South Bank Night Out

A popular restaurant with Spanish appetizers. It appeared at the Borough market 25 years ago and has earned a fame of one of the best experts in Spanish cuisine. Brindisa has several branches in London, but the one on London Bridge is probaby the best. It is situated on the corner and overlooks two streets - a quiet sidewalk that leads to Borough market and a busy Southwark street. In warm season the tables are taken out – try to occupy one of them, order sangria and sufficient amount of tapas (note that serves are rather big). The food costs more than it could have, but the special feel of the place makes it worthy. And you can't book a table - the restaurant sticks to "first come – first served" policy. Usually waiting doesn't take long, though.

Next to the pub there is a replica of the Golden Hinde, a ship that took sir Francis Drake in his successful tour around the globe in the XVI century. During the days the ship is open for excursions, and tourists can even spend a night aboard to see what it was like to be a medieval sailor. In the evening the ship looks marvellous and can be best observed from a terrace of The Old Thameside Inn pub. The pub occupies the building of an old spice processing facility near the famous Clink prison that existed in XII-XVIII centuries. Now it is a torture museum, not a particularly exciting one, but its presence certainly adds to the impression of the area. The Old Thameside offers a good choice of ales and lagers which make up its main feature. The place has an extremely pleasant laid-back atmosphere and is so large on the inside that you might want to walk around it before finally settling at a table.

A bar with arguably the tastiest cocktails in London. Besides classic ones they have original drinks that you won't find anywhere else – for instance, featuring egg white and pomegranate juice. Hide is a pleasant place with cheerful atmosphere, great for visiting with a bunch of pals for a taste of their experimental menu. We would recommend to book a table, but you can always take a seat at the bar without prior reservations.

Corsica Studios is a legendary place among melomaniacs. Each night there are performances by big bands and DJs playing experimental music, dubstep, ambient, bass and drum'n'bass. The club has two spacious rooms, a stage equipped with a topnotch sound system, and a small inner yard. Local club nights are praised by the experts, while the settings are ideal for you to dance (or just listen) to music all night long.

One of the main attractions south of the river is the Shard skyscraper. This 87-storey building is 306 meters high, which makes it the tallest in Europe. On the 72nd floor there is a skydeck, and on the 52nd – the highest bar in London. Gong appeared only in May, 2014, and its creators were clearly inspired by Asian culture, mostly of ancient China. The cocktail menu is brilliant, while the prices, despite the posh settings, are generally the same as everywhere else in London. They have decent prosecco and wines that go well with appetizers. The decisive advantage is the inside arrangement of the bar – even if you fail to get a seat by the window, a great view on the city opens from the far corners. You need to make reservations in advance, but spontaneous visitors can always find a spot at the bar counter.