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A Valentine’s date doesn’t have to be anything extravagant. Sure, a fancy meal is nice and all, but St Valentine’s Day is really about giving quality time to your favourite people, whether that be a partner, pals or a situationship that you’re trying to turn into something a bit deeper.
This year V Day falls on a Saturday, which means there’s an awful lot of time to fill. But, like we said, that doesn’t have to involve big spending. There are all sorts of romantic experiences going on in London that won’t burn a gaping hole in your wallet and have you resenting your other half for the next six months.
For artsy couples, there are free events to get your creative juices flowing or for food-obsessed lovers, there are loads of affordable meals to bond over. However you want to impress your hot date, we’ve got you covered. Here are all of London’s best cheap and free things to do with your Valentine.
RECOMMENDED: The best alternative things to do in London for Valentine’s Day.
The best free and cheap things to do for Valentines Day in London 2026
1. Celebrate love at a mid-week Museum of the Home Late
A few days before the main event, the Museum of the Home is keeping its doors open after hours for a lovely wholesome night of music and making. A zine workshop with Tummy Ache Magazine will invite you to create a zine that pays homage to your personal love story, a pop-up market will offer up a selection of artisan chocolate, original art, perfume, cards, accessories and flowers and in-depth curator tours will take visitors around the museum’s seven newest period rooms.
Museum of the Home, E2 8EA. Thursday Feb 11. Free entry with paid elements.
2. Seduce them over Swedish meatballs
More often known for bringing couples to the brink of breakup over what colour Billy bookcase or how to assemble said bookcase, IKEA is trying to bring out a more romantic side with a one-of-a-kind, high-glamour three-course dining experience at its Hammersmith restaurant. Grab your date and have a paparazzi-style arrival on the red carpet serenaded by singing black-tie waiters and live opera, before tucking into your meal, which, of course, can include a meatball main and the shop cafe’s famous Daim cake. There’ll also be professional photographers on hand to capture your night.
IKEA Hammersmith, W6 0YJ. Thursday Feb 12. £5 per person.
3. Hang out at the Tate until late
The Tate Britain’s next late falls on Valentine’s Day eve. This time, the gallery will be open until 10pm for an evening of workshops, discussions and drop-ins inspired by the work of Lee Miller and her influence of fashion and French Surrealism. One moment you could be sketching a live jazz quartet as they play or watching a piece of performance art, the next you can be listening to panel discussion on Surrealism in fashion or sat in a workshop writing a stream of consciousness love story. Brixton based station Reprezent Radio will be there providing a soundtrack throughout the event.
Tate Britain, SW1P 4RG. Fri Feb 13. Free (booking advised).
4. Eat for cheap during the Hackney Restaurant Festival
When it comes to creating some romance, a dinner date is hard to beat. If you want to treat your other half to a meal but not sure you can foot the bill, we’ve got your back. Acme Fire Cult, Papi, Mangal 2 and Mambow are among the spots taking part in Hackney’s month-long Restaurant Festival, offering a hefty 40 percent off their meals during selected times. You don’t even have to go through the potentially embarrassing rigmarole of letting the waiters know in front of your date, either. Just download the EatClub app and set up your profile in advance, then pay using your new membership card.
Various venues. Until Feb 28. Up to 41% off.
5. Take them to hear (or recite) some poetry
Since the dawn of time, humans have been writing soppy poems about the ones they love: or twisted, vengeful poems about potential suitors who turned them down. Cupid’s Intervention is an open mic poetry night at St Peter’s Church in De Beauvoir Town that’s perfect for anyone who's got some romantic verses scrawled in a notebook, or in the notes section of their phone. Beginners and skilled wordsmiths alike are invited to read for two to three minutes, or simply to listen to everyone else’s emotionally-charged words. Or, head over to Salon C. Stellar in Soho for a literary salon all about love and lust, featuring readings from an array of writers and artists.
Northchurch Terrace, N1 4DA or 19b Beak Street, W1F 9RP. Sat Feb 14. Free-£2.50.
6. Opt for a set menu at one of London’s best restaurants
In these cash-strapped times, London’s restaurants are really coming through for us when it comes to offering cheaper ways to eat out, with some great set menus available for diners who are willing to be a bit flexible. Our favourites include Soho and Bloomsbury wine bar Noble Rot, where you can get two courses for £24 or £28 three from 12pm until 2.30pm, and Hackney’s Café Cecilia, which offers two courses for £26 from 12pm until 4pm. Need something even cheaper? Jackson Boxer’s bohemian hideaway Brunswick House serves two courses for just £15 from Wednesdays to Fridays between 12pm and 2.30pm, Italian spot Bocco di Lupo in Soho does three courses for £20 every day, or Borough Market brasserie Café François is currently offering some fabulously chic deals including the New York Happy Meal (a martini and fries) for a tenner, or poulet rôti and frites for £15. Book while you still can!
Various venues. From £10.
7. Share some laughs at the Open Door’s Big Valentine’s Comedy Shindig
Guest actors will join forces with leading comedians for a series of performances where each actor shares a real-life dating story before handing it over to the improvisers, who will reimagine the moment through a series of alternative ‘Sliding Doors’ scenarios, exploring what might have happened instead. Performers include Asim Chaudhry, Sian Gibson, Robert Gilbert, Naomi Petersen, Steen Rasko, Meera Syal and Alison Thea-Skot. It’ll all be joyfully tied together by host Joe Lycett, and all proceeds will go towards Open Door’s charity work supporting young people’s mental health.
Haymarket Theatre Royal, SW1Y 4HT. Sun Feb 15. From £10.
8. Munch your way around the globe at the Tooting Food Festival
Taking over Tooting Market and Broadway Market, this two-day festival brings together the neighbourhood’s best traders for tasters, street eats and stories behind the dishes. Expect live music from afternoon to evening, guided tours exploring Tooting’s rich food heritage and plenty of chances to graze your way around the world. Entry’s free – just grab food tokens and follow your nose.
Tooting Market, SW17 0RJ. Feb 14-15. Free.
9. Catch some timeless romantic cinema at the Prince Charles
You’ll find plenty of classic rom coms on the programme for the Prince Charles Cinema’s Valentine’s Day screenings, alongside less obvious choices ranging from ’80s slasher My Bloody Valentine and queer love stories Moonlight and Portrait of a Lady on Fire to classics from auteurs including David Lynch, Alfred Hitchcock and Wong Kar Wai. As usual, tickets for the beloved Leicester Square repertory cinema’s start at £11 for not members; or treat your sweetheart to a membership for tickets from £7.50, plus regular £1 member screenings.
7 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BY. Various times. From £7.50.
10. Treat each other to a trinket at the DIY Valentine’s Day Art Market
If gift-giving is your love language, you’ll find plenty of presents to show your affection at the DIY Valentine’s Day Art Market. Taking over a unit of Copeland Park on February 14, it will play host to over 100 national and international artists and publishers, all bringing with them stalls’ worth of unique buys. Expect ceramics, zines, artwork, t-shirts, tote bags, jewellery and more to be battling for your attention (and your wallet) in this treasure trove of creativity.
Copeland Park, SE15 3SN. Sat Feb 14. £2 entry.
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Need some more inspo? Here are the best things to do in London for less than the price of a pint
Or find more slap-up dinners at wallet-friendly prices with our guide to London’s best cheap eats