London for The Night Owls: a Friday-to-Monday weekend
Two thousand years in layers, and a pint in every one.
The city after dark. Days start at noon, the real plan starts at nine: a concert, a cocktail bar with a door policy, a club worth the queue, and breakfast on the way home.
Friday: Soho after dark
- Dishoom Carnaby
Warm naan, black dal and a chai to fix the jet lag; the evening room is loud, which is the point.
- Ronnie Scott's
The jazz club that has run since 1959, with small tables and an excellent late set. Book a seat near the stage.
- Bar Italia
A 1949 espresso bar open into the small hours, with a football match on the screen and a pastry as a last stop.
Saturday: East London till late
- Spitalfields Market
A Victorian covered market of independent stalls and street food, calmer on Saturday lunchtime than you expect.
- Gloria
Cheerful over-the-top Italian cooking: a giant carbonara and a rum baba. Expect noise and a queue after eight.
- Nightjar
A speakeasy-style cocktail bar with live jazz and swing; there is a door policy and a table fee, so book ahead.
- Ministry of Sound
A famous warehouse club with a good sound system; it only gets going after midnight, so pace yourself and buy tickets online.
Sunday: Vinyl, fish and strings
- Poppies Fish & Chips
A retro chippy where the haddock arrives hot and the jukebox plays old favourites; good for a slow Sunday lunch after a late night.
- Rough Trade East
A huge record shop with a stage, where you can browse for an hour and find something you did not know you needed.
- The Barbican Centre
The concert hall of a brutalist estate; check the LSO programme for a Sunday evening concert.
Monday: Dawn bagel, noon view
- Beigel Bake
The 24-hour bakery with a salt beef bagel; at this hour it is the walk-home breakfast for people who stayed up.
- Sky Garden
A free glasshouse at the top of the Walkie Talkie with the whole city below; book a slot before you leave home.