The longer list

Need a starting point? Here’s my collection of dinner spots, places to stay and ways to spend a date. Choose a few favourites and tell me what you have in mind. I’m especially drawn to seafood, Japanese food and lighter menus and a good alcohol-free drink is always welcome. We’ll check the details and availability before we settle on a place.

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Already know where you’d like to meet? Start close to home or make a little trip of it.

Central London

• J Sheekey and a West End show
• Ronnie Scott’s for jazz in Soho
• Raffles at The OWO, The Savoy or a gallery afternoon

West London

• Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea
• The V&A, The Ledbury or Electric Cinema
• The 606 Club and a lingering dinner

East & the City

• Duck & Waffle or 14 Stories for a view
• Nightjar for music and a drink
• ABBA Voyage for a playful evening

North London & beyond

• Searcys St Pancras Bar before a train adventure
• A show at Alexandra Palace, then a late dinner
• The Grove for a retreat outside the city

Sussex

• Arundel Castle & Gardens
• Bolney Wine Estate or a day at Beachy Head
• South Lodge, Ockenden Manor or Bailiffscourt

South East

• Windsor Castle or Hampton Court Palace
• Box Hill, Virginia Water or Chapel Down
• Beaverbrook, Pennyhill Park or Turner Contemporary in Margate

Restaurants and rooftops

• J Sheekey — seafood and a West End evening
• Duck & Waffle — a view over London
• 14 Stories — rooftop dining (14 Hills on my old list)
• Restaurant Gordon Ramsay — a Chelsea occasion
• Dinner by Heston Blumenthal; The Ledbury; Restaurant 1890 at The Savoy; Zuma; Bustronome
• Japanese, Greek or vegetarian dinner if we fancy something lighter

Cocktails, music and theatre

• Searcys St Pancras Bar — an arrival worth celebrating
• Ronnie Scott’s and the 606 Club — live jazz
• The Connaught Bar; Artesian at The Langham; Nightjar; Sketch; Barts
• Sinatra: The Musical — I would love to see this
• ABBA Voyage, a West End show, Everyman Cinema or Electric Cinema

Games, galleries and adventures

• The Crystal Maze; Puttshack; Junkyard Golf; go-karting; an escape room
• Phantom Peak; Otherworld VR; Hijingo; the Science Museum’s Wonderlab
• V&A; Tate Modern; National Gallery; Saatchi Gallery; Turner Contemporary in Margate
• A magic or illusion show, then a lively debate about how they did it. I love anything that makes us use our brains.
• An escape room, a clever mystery or a puzzle we can solve together
• A theme park, a boat trip or a spontaneous London walk

Castles, gardens and countryside

• Windsor Castle; Hampton Court Palace; Arundel Castle & Gardens
• Box Hill; Virginia Water; Beachy Head; an afternoon tea or picnic
• Bolney Wine Estate and Chapel Down — the scenery and lunch are reason enough

Spa days and hotels

These are the hotel names I had collected on my earlier site, plus a few more ideas. The hotel is part of the date so we can choose somewhere convenient and comfortable together.

• London: Raffles London at The OWO; The Langham; Corinthia; Rosewood London; The Dorchester; Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane; Ham Yard; The Lanesborough; The Londoner; Four Seasons Hotel London at Tower Bridge; The Mandrake; Bulgari Hotel; The Connaught
• Country escapes: South Lodge; Ockenden Manor; Bailiffscourt; Beaverbrook; The Spread Eagle; The Grove
• Spa ideas: Pennyhill Park; Champneys; Corinthia London; Thermae Bath Spa

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