There are so many things on my to do list in London that I have separated them into great views, things to eat, drinks and cocktails, afternoon tea, museums and exhibits and nights out and activities. Within each category I've ordered everything from cheapest to most expensive, so you can plan around your budget more easily. I've kept anything that's closed on the list too, because so many of these pop ups and exhibits have a habit of coming back around.
Great views in London
Visit the Sky Garden. Free beautiful views over London. You have to book tickets in advance but can only do so a week or so ahead. Area: City of London, near Monument. Cost: £0. Last visit 11 January 2024. I still think this is nicer than the Shard because it's free (although you have to book) and it's full of plants.
Ride Uber Boats for a great way to see the city from the river, complete with an on board bar. Area: runs between piers all along the Thames. Cost: £4.10 for a single cross river crossing, so very cheap, although you sometimes have to queue for a while. Visited 2 March 2024.
Ride the London cable car. This is a cable car ride that takes around 10 minutes one way to get over the 1,100 metre line. It's the highest observation point over the Thames, reaching an altitude of 90 metres. You can pay using your Oyster card. Area: runs between Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks. Cost: £5 one way. Visited 10 January 2024.
Go inside Tower Bridge. Cross glass floors, admire the view and enter the Victorian Engine Rooms. Area: Tower Hill. Cost: £12.30 direct. Visited 4 March 2024.
Ride the Chimney Lift (Lift 109) at Battersea Power Station. Area: Battersea. Cost: £16 for adults. Better views are to be had elsewhere in London on this list, and it's over quite quickly, but still a fun little add on if you're already at the power station. Visited 4 June 2025.
Visit the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the historic home of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and the global Prime Meridian Line, where you can stand with one foot in the Eastern Hemisphere and one in the Western Hemisphere. Area: Greenwich. Cost: £18pp. A nice little museum for a mooch around, surrounded by lovely big grounds, perfect for a picnic. Visited 20 March 2024.
Go up The Shard. Area: London Bridge. Cost: £24pp. I've been a few times now, most recently on 23 April 2026. A beautiful view every time, although I still lean towards the Sky Garden (see above) because it's free.
Slide down the ArcelorMittal Orbit slide, a 178m long slide and the UK's tallest sculpture. Area: Stratford, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Cost: £25-30. A great thrill seeking activity and pretty cool to look at, although it is a bit out of the way if you're not already in the area. Visited 17 October 2025.
Things to eat in London
Tokyo Bagel, for cool Japanese treats. Area: Waterloo. I got a black sesame latte for £4.73, something I'd never tried before, and it looked cool and tasted nice. I got an Ube latte for £5.57, a lovely purple colour but the taste was very mild. I got a chocolate capybara for £5.57, very cute and wobbly and aesthetically pleasing but it tasted horrible, so I only had one bite. I don't recommend the capybara but I do recommend the location, just to try all the unusual treats. I also had a chicken karaage taco for £6.83. I'd never had a sushi taco before, so I thought this was quite cool. The chocolate onigiri bun was sold out on the day, so it's still on my to eat list. Visited 25 February 2025.
Posh ice cream served with wine at The Dreamery. Area: Islington. I found the atmosphere a bit lacking if you're solo, and it's a bit far out of the way, but the ice cream was tasty. Cost: £5 for one scoop, £6.50 for two, £8 for three. I tried chocolate with olive oil and malted milk. House wine was £10.50. Visited 16 March 2025.
Beigel Bake, home of the Hot Salt Beef Beigel. Area: Brick Lane. I had lots of recommendations for this spot so gave it a go with English mustard and gherkins. Cost: £7. The beef was good but mustard and gherkins are just not for me. Visited 31 January 2024.
Indegno, for a cone of deep fried tortellini. Cost: £7.99. This one has now closed, so it's off my list for good, but worth a mention as it was a fun little find while it lasted. Visited 3 March 2024. Closed September 2025.
Italian Bear Chocolate, triple hot chocolate. Area: Soho. As good and as chocolatey as they say, although it does mean I ended up licking the cup clean! Cost: £8.75. Make sure you book because it gets fully reserved quickly. Visited 2 March 2024.
Pick & Cheese, apparently home to the best grilled cheese in London. Area: Camden. I thought it was okay, but I've actually had better at Nottingham Goose Fair. Cost: £9, so very expensive for a sandwich. Visited 9 October 2019.
British Patagonia, ice cream croissant. Area: Islington. Just as amazing as the photos look. Cost: £9. Visited 21 March 2024.
Funky Chips, the loaded fries one. Area: Camden, Stables Market. I got the large Cheesy Chips for £12. Not as big as Instagram made out, but still way too much for one human to consume and very tasty! Visited 10 April 2024.
XL Honey Butter Ring from Leopard Pie at the Tower Bridge Collective food hall. Area: Bermondsey. Cost: £12.49. Very tasty and filling, worth the money if you're in the area. Visited 23 April 2025.
Grape and Fig, a beautiful solo charcuterie picnic, bespoke made for you based on your tastes. Area: Marylebone/West End, Regent Street. No queue, delicious. Cost: £12.95. Visited 26 June 2025.
Khaao, cheesy nan melt and masala paratacos. Area: Camden Lock Market. I was very excited to try this but it was tiny compared to the photos I'd seen online, so I was disappointed. Cost: £13.50. Visited 22 November 2025.
My Old Dutch Pancake, Waffle & Poffertjes House, for giant delicious pancakes at affordable prices. Area: West End. On Mondays all pancakes are £7.50. I got the chilli con carne pancake for £14.95. Visited 12 July 2025.
CAJP Japanese Pancakes, super fluffy souffle pancakes. Area: Victoria. I was excited to try the viral pancakes and the café itself was really small, smaller than I expected. The pancakes were as fluffy and instagrammable as promised, super wobbly, but they tasted like plain egg and I didn't love the taste or texture, so I wouldn't try again. I went for the cappuccino flavour, and the ice cream and sauce that came with it were delicious. Cost: £15.32. Visited 24 February 2025.
Lost Souls Pizza, a vampire themed pizzeria. Area: Camden. I got the Black Charcoal Pizza for around £16. Good pizza and the theming was a bit shabby but a-ok. Visited 5 October 2024.
Beans and Bites, for absolutely beautiful and tasty pancake stacks. Area: Hackney. Cost: £16. Well worth the money. Visited 17 October 2025.
Mercato Metropolitano, a food hall. Area: Elephant & Castle. I've been a few times but my most recent visit was 6 February 2025. I really recommend the Argentinian classic mix grill for one, a giant plate of meat and chips for £17.50.
Breakfast Club, a really cool retro spot with a few different locations around the UK. My favourite is the huevos rancheros with fried chicken added for £19.97. Last visited 20 January 2025.
Senza Fondo, for unlimited lasagne. Area: Shoreditch. Cost: £22pp, with Aperol spritz for only £5. Very delicious and I strongly recommend it, although I would have liked to eat more, I got full! It was very difficult to make a group booking though. Visited 25 September 2025.
Leong's Legend, £24.95pp on weekdays for bottomless dim sum, 90 minutes. Area: Chinatown, near Leicester Square. You need to book in advance. Super tasty but way too filling! Visited 4 October 2024.
Jack and Beyond, for unlimited cake! You choose a couple of slices at a time and pick the next round after the previous one. Area: Battersea. Cost: £26pp for unlimited cake slices over 90 minutes. Very tasty although it could be a little cold from the fridge. Visited 29 September 2025.
Pick and Cheese, a cheese bar with a cheese conveyor belt, pay for what you eat. Area: Covent Garden. Ticked off the list! The Wednesday bottomless deal costs £29.50pp. Greatly recommend. Visited 5 October 2024.
Uzumaki London, for anime themed Japanese food. Area: Bloomsbury. Cost: £55 for two people, so quite expensive. Visited 12 July 2025.
Attendant, a café in a converted Victorian urinal. Area: Fitzrovia. An unusual spot for a coffee but great for a water nerd like me. Visited 4 October 2024.
Gelateria Danieli, super super thick hot chocolate. Area: Richmond. I love a hot chocolate so thick it comes with a spoon! Signature hot chocolate. Visited 26 June 2025.
Drinks and cocktails in London
Bunga90, retro 90s speakeasy cocktails and pizza. Area: Covent Garden. It was pricey but the nostalgic theming and speakeasy vibe was so cool. Recommend from me. Cost: £16.87 for a cocktail (I had one in a Britney Speaks themed glass and one in a Home Alone themed glass), £38.25 for a 20 inch pizza. Visited 20 November 2025.
The Cauldron, a Harry Potter cocktail experience where you make your own drinks. Area: Stoke Newington. Cost: £36pp, and you need to book. It's more fun the more of you there are, so go with some chilled out fun people. Visited 23 June 2024.
Callooh Callay, for Pokemon themed cocktails. Area: Shoreditch. Really amazing cocktails and I absolutely loved the theming. This particular run launched in April 2023 and ended by early 2024, but it's the kind of bar that's always worth checking for a new theme. Visited 20 March 2024.
Afternoon tea in London
Six by Nico, for the Mad Hatter's Afternoon Tea. Area: Canary Wharf. The theming was amazing and so beautifully done. It included six courses and a welcome drink on special offer for £46.88. Visited 15 July 2025.
Enchanted Treehouse Afternoon Tea at 144 on the Hill. Area: Richmond. Far out of town and very expensive at £51.75pp, but generous portions, excellent service and a beautiful setting. Strong recommendation from me. Visited 24 June 2026.
Museums and exhibits in London
The John Snow water pump. Area: Soho. Free to visit and great for a nerd like myself. Last visited 4 October 2024.
The British Museum. Area: Bloomsbury. Free, and a great place to spend many hours. Visited 5 December 2025.
The Balloon Museum exhibit, London edition. Area: Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane. This ran from 27 December 2023 to 14 April 2024, so it's currently closed, though the Balloon Museum does pop up in different cities so it may well return to London one day. It was cool and I could have spent quite a few hours exploring, great use of colour and light. Cost: £31pp. Visited 22 March 2024.
World of Tim Burton, museum exhibit at The Design Museum. Area: Kensington. This ran from 25 October 2024 to 26 May 2025, so it's currently closed, although exhibits like this do have a habit of touring or returning in some form, so I'll keep an eye out. There were some cool things but I feel they could have done more with the theming and world building, I suppose because it was just a short term exhibit. Visited 22 January 2025.
Sleepover in the Natural History Museum, Dino Snores, an adults only sleepover. Area: South Kensington. Cost: £220pp, incredibly expensive but a wonderful experience, being able to stay up as late as you want exploring the museum. We did animal encounters, listened to a harpist and watched a midnight screening of Jurassic Park. It was magical, but the most money I've ever paid to sleep on the floor! Make sure you book well in advance because tickets go very quickly. Visited 18-19 October 2025.
Nights out and activities in London
Daunt Books. Area: Marylebone. Free to enter but very busy and just a book shop, and expensive to buy books. Overrated, if I'm honest. Visited 18 October 2025.
Visit Ballie Ballerson for giant ball pits, cocktails and club music. Area: Shoreditch. Cost: £5-£17.50 depending on the day of the week. I've been a few times now, most recently on 2 March 2024.
NQ64, a cool place to go for arcade games and video game themed drinks. Area: Shoreditch. Not the best if you want to have a conversation because the music is very loud! Visited 25 September 2025.
Fairgame, for pretty cool nostalgic theme park games. Area: Canary Wharf. It was very loud and a little overwhelming, but good fun with a group. Cost: £15pp for a go on each game. Visited 15 October 2025.
Uniqlo, for a custom printed T-shirt. Area: Oxford Street. The T-shirt itself is £19.90, only available in white, and at the time I went it was only in flagship stores (Oxford Street, Covent Garden and Birmingham). You pay for your T-shirt and then, for free, add your own print using stickers, though there are rules, for example you can't mix sticker types (such as Disney with Pokemon), stickers can't overlap and each one can only be used once. I went in the evening, there was no queue and I was the only one there. My T-shirt was already printed by the time I'd finished in the toilet. It made for a lovely souvenir. Visited 23 February 2025.
Late nights at London Zoo. Area: Regent's Park. Well worth it and super cool to have a cocktail while visiting the zoo. Adults only, but tickets sell out almost immediately. Strong recommendation. Cost: £20pp. Visited 18 July 2025.
Kew Gardens. Area: Kew, Richmond upon Thames. A beautiful place to go, I especially liked the indoor greenhouses and the high treetop walks (treetop walk at extra cost), but I did find it very expensive, although you can sometimes find deals on Buyagift.com. Cost: £21.85. Visited 19 July 2025.
Phantom Peak, an evening of riddles and clues, like an escape room come to life. Area: Surrey Quays/Canada Water. The theming was excellent but the live actors could sometimes be a bit scary. Better suited to a group than a couple, I had no idea what was going on a lot of the time! Cost: £35pp. Visited 4 October 2024.
Jurassic World Expedition. Area: Battersea Power Station. Not very fun, too scary for kids and not entertaining enough for adults. I don't want to stroke a puppet because I'm an adult, and there were no film props or similar. One to skip. Cost: £35.95 a ticket, so very expensive, and even the gift shop was lacking. Visited 4 June 2025.
Taste Film. Do amazing events where you can watch a film and eat and drink things inspired by it, at various venues depending on the film. I went to the Alice in Wonderland run, which ended on 29 March 2024, so that particular one is closed, but Taste Film seem to rotate through new films fairly regularly and I've actually got tickets booked for their Nightmare Before Christmas one in November, so I'll update this once I've been. Cost: £100pp, so very expensive and a treat, but it was the best tasting meal I've ever had. The food was great and the theming amazing. Visited 19 March 2024.
The Sunborn Yacht hotel. Area: Royal Victoria Dock. I've been a couple of times now, most recently on 28 July 2026, but I'd recommend visiting at Christmas time as the best time to go, since it's decorated in a very pretty way, and it's cool to have a balcony overlooking the water.
Still on my list
- Tower of London
- Your Coffee Hub, for coffee served in a doughnut
- Horniman Museum and Gardens
- Polo Bar, 24 Hour Great British Cafe, for giant cheap pancake stacks
- Avora London, a New World Cocktail Experience
- Harry's, King's Cross, for the mushroom dessert (they turn it into a Christmas tree at Christmas time)
- Grant Museum of Zoology, for spooky things in jars
- The Cheese Barge
- Big Kid Ice Cream, for unusual ice cream flavours
- The chocolate onigiri bun at Tokyo Bagel
- The Easter Bunny cocktail at Chocolate Cocktail Club (Easter special only)
- Taste Film's Nightmare Before Christmas, booked for November
- Robuchon, home of the viral cube croissant. I tried to visit on Friday 26 June 2026 but they told me they weren't doing it any more but may bring it our again later in the year.
