With the successful launch of the Night Tube on the Central and Victoria lines, and the announcement that The Jubilee line will offer a 24-hour service from 7 October 2016, The Resident shares some of its favourite late-night London hot spots
Words: Alexandra Cronin & Andrew Zuccala
1Duck & Waffle, The City
Restaurant
Open 24 hours
Duck & Waffle is unmatched day and night. For views out over London, champagne cocktails, slow-cooked lamb sloppy Joes, bacon wrapped dates or ‘Bananas Brûlée’ Belgian waffles, they’re sure to have whatever you’re seeking, served up 24/7.
110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY; 020 3640 7310; duckandwaffle.com
Duck and Waffle offers culinary excellence 24 hours a day
2VQ, Chelsea & Bloomsbury
Restaurant
Open 24 hours
With locations in Chelsea and Bloomsbury, VQ (Vingt-Quatre) is a well-known all-night spot. Their night menu includes 24-hour breakfast—what more could you want?—stylish appetizers, and a wide selection of mains. Perfect for a late night indulgence.
325 Fulham Road, Chelsea SW10 9QL; 020 7376 7224
111A Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury WC1B 3NQ; 020 7636 5888; vqrestaurants.com
Have a late night at VQ
3 Cahoots, Soho
Speakeasy bar
Open until 3am
What better way to celebrate the 24-hour tube by visiting a bar set out in the theme of a tube station. This somewhat secret speakeasy may be the most difficult on the list to find, especially if you’ve already had a few sneaky bevs but it’s worth the hassle. The awkwardly aloof Train Guard actor at the door won’t confirm the existence of the bar or break character so it’s best to play along and immerse yourself into the experience. Indulge in some extraordinarily extravagant cocktails within this quirky 1940’s styled swing and jazz bar. And it’s best you book this one in advance as they tend to reach capacity early on.
Kingly Court, 13 Kingly St, London W1B 5PG; cahoots-london.com
Cahoots
4Balans Soho Society
Restaurant
Open 24 hours
Balans Soho Society serves warm donuts, pancakes, and Eggs Benedict until the early hours of the morning. From morale-boosting cocktails to High Society Eggs Benedict, Balans has the answer. There’s also the Soho Cafe, open 24 hours a day.
Soho Cafe, 34 Old Compton Street W1D 4TS (020 7439 3309) & Balans Soho Society, 60-62 Old Compton Street, W1D 4UG (020 7439 2183); balans.co.uk
Balans Soho Society for this mouthwatering take on Eggs Benedict
5Bar Italia, Soho
Bar
Open until 5am
Bar Italia is a no brainer for late night Londoners. It’s family-owned, a Soho institution for over sixty years. The staff is friendly and their coffee is top tier, their own secret blend. Only closing for two hours every day, this Soho gem will almost certainly be up and waiting for you.
22 Frith Street, London W1D 4RF; baritaliasoho.co.uk
Over the weekend….https://t.co/fWhd8bWJnP pic.twitter.com/SgdicnAWGj
— The Bar Italia Soho (@TheBaristas) September 12, 2016
6 Phonox, Brixton
Club
Open until 4am
Brixton is fast becoming one of the best places in London to spend a big night out partying with Phonox being one of the best new additions. Hosting world renowned DJ’s, this enormous dance venue is the perfect place to find quality underground house, techno, disco and bass music. Sadly, there’s no Taylor Swift or 80’s tunes for the sing-along crowd but Phonox won’t disappoint the more modern club goers.
418 Brixton Rd, London SW9 7AY; phonox.co.uk
Phonox Brixton – Late Night Club In London
7Beigel Bake, Brick Lane
Takeaway food
Open 24 hours
Beigel Bake is perhaps most famous for their rainbow bagels, but at almost any time of day, you’ll find a huge array of various pastries and traditional Jewish-style filled bagels—some Technicolor, some not—and probably a line. Beigel Bake is a great value for fantastic products, a treasure in the London bagel craze. It’s open all night.
159 Brick Lane, London E1 6SB; 020 7729 0616
Beigal Bake’s famous rainbow bagels
8Polo Bar, The City
Restaurant
Open 24 hours
Polo Bar is well known and loved by its patrons, with all day breakfast, lunch and dinner, sandwiches and a fantastic variety of creative pancake flavours like Toffee Caramel. They even deliver until 5am. Worth it if you’re craving traditional London food after hours.
176 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4NQ; polo24hourbar.co.uk
Polo Bar
9Tinseltown, Farringdon
Diner
Open until 4am
Tinseltown brings a modern twist to the American Diner with traditional booth seating and multiple flat screen TVs. They serve up American style burgers and generous shakes. With a large, lively atmosphere, Tinseltown’s doors are open until 4am (3am Sunday) at the Farringdon site, and until late across its other London sites.
44-46 John Street EC1M 4DF; 020 7689 2424; tinseltown.co.uk
Tinseltown has a number of London branches
10Maroush, various locations
Restaurant
Open until 5am
With locations throughout London, Maroush is open late every night of the week. They serve authentic, wholesome Lebanese food such as the ever-popular chicken Shawarma, Char-grilled Halloumi Cheese, and Hommos with warm Lebanese bread. It’s a great destination for a late night wanderer.
maroush.com
What more could you want if you’re famished at midnight?
11Neil Cornelius, Mayfair
Hair salon
Open 24 hours
Deviating slightly, Neil Cornelius isn’t a coffee shop or late night bar. It’s actually a hair salon. It’s London’s first 24-hour salon, meaning that at any time, you can make an appointment for a hair cut and blow dry, colour tints or highlights.
109 New Bond Street; 020 7493 5304; neilcornelius.com
12 Village Underground, Shoreditch
Club and late night performance venue
Open until 6am
Village Underground in Shoreditch is a FOMO’s paradise. Or hell. There is just so much going on here you’ll want all night to experience it. The building topped with tube carriages and coated in street art, hosts countless late night club parties, live gigs and uniquely interactive art installations. Take part in some still life drawing classes with models, actors and dancers or stay up all night dancing to an eclectic mix of music. Browse their impressive events calendar – you won’t be disappointed.
54 Holywell Lane, Shoreditch, London EC2A 3PQ; villageunderground.co.uk
Village Underground Shoreditch for the Best DJs, Live Music and Art Exhibitions in East London
13 Bethnal Green Working Mens Club
Club and late night performance venue
Open until 3am
This is an authentic sticky-floored, plastic pints club full of eccentric party goers who just want to have some pure unfiltered fun. Come for the fabulous pop parties and 80’s nights and stay for the out-there drag and cabaret shows and themed dress up events. The infamous Sink the Pink nights took inspiration for BGWMC which continues to host outrageously silly gatherings.
42 Pollard Row, London E2 6NB; workersplaytime.net
Drag Shows, 80’s Nights and Themed Dress-Up parties at the Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club
14 Proud Cabaret, The City
Cabaret and Restaurant
Open until 3AM
Since their inception, cabaret and burlesque shows have ruled the late night performance scene. But before now, you’d have to awkwardly sneak off mid-performance if you were to make the last tube home – and we all know they save the best bits for last. Now the Night Tube is up and running, you have no excuse to miss out on some of London’s best burlesque at the glamorous 1920’s styled Proud Cabaret. Feast on some high end British cuisine and fully immerse yourself into a long night of wicked fun and debauchery.
1 Mark Lane, London EC3R 7AH; proudcabaretcity.com
Burlesque and Cabaret Performances at the Proud Cabaret
15 Dogstar, Brixton
Club
Open until 4am
This enormous three-story Brixton institution has maintained its hold on devoted locals while reaching out to the ever-gentrifying masses that flood down south for big nights out. Head down early for some billiards and mexican food without having to pay an entry fee and prepare yourselves for an intense night of fun. You’ll never be in for a dull night at the Dogstar with R&b, hip hop, funk and drum ‘n’ bass music bringing in a eclectic mix of people.
Coldharbour Lane, London SW9 8LQ; dogstarbrixton.com