London

The Elbow Room

Double date
Place to meet Start in the sort of diner that lets you sit in booths and sip milkshakes. Our favourite is Eagle Bar Diner (3-5 Rathbone Place, W1, 020 7637 1418), where the chocolate and coffee milkshake is possibly the best non-alcoholic drink in London.
Where to eat You really want food to share, so that means tapas – perhaps Meson Don Felipe in Waterloo (53 The Cut, SE1, 020 7928 3237), where you can pick and mix to the sound of a Spanish guitar player who sits on top of a wardrobe, or Tapas Brindisa (18-20 Southwark Street, SE1, 020 7357 8880).
What to do Time for something competitive. Urban Golf in Soho (33 Great Pulteney Street, W1, 020 7434 4300) gives you the chance to do your best Tiger Woods or Michelle Wie impression without trekking out to a full course – its indoor golf simulator allows you to play 50 of the best courses in the world. Alternatively, there’s pool at the Elbow Room (89-91 Chapel Market, N1, 020 7278 3244) – the Angel branch is where girls can watch boys go to the toilet.
Later on T Bar (56a Shoreditch High Street, E1, 020 7729 2973) opens late and has its own table-tennis table, which should bring a whole new area of competition into play. Call it ping-pong if you want to make it seem less competitive and more like fun.
Where to end up At Durley House (115 Sloane Street, SW1, 020 7235 5537) you can hire two-bedroom suites, complete with kitchen, lounge and fully stocked minibar. Feature continues