chinese New Year (marinated beef rump, marinated mutton loin, crab sticks and more).
This will also definitely happen.
3. The Biscuiteers
The Biscuiteers is the perfect location for a cute date – kind of like Cho and Harry’s trip to Madam Puddifoots but without the mental breakdown. Found either in Notting Hill or Northcote Road, it is everything a biscuit boutique and icing café should be; satisfyingly winsome, sweetly whiffy, with a thick coating of sugar.
Or, if you feel like some fancy frosting book an icing class like the upcoming ‘apres ski’ theme on Wednesday 18th Jan at Northcote Road, or the apt ‘love letter’ theme on 29th and master biscuit designs in a two hour tryst.
What’s more, twice a month at the Northcote Road Icing Café you can enjoy ‘Icing Lates’ from 7-8.30 pm which kicks off with a glass of prosecco before you ice five biscuits in a complimentary cotton apron. Next one up is Thursday 26th Jan.
4. The Planetarium
The Peter Harris Planetarium, at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, can take you out of this world, make the earth move and even provide a juice box so you can recreate that Ross and Rachel romance. This is a chance to turn off the lights in the middle of the most switched-on city in the world.
5. Go Ape, Battersea Park
Monkey about in Go Ape, Battersea Park, at 13.6 metres high, glide down a 50 metre zip wire and attempt the 32 metre tree top crossing. Perfect for the more active and adventuring pair, or that couple that act like four year olds whenever they are near each other.
There’s something pretty romantic about helping your other half out in a life-or-death harness situation. Just don’t dress to impress.
Plus, there’s a mini golf course, a zoo with Meerkats and a wood-fired pizza oven in the park as well, so you can make it a whole day full of youthful activities.
6. Waterstones, Piccadilly
There is nothing as appealing (and annoying for other people) as walking hand-in-hand around a bookshop … Getting excited about the new Enid Blyton for Grown Ups books which include ‘Five Go Gluten-Free’, ‘Five Give Up the Booze’ and ‘Five Go on a Strategy Away Day’… trying to remember some intellectual titles you skimmed during your degree … and picking a book you think your partner would love (to display in their flat) …
Even better, within this bookshop resides what is arguably the best café in London, Café W. Lounge with a latte amongst the Travel section on the lower ground floor or on the Mezzanine with Stationery and Gifts.
And if you end up staying late there’s the 5th View Cocktail Bar just above on the 5th Floor – perfect for dinner and an intense discussion of Kafka.