Photograph: Time Out
Photograph: Time Out

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Next stop on the roadmap: the return of indoor fun

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The next happiest day of the year so far is (almost) here! May 17: like Christmas, but instead of getting presents, you’re gifted the legal right to hang out with up to five mates indoors. And what a hang out it will be! Especially now that you’ve got your hands on this guide to celebrating our new unofficial national holiday.

In here you’ll find everything you could possibly want to know about London’s best restaurants, bars, galleries, cinemas, theatres and fitness studios. 

Hopefully, it’ll help you all keep your outdoor hangs feelings vibey until our next unofficial national holiday: June 21 (A date which – hopefully – means the return of festivals and the motherfucking club.)

Feeling confused about all the rule changes? We’ve pulled together a very thorough, detailed and extremely well-written guide here.

Eat and drink INSIDE

Tip-top cafés
Restaurants

Tip-top cafés

Do you like coffee? Trick question: everyone likes coffee. Apart from that small group who prefer tea

Cheap eats
Restaurants

Cheap eats

  • price 1 of 4

London might well be the world’s greatest food city (that’s right, we’ve gone there)

Very good restaurants
Restaurants

Very good restaurants

It’s been the toughest year ever for London’s restaurants. As they’re now allowed to reopen, here’s our pick of the...

Iconic pubs
Bars and pubs

Iconic pubs

London. Also known as Pub City. The Big Boozer. Pintworld. There are more places to get a drink in the capital than there are stars in the night sky

See some art, finally

London's best galleries
Art

London's best galleries

There are an estimated 1,500 permanent exhibition spaces in the capital, most of them free  

Cool new art
Art

Cool new art

From May 17 it’s the turn of their big brothers: the Tates, National Galleries and Haywards

Kooky museums
Museums

Kooky museums

You’ll find fewer queues and crowds, and you’ll leave feeling informed, captivated and possibly a bit queasy

Watch something good

Brilliant cinemas
Film

Brilliant cinemas

Nature is healing and so are London’s ever-resilient cinemas. Here's are our favourite screens in the city

Go to an exercise class

Dance classes!
Sport and fitness

Dance classes!

From ballet to Bollywood, the city is full of places to master new moves and dance like nobody’s watching

Group fitness!
Sport and fitness

Group fitness!

London’s health and fitness options are wide-ranging

Boxing classes!
Sport and fitness

Boxing classes!

There are plenty of gyms where you can throw a few punches

Pilates classes!
Sport and fitness

Pilates classes!

Perhaps you spent most of 2020 training in front of a laptop screen, maybe you started an outdoor workout regime to make sure you got as much time out of your...

Do something outdoors

Outdoor cinemas
Film

Outdoor cinemas

Drive-ins are returning. Time to find a friend with a car

Nice city farms
Things to do

Nice city farms

The sheep of Shoreditch are done isolating and await your visit

Takeaway pints
Restaurants

Takeaway pints

We’ve rounded up all the London pubs near parks that are serving beer and other delights for you to take away

Beer gardens
Bars and pubs

Beer gardens

Here’s a round-up of some of our favourite beer gardens that are taking bookings (though lots are selling out fast – you’ve been...