The Best Places For A Girls’ Night Out

BEST FOR IMMERSIVE EVENINGS: Mamma Mia! The Party

Abba fans, this one’s for you. The O2 has created a purpose-built Greek taverna inspired by the island of Skopelos (where the first Mamma Mia! film was shot) for a new interactive experience – Mamma Mia! The Party. Featuring Abba’s legendary music and a new story adapted by Sandi Toksvig, you’ll be able to watch a fun performance and enjoy a special dinner, before getting in on the action and dancing the night away. To transport you to Skopelos, food on the night includes Mediterranean mezze boards, souvlaki-grilled meats and side dishes like marinated courgettes and crispy potatoes in lemon and butter.

Peninsula Square, Greenwich, SE10 0DX

Visit MammaMiaTheParty.co.uk

BEST FOR TRYING SOMEWHERE NEW: Chameleon, Marylebone

Chameleon is a recently opened multi-experiential space inside Grade I-listed One Marylebone. The space offers a Tel Aviv-style sharing menu in its outdoor restaurant, which is split between the garden and nine individually styled private greenhouses, with the largest able to host 30 guests. Through a speakeasy entrance that leads into the garden, guests will find an outdoor lounge which splits al fresco dining between lounge seating and dining tables, where the focus is on cocktails and sharing mezze plates.

1 Marylebone Road, Marylebone, NW1 4AQ

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BEST FOR INSTA SNAPS: Sketch

One of the most recognisable dining rooms in London, the powder pink Gallery restaurant in this unique Mayfair townhouse is kitted out in a series of colourful David Shrigley designs. The Parlour (Sketch’s tearoom-turned-bar) has had a recent revamp, giving it an air of early-90s decadence. Almost 20 years after it first opened, the characterful venue remains one of the best spots to see and be seen late into the night. And luckily for the selfie enthusiasts among us, the Insta-famous egg-shaped toilets are still going strong.

9 Conduit Street, Mayfair, W1S 2XG

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BEST FOR VARIETY: The Ned

Anywhere that has ten restaurants and bars should probably be on the list for a great night out. Of the multiple spaces, we like The Ned’s Library bar, which has 30 champagnes on offer, sold by the glass or bottle, a martini trolley and a selection of classic house cocktails. Alas, if you’re not a member you won’t be able to access the rooftop pool and bars. However, the open-plan restaurant space, which is housed in the impressive former Banking Hall, offers plenty of choice (we’re a big fan of Cali-inspired Malibu Kitchen, which serves superfood salads, raw veggies and cured fish and pretty-in-pink Millie’s Lounge), and has live acts play on its central bandstand through the night.

27 Poultry, City, EC2R 8AJ

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BEST FOR OTT INTERIORS: Gloria Trattoria, Shoreditch 

For a girls’ night out that feels like a holiday abroad, there’s no better place than Gloria Trattoria. Amid maximalist interiors (think ivy-covered walls, overflowing terracotta pots and retro crockery), make your way through a menu of decadent Italian classics and Instagrammable cocktails. La Gran Carbonara, a homemade spaghetti chitarra for two served in a whole round of pecorino, is not to be missed. To make the experience even more enjoyable, customers can now settle up via innovative payment app Sunday – launched by Big Mamma’s co-founders – which allows guests to pay the bill in under 30 seconds via a QR code provided at the table.

54-56 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3QR

Visit BigMammaGroup.com

BEST FOR ENTERTAINMENT: Park Chinois

Behind a set of intriguing red doors in Mayfair is the opulent Park Chinois. A restaurant that pays homage to the decadence of 1930s Shanghai, the venue serves outstanding regional Chinese food, while its contemporary in-house theatre company hosts exceptional live entertainment and mischievous fun. We like its Wave bar, which is decked out as a Gatsby-style speakeasy and serves an eclectic cocktail offering and dim sum menu.

17 Berkeley Street, Mayfair, W1J 8EA

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BEST FOR FUN: Ave Mario

Big Mamma’s newest opening, Ave Mario, takes inspiration from across Italy. With 295 seats over two floors and two terraces, the ornate Covent Garden restaurant provides a theatrical dining experience, where guests can tuck into silky carbonara ravioli filled with pecorino cream, egg yolk and crispy guanciale flakes, and cocktails served in OTT vessels. In a similar vein to its sister establishments (Gloria Trattoria, Circolo Popolare), there’s a showstopping dessert: order the 60cm-tall stracciatella ice-cream cake, marbled with chocolate spread. To make the experience even more enjoyable, customers can now settle up via innovative payment app Sunday – launched by Big Mamma’s co-founders – which allows guests to pay the bill in under 30 seconds via a QR code provided at the table.

15 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 8QG

Visit BigMammaGroup.com

BEST FOR A COMPETITIVE EDGE: XU Teahouse & Restaurant

Kick off your night out with a spot of pre-dinner entertainment. XU Teahouse & Restaurant is reminiscent of the original social clubs and luxury dining rooms of 1930s Taipei. Home to a permanent mahjong (a Chinese tile-based game) club, each of the two games rooms are available to hire for two-hour slots. A short guide and cheat sheet are provided for those unfamiliar with the rules. Make sure to pair the experience with a cocktail or two – we like the ‘Aki Royale’ with its champagne, gin, blackberry and night-scented jasmine tea – and a selection of the kitchen’s delicate dim sum.

30 Rupert Street, Chinatown, W1D 6DL

Visit XULondon.com

BEST FOR RETRO GLAMOUR: The Standard, King’s Cross

The Standard’s beautiful rooftop is a great place for an evening out. One of the largest spaces in the local area, the terrace is located on the 11th floor and serves wine and spicy Tommy's margaritas on tap, alongside a New York-style cart serving vegan and classic hot dogs. For something more food focused, look to Decimo, which offers panoramic views across central London via floor-to-ceiling windows. Here, head chef Sanchez-Iglesias merges the Spanish cuisine of his family with his love of Mexico. Expect tonnes of flavour via para picar gambas over ice; aguachile crab and suckling pig shoulder, XL langoustines and quail with mole glaze.

10 Argyle Street, King’s Cross, WC1H 8EG

Visit StandardHotels.com

BEST FOR AL FRESCO EVENINGS: The Boundary, Shoreditch

In a converted Victorian warehouse in Shoreditch, The Boundary is one of east London’s most stylish hotels. The terrace basks in the Shoreditch sun by day, but evening is when it really comes into its own, with blankets, log burners and fairy lights twinkling above once the sun the goes down. The hotel’s Wilder bar is also a great spot for evening drinks – the champagne and oysters are a must-order. 

2-4 Boundary Street, Shoreditch, E2 7DD

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BEST FOR DINNER: Bistrotheque

Hidden on an unassuming back street in Bethnal Green, this old warehouse turned French bistro offers a changing seasonal menu and a chic atmosphere. Guests can dine on classics with a twist such as roasted cod with romesco sauce and angel hair chilli; and confit duck with cornichon and fennel remoulade, while sipping on excellent cocktails (the pomegranate cosmo deserves a special mention). 

23-27 Wadeson Street, Bethnal Green, E2 9DR

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BEST FOR LATE WEEKNIGHTS: Hovarda

An Aegean-inspired bar and restaurant in Soho, Hovarda is a slickly designed space that makes an ideal evening-to-late-night venue. Blurring the lines between Greek and Turkish, menus here offer lighter dishes such as yellowtail with cucumber, chilli, coriander and lime; wood-fired baby chicken with corn and spelt; and langoustines with lemon and olive oil. The lively bar’s open until 1am, even on weekdays and Sundays, making it a great central option for birthday gatherings and late-night drinks. Punchy cocktails such as the Aegean Flip (Gem & Bolt mezcal, sherry, Aegean spices, almond milk and egg) will keep the party going.

36-40 Rupert Street, Soho, W1D 6DW

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BEST FOR VIEWS: The Nest

The Nest is a spacious and open rooftop terrace, which comes with uninterrupted skyline views. Part of the Treehouse Hotel but also open to the public, it also serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as weekend brunch, where dishes include a Cornish lobster and crayfish boston roll, with fennel, citrus and dill slaw; roasted south coast seabass with capers, kalamata olives and citrus insalata. On nights out, picture cocktails, swing seats and DJs working the decks – alongside those impressive 360º views.

14-15 Langham Place, Marylebone, W1B 2QS

Visit TreehouseHotels.com