If you’re planning a date night in London, then Covent Garden should definitely be at the top of the list. It is a beautiful place to explore and it has so much life bustling around that you can’t help feeling like you’re on holiday (even if you’ve lived in London your whole life, like me).
From buying each other gifts to indulging in dinner and drinks and even spending the night in a Covent Garden hotel*, here’s what I suggest you do for the perfect date night…
Go shopping
Covent Garden has an eclectic mix of designer brands, high street names and boutique brands, as well as the big market and Neal’s Yard (which is famous for natural beauty as well as the beautiful design of the unusually colourful alleyway).
One of my favourite things to do when I’m shopping with my boyfriend is to agree to shop for each other, that way nobody gets fed up! It can be fun trying on clothes even if you think they’re awful, but it can also be surprising when you try something on and unexpectedly love it. I’ve done this a few times with my other half and he picked me a fab suede brown jacket (I used to hate brown, but have grown to love it) and he chose one of my favourite tops (a black off the shoulder number with serious Sandy-from-Grease vibes).
Take some photos together
Covent Garden is an influencer haven for photo opportunities. There are often unusual installations, like a flower filled car, a grand piano also swathed with plants or special holiday-themed exhibits – last year Halloween a giant pumpkin appeared. As well as the classic beauty of old, cobbled London streets and impressive architecture, these fun additions to the area will make for a great backdrop to remember your special date night in London’s Covent Garden.
Grab a cocktail
…or two! If you’re on a budget head straight for Dirty Martini. It has a happy hour until 10pm during the week, 8pm on Friday and Saturday and all-day Sunday Don’t let this fool you into thinking they’re desperate for custom or they don’t do fancy concoctions – they have many unusual and innovative mixes on offer along with your old favourites.
If you feel like splashing out, head either Eve Bar or Blame Gloria. Both have fabulously creative cocktails to match decadent and abstract interiors, so you will be in for an all-round sensory experience.
Have dinner
Planning a date night in London can be a bit overwhelming when it comes to choosing a restaurant. Covent Garden has plenty of dining options for a romantic date night ranging from low cost to super expensive. My favourite cheap (but still fancy) eats are Bun and Bun, which is located within the market building and has an unusual mix of small bites and main courses as well as Japanese sticky buns and Mediterranean dips. Another good spot is Polpo – prices are between £7 and £14, which is amazing for London, and all the dishes are Venetian so very different to your usual Italian.
If you want to splash out, go for the world famous Ivy, The Frog by Adam Handling or Petersham Nurseries. For steaks head to Flat Iron or Hawksmoor and for a cheeky aphrodisiac, it has to be The Oystermen.
Covent Garden hotels
Ending the night in a hotel is the ultimate luxury and a wonderful way to really indulge your relationship and reconnect away from your home, your responsibilities and reality in general. There are quite a few lovely places to stay in the area and the next day why not head to another part of London to keep the fun going?
*Money was gifted to me by hotels.com to research this blog post
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If only I lived there… It looks lovely