How to have a sober night in London’s East End
Whether you’re sober-curious or just looking for a quiet place to catch up, we spill the tea on the best options for a booze-free evening in Tower Hamlets.
‘Oh, go on then,’ you say as your friend hands you a pint on day three of ‘dry’ January. We’ve all been there and being alcohol-free in London can be hard when most of our late-night spots are geared toward drinking.
Yet more of us are looking to enjoy our evenings without alcohol. Gen Z in particular is drinking less than any other generation with up to 26% of that age group being non-drinkers, according to charity Drinkaware.
Whether you’re maintaining a longstanding sobriety or just fancy a new kind of night out, it’s a lot easier to ditch the booze when alcohol isn’t the focus of the venue.
So we’ve swapped the bars for bookshops and the cocktails for chai to bring you our favourite late-night sober spots.
Cafes and eateries
Looking for a late-night cup of tea without sacrificing atmosphere? We’ve got you covered.
MEHMET EFENDI
Mehmet Efendi is hard to miss with its bright yellow awning and beautifully tiled interior. Founded in 1953, this charming desert restaurant has been serving up handcrafted Turkish desserts for decades. Brimming with treats, this is a great alternative date spot to a wine bar. Try twists on the classic Turkish Baklava, a flaky, delicate pastry, filled with nutty syrup, or Kunefe, a savoury option made with shredded phyllo dough and cheese. Pair with a cup (or four) of Turkish tea served by friendly and knowledgeable staff.
71 Whitechapel High St, London E1 7PL. Open Monday to Sunday, 8 am til midnnight.
MAMA SHELTER
For a late-night coffee, hotel lounges are often a good bet. Mama Shelter on Hackney Road welcomes guests and non-guests with their posh, playfully patterned interiors. Their restaurant lounge is open late and you don’t have to worry about ordering just a coffee, which they serve until 11 pm.
437 Hackney Rd, London E2 8PP. Open Monday to Thursday from 8 am to 11:30 pm, Friday and Saturday from 8 am to 12:30 am (midnight) and Sunday from 9 am to 11 pm.
BARD BOOKS
At the top of Roman Road, this independent bookseller is more than a place to shop. Open til 10:30 pm, Wednesday to Friday, Bard Books offers late-night tea, hot chocolate or masala chai. Opt for a healthy dose of escapism as you transport yourself away from the week’s stress. Treat yourself to a page-turner, or bond with a first date over your love of historical fiction. It is also a great space to find a new community or have a chat with a friendly stranger.
341-343 Roman Road, Bow, London E3 5QR. Open Wednesday to Friday from 9 am to 10:30 pm, Tuesday from 9 am to 5 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. It is closed on Monday.
GROUNDED LONDON
Grounded is an Instagram-worthy brunch and coffee spot on the site of a former bank on Bow Road. Now a classy and welcoming cafe, the wonderful green-painted interiors have plenty of wooden booths, bar stools and nooks, to chat in a group or curl up alone with a book or a for a spot of people watching. Grounded serves an all-day Halal-friendly menu from pancake and turkey bacon breakfasts, to goat’s cheese and pistachio salads, and burger and chips, with coffees and smoothies available too.
90 – 92 Bow road, Bow, London E3 3AA. Open Monday to Sunday, 7 am to 10 pm.
MOWCHI
Tower Hamlets boasts many great bubble tea spots that open well into the night. But Mowchi in Mile End stands out as a top spot for evening bubble tea seekers, with its minimalist chic decor, soft lighting and plenty of comfortable cafe-style seating, making it a perfect cosy and casual place to catch up with friends. Mowchi serves classic milk teas, exotic fruit blend teas and Asian-inspired finger food including fluffy bao buns and ‘bao-gers’, all made from scratch.
Other good seated options in the borough include the photogenic Beyond Boba in Whitechapel with long mirrors and gold-accented interiors as well as Peaches Boba and Bakes on Bethnal Green Road.
450 Mile End Road, London E1 4GG. Open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 9 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 9 pm.
Events and activities
Gallery Lates and events that won’t leave your ears ringing
THE COMMON PRESS
The Common Press is a queer-intersectional bookshop and events space by Brick Lane, open in the day as well as late-night on event nights. Their eclectic offering includes dance classes, yoga sessions, book clubs, book launches, workshops and parties, with tea and coffee available to caffeinate you through.
118 Bethnal Green Road, London E2 6DG. Opening hours vary. Visit Commonpress.co.uk for event listings.
THURSDAY LATES AT WHITECHAPEL GALLERY AND AUTOGRAPH GALLERY
Thursday is the new Friday, so make the most of it with some gallery-hopping. The Autograph Gallery in Shoreditch and Whitechapel Gallery stay open late on Thursdays, keeping London’s tradition of extended gallery hours alive.
Conveniently located next to Aldgate East station and surrounded by some of the area’s best restaurants, Whitechapel Gallery offers free entry alongside a range of paid exhibitions.
Just a short trip away, the Autograph Gallery, with its sleek geometric design, also stays open until 9 pm. Here, the motto is “art, debate & diversity,” with a program dedicated to fostering all three through exhibitions, talks, and events.
With just a 20-minute walk or a 10-minute bus ride between them, it’s easy to experience both in one evening.
Whitechapel Gallery,77-82 Whitechapel High St, London E1 7QX. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm, with extended hours on Thursday until 9 pm, and closed on Monday.
Autograph Gallery, Rivington Place, 1 Rivington Pl, London EC2A 3BA. Open Wednesday to Friday from 11 am to 6 pm, with extended hours on Thursday until 9 pm. Open Saturday from 12:30 pm to 6 pm and closed Sunday to Tuesday.
HACKNEY WICK COMMUNITY SAUNA
By now you have probably heard of the Hackney Wick Community Sauna but perhaps you’re yet to try it out. An oasis in the East End, the sauna offers mood-boosting and physical benefits from cardiovascular health to stress relief plus a natural high from the ice plunge so you can wake up feeling as good as you did the night before. The last session runs from 8 to 9:30 pm. Walk-ins and memberships are available and booking is advised.
The Baths 80, Eastway, London E9 5JH. Open Tuesday to Friday from 7 am to 9:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 8 am to 9:30 pm, and closed on Monday.
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