December is just around the corner – which means Christmas is all but upon us! It also means it’s time for the annual office Christmas parties. If you’re tasked with sorting the work Christmas party in London, now’s definitely the time to get those plans going (what do you mean you haven’t booked it yet?!).
From alcohol-fuelled immersive experiences to fancy meals, let’s leave the sales targets behind. After all, there’s only one thing every employee is looking forward to in December, and it’s certainly not the end-of-year company meeting…
1–5. Feast on a fancy meal
There’s no better way to show your team you’ve had a good year than a slap-up meal. No soggy sarnies here, please – only the best for your company’s employees. There is no end to the options for a work Christmas party meal in London, but below are some of our faves.
🍴 The Laundry, Brixton, is one of our favourites for a roast. They have a few private dining rooms, which you can book for your work Christmas party. Groups of 10+ can enjoy a special two-course set menu this winter, complete with complimentary nibbles, a main dish, and their signature dark chocolate mousse to finish.
🍴 Kolamba East, Liverpool Street, opened just last year, and offers a private dining room for up to 24 people, where your team can indulge in a feasting menu that showcases the restaurant’s modern take on Sri Lankan home-cooking and yummy tropical cocktails.
🍴 Nessa in Soho is serving up a special festive menu inspired by British culinary classics and 70s nostalgia this year. You can enjoy the likes of slow-reared Worcestershire turkey with chilli-roasted sprouts, honey-glazed carrots, and beef-dripping roast potatoes. Back by popular demand on the seasonal menu: the restaurant’s sage stuffing brioche with chestnut sauce and Tom’s jammy dodger trifle. Yum!
🍴 Now, if you’re looking for something fancy, JOIA, the Iberian restaurant and bar led by two Michelin-starred chef Henrique Sá Pessoa, will offer a festive sharing menu priced at £120 per person at art’otel London Battersea Power Station. If you’ve got a particularly large group lined up for your Christmas party, you can request a bespoke menu and consider booking one of the private dining spaces for the occasion, such as the rooftop.
🍴 The Moco Museum in London is not just a lovely destination for art lovers, but it also has private event spaces you can book for your company Christmas party. Seated dinners, cocktail gatherings, presentations, product launches, and even small concerts can be arranged in these spaces, where you’ll be surrounded by Banksy, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Yayoi Kusama, and other renowned artists as you dig into your meal.
6-9. Hit the bars – but with a difference
Really and truly escape the mundane reality of your day job by attending an immersive cocktail experience. You and your colleagues may be transported to a whole other time – or even to a place with a touch of magic – with some of London’s cocktail experiences.
🍸 This unique venue offers a 1940s-themed underground experience, perfect for a nostalgic and quirky work Christmas party. Set in a former air raid shelter, speakeasy Cahoots transports guests back to post-war Britain with its vintage decor, retro cocktails, and swing music.
🍸 Located in Covent Garden, Mr Fogg’s Tavern provides a truly festive Dickensian atmosphere for your work Christmas party. The venue boasts a dark wood interior, ample mistletoe, and a selection of seasonal drinks, including mulled wine. The Victorian-inspired decor and whimsical ambience create the perfect setting for a memorable and cosy holiday gathering.
🍸 The Escapologist is renowned as one of London’s worst-kept-secret cocktail bars. Book The Grand Hall for a more intimate setting, or The Vault for larger groups. The venue combines Victorian-inspired decor with plenty of glitz and glam, serving up creative cocktails and bespoke entertainment perfect for a sophisticated yet fun-filled Christmas celebration.
🍸 Taking inspiration from the esoteric history of the area, underground bar Hokus Pokus serves up botanical and craft cocktails with creativity and a touch of mysticism. Here, you and your colleagues will get a taste of modern alchemy in a truly unique setting – think interiors inspired by retro-futuristic steampunk and old apothecaries, complete with theatrical lighting and two centuries’ worth of British esoteric literature.
10-11. Sing your heart out at karaoke
Below are two Secret London team outing-approved karaoke venues in London (i.e. we sang our hearts out here).
🎤 This Christmas, discover the excitement of BAM Karaoke, the largest premium karaoke venue in Europe. Located in Victoria, the venue features 22 uniquely themed private rooms, each equipped with iPads for song selection and food orders. BAM offers over 45,000 songs to choose from!
🎤 Mama Shelter Shoreditch offers a unique and playful stay for your team, with its karaoke rooms, festive menus, and chic garden bar. Guests can enjoy singing in two dedicated karaoke rooms, which accommodate up to 15 people each.
12-14. Get competitive with playful games
A Christmas gathering with the team doesn’t have to just be about food and drinks. Get to know your colleagues better at these playful venues where it’s all fun and games.
🎲 If you’d like to let your competitive side shine this season, book your work Christmas party at Draughts London, a board game cafe with locations at Waterloo and Stratford. They have over 1,000 board games to choose from at these cosy venues, along with food and drinks to keep everyone happy.
🎲 For a different kind of gaming, Four Quarters is sure to get the whole team excited, taking everyone back to the 80s, 90s and 2000s with their range of original arcade machines. You’ll get to indulge in all of your nostalgic arcade faves, from Tekken to Guitar Hero, and they even have booths with PlayStation 2 and other curated console games for an extra dose of nostalgia.
🎲 The ultimate team-building experience this Christmas can probably be found at Monopoly Lifesized, where you and your colleagues will step on one of four human-sized Monopoly boards and work together to build houses and win the game. The experience is a good mix of strategy and action, ending with well-earned refreshments.
15-18. Head for an immersive group experience
‘Tis the season for group participation! At Secret London, we love immersive dinner experiences as much as action-packed races across the city, and we think they both make for a great Christmas gathering with a bit of a team-building twist.
👯 If your team likes to keep things action-packed, Race Across the World: The Experience is the perfect pick for your work Christmas party. Based on the award-winning TV show of the same name, it’s a two-to-three-hour foot race through London, navigating the city’s landmarks and hidden locations as you solve puzzles with your team along the way. You can expect plenty of competitive spirit and new discoveries in the city – even if you think you know every nook and cranny.
👯 You’re sure to have a memorable night with the team this Christmas at The Nutcracker Noir, a theatrical dining banquet that reimagines Tchaikovsky’s classic tale with a delightful blend of dance, music, and food. Talent hailing from the West End and Broadway stages immerse you in this fabulous world, while the kitchen serves up a five-course feast complete with mouthwatering wine and cocktails.
👯 Calling itself the holy grail of Christmas parties, Humbug London is not just Santa’s very own dive bar in the city, but a festive extravaganza mixing cabaret, sing-alongs, immersive performances, and lots of surprises throughout the night. Santa himself will host your team for the party as you munch on festive street food and enjoy themed cocktails.
👯 The Murdér Express, Bethnal Green, is a captivating two-hour theatrical dining event set in a 1920s-style train carriage. As you savour a bespoke, seasonal three-course menu prepared by top chefs, you and your team will become immersed in a murder mystery filled with drama and intrigue. The combination of live actors, exquisite cuisine, and stunning set design promises a fun evening out.
19-20. Keep things light with a fun-filled outing
If the activities above are not quite the right fit for your team, you can opt for something a little lighter, taking your colleagues out for a fun-filled day or evening with minimal pressure.
❤️ We don’t know about your team, but we would never say no to a rollerskating disco. If your colleagues love rollerskating as much as we do, they’ll definitely be down for an evening at Rollernation, especially on one of their club nights or special themed events (keep an eye out for a potential Christmas-themed night). From funk and soul to R&B and 70s disco tunes, there’s a playlist for everyone.
❤️ An extra festive outing for the team takes you out of London and on a short getaway to Portsmouth, two hours south of London. Christmasville Portsmouth is an immersive winter wonderland at Gunwharf Quays that will make you and your colleagues feel extra Christmassy, featuring theatrical shows and festive projections. P.S.: Encourage your colleagues to bring their kids along for the ride to make the team bonding extra special and heartwarming this year!