With London branches in Brick Lane, Holborn, Stratford and White City, All Star Lanes has really been bowling over the competition. Most of its venues have a ’50s Americana style, but the newer site, at Westfield London, has gone for a more chic and contemporary Miami-come-art-deco vibe. All Star Lanes also does bites to eat, so if you're likely to get hungry between swings, you’re in luck.
There’s little more satisfying than scoring a strike at bowling – watching those skittles topple and the big X appear on the screen. But even if you’re a gutter-shooting no-hoper, hurling a heavy ball down a laminated lane can be a lot of fun.
Some of London’s best bowling alleys just focus on the game, but others come replete with live music, retro ambience and boozy bars. So go ahead, lace up and pick a lane.
Recommended: an oral history of Rowans Tenpin Bowl.