Ideal for a banging birthday bash in London…
Firstly, since you’ve arrived here with us, can we assume that congratulations are in order? Another year around the sun, and might we say you’re looking fabulous.
That said, we both know that decision making isn’t one of your strong points, but rather than be crippled by the paradox of choice, you’ve made the sensible call to enlist the help of a learned, well-informed friend. You’ve got the big calls spot on, and we commend you.
We are that friend. If you’re after some great ideas on the best ways to celebrate your birthday in London this year, then rest assured, you’ve asked the right person for help…
Book A Private Restaurant Room
There are lots of places that offer private dining room hire within London, including some of London’s top restaurants. To celebrate your birthday in style, there’s not much that’s more enjoyable than settling into a private room with friends and getting served some of the capital’s most delicious food.
Some of our favourite private dining spaces include:
- Quo Vadis, Soho: This legendary restaurant boasts not one, not two, but three private dining rooms on its second floor, with a capacity of over thirty guests in each. Chef Jeremy Lee’s classical, generous cooking never disappoints, and the desserts are to die for.
- Pachamama, Shoreditch: Their private dining rooms can comfortably cater between twelve and fourteen (hugging) guests. Here it’s all about modern Peruvian inspired dining; a procession of light, vibrant plates arrive full of colour and zip, using some deliciously unknown ingredients and a cooking style which feels both health conscious and abounding. Oh, and the cocktail menu is on point; the pisco sours and Peruvian espresso martini are classics.
- The Meat & Wine Co – A fine dining restaurant in London that fuses African heritage and cuisine with modern culinary techniques, on our last visit we ordered a grass fed Angus x Hereford steak, and this buttery hunk of premium beef groans all around the table. The company offer a private dining room that seats a maximum of 8 to 10 guests. Alternatively, they have a number of dining areas that can seat groups of four to 12 guests, and areas that can be zoned off for more privacy. What’s more celebratory than bites of buttery steak for your birthday.
- Brigadiers, City of London: For something a little different, why not try this excellent Indian barbecue joint? With four private dining rooms, free flow beers, giant sports screens and a party atmosphere all year round, Brigadiers is a seriously opulent, high-class affair.
- City Social, City of London: Chef Jason Atherton’s restaurant City Social offers a private dining room that can accommodate up to 22 guests or a Chef’s Table experience for 11 lucky diners. To continue with the listing numbers theme, the restaurant boasts 1 Michelin star.
A few other great London restaurants for group dining include Bao Fitzrovia, whose basement can be booked for 10 people; Corrigan’s Mayfair, with several private dining rooms for those families who love fresh fish; and Bocca di Lupo, where you can book the private Remus Room and enjoy some of the finest regional Italian cuisine this side of Rome.
Bottomless Brunch
Do you like prosecco? Do you want to drink a lot of prosecco (responsibly, of course)? Hey, who doesn’t? It’s your birthday after all.
Here at IDEAL, we have a motto, if you’re gonna do a birthday brunch, it damn sure better include bottomless boozing. Because what’s more fun than alcohol drenched midday dining? We’ll reiterate – drink responsibly, of course, guys!
That said, the bottomless brunch field in London has been worked and reaped so extensively, it’s hard to find a good one. The food on most bottomless brunch menus isn’t really anything to write home about, with most folk plainly more worried about the drinking than eating.
However, this isn’t the case at London Bridge’s Santo Remedio, whose bottomless brunch menu is a Mexican affair that you can wash down with some bottomless margaritas.
Birthday Bermondsey Beer Mile
If you’re wondering how to celebrate your birthday in London, then this is it. In the Big Smoke it can be pretty hard to arrange a beer crawl. Enter the Bermondsey Beer Mile. This hoptastic tour will take you through 17 different breweries. Here’s your itinerary:
Start at Maltby Street Market and have a pre bar crawl beer in the market. Then head onto:
- Southwark Brewing
- 80 Druid Street
- Hawkes Cider, 92/96 Druid Street
- Billy Franks Craft Beer & Snack Shack, 104 Druid Street
- Hiver, 56 Stanworth Street
- Anspach & Hobday, 118 Druid Street
- Moor Beer, 71 Enid Street
- Cloudwater, 73 Enid Street
- Brew By Numbers, 75/79 Enid Street
- Bianca Road, 83-84 Enid Street
- Craft Beer Junction, 86 Enid Street
- The Kernel, Arch 7, Dockley Road Industrial Estate
- The Outpost – Three Hills Brewing, 7 Almond Road
- Spartan, 8 Almond Road
- EeBria, 15 Almond Road
- Partizan, 34 Raymouth Road
- 650m to Fourpure, 22 Bermondsey Trading Estate
Better pack some paracetamol for this one!
Read: Where to eat on Bermondsey Street
Meet At A Street Food Market
Where crowds flock every night of the week to experience the buzz and bites, so the atmosphere is guaranteed to be lively in London on your birthday. If you’re based in East London, Dinerama, just off Shoreditch High Street, is a great place to enjoy a few reasonably priced (London-speaking) craft beers and to satisfy even the most fickle of palates. Moreover, the rotating cast of food purveyors keeps things interesting,
May we also suggest Pergola Paddington? This is a rooftop bar set over two floors and has just had a revamp. Now operating as Pergola Paraíso, the bar wants to transport you to the coast of Mexico this summer and has the decor to match; think cacti, tropical foliage and hammocks galore. Salud!
Try Your Luck at A Member’s Club
London at night offers more entertainment options than pretty much any other city on the planet – you’re absolutely spoilt for choice in the capital.
If you’re looking for something a bit different from the conventional Londoner’s night out, then consider a member’s club like Soho House. Of course, the only way to actually gain entry is to have a member amongst your group who can ‘invite’ you or pay to stay, so you best start socialising, hey?
Party the Night Away At One Of London’s Hottest Nightlife Destinations
For a party full of fun and frivolity, why not celebrate your birthday in one of these great places…
Tape London
It’s where Travis Scott went to party after announcing the Utopia album release date and the venue J Cole mentioned by name in one of his songs. Needless to say, a Tape London booking is lusted after by many. After all, it’s one of the best hip-hop clubs in the city. With a crowd of A-listers, trendsetters, and the elite, you can expect a wild party full of endless possibilities. Not only that, but the club is also known for its exceptional service, extravagant champagne shows, and for having one of the best DJ rosters in Mayfair.
The Mandrake
The Mandrake Hotel is one of the most unique and glamorous boutique hotels in London. Naturally, their hotel bars are also two of the most elegant bars in the city. Whether you’re looking for an elegant date spot, a seductive location, or an afternoon drinks spot, Yopo Bar or Waeska Bar will not disappoint. Yopo is brighter, intimate, and warm. Meanwhile, Waeska is mysterious, eclectic, and seductive. Keep in mind, both bars operate a strict dress code policy and the dress code is smart casual.
Mr Foggs’ Residence
Nestled in Mayfair, this concept bar is a one-of-a-kind experience. Inspired by Jules Verne’s classic novel Around the World in Eighty Days, Mr Fogg’s Residence is designed after Phileas J. Foggs’ drawing room. Once you enter, in no time you’ll be feasting your eyes on the immaculate Victorian-era décor, accurate down to the minute detail. Shortly after, you’ll be entertaining your taste buds with a list of cocktails prepared as creatively as they are named. Everything from the menu to the design is, of course, inspired by the Vernian classic.
Something Active
When it comes to crazy golf, London boasts some truly excellent courses. Perhaps the pick of the bunch is Plonk Crazy Golf, which has four sites across London, in Camden Market, Shoreditch, Hackney and Borough Market.
We’re also rather fond of the crazy golf at Swingers, which is open until late and has DJs dedicated to spinning great party tunes should you fancy a birthday boogie.
Alternatively, have you considered ping pong? In that case, it’s got to be Bounce, With venues in Old Street and Farringdon, it has become something of a London Institution, with friends, couples, blind daters and first timers heading here for a few rounds of ping pong and cocktail or two, every night of the week.
Continuing on the balls theme, how about bowling? At All Star Lanes, you can pay £35 per person for their Drink, Dine and Bowl package, which includes two courses from their American diner inspired menu, a cocktail, and of course, an hour’s worth of bowling. Otherwise, it’s £15 for a lane and a regular game. There are four locations in London; White City, Brick Lane, Holborn and Stratford. Hey, you can even do a spot of karaoke while you’re here. What’s not to love?
Speaking of which…
Read: 5 unique Paris birthday ideas
Karaoke
London has a great selection of karaoke bars, proving you don’t need to travel all the way to Tokyo to release your inner George Michael. Or, in our case, Andrew Ridgeley.
Perhaps our favourite karaoke joint in the city is Karaoke Box in Smithfield, which has 15 rooms to choose from, each fitting four to 25 guests, and with 8000 songs available in English and Japanese.
We also love Lucky Voice, with its private pods able to accommodate four to 12 people, meaning you can sing away without any embarrassment. The prop box even has inflatable guitars and tambourines at the ready so you can really show off your inner rock god. What fun!
Throw It In The Park
Did you know that London is made up of roughly 40% public green space, including 3,000 parks totaling 35,000 acres. Throwing your birthday bash in one of London’s many parks is a wonderful way to enjoy London’s green spaces, not to mention keep costs down.
If you want to have a birthday barbeque, there are only a handful of parks you’re allowed to legally grill in, including Burgess Park in Southwark (complete with views of The Shard), and Camden’s Cantelowes Gardens.
Now, all you’ve got to do is raise your BBQ game to the next level!