Dinner and a film is a perfectly good date. It's also the one every couple in London has already done a hundred times. If you're after something with a bit more to talk about — and you or your other half actually enjoy good beer — a guided tasting tour is one of the more genuinely enjoyable date nights we can think of, and it's what we do for a living. We've been running tours on the Bermondsey Beer Mile since 2014, and couples are one of the biggest groups we see booking, from early dates to long-married pairs after something different from the usual Saturday night. Here's how we'd plan a beer-lover's date night in London, including where we think it works best and where it doesn't.
Why a tasting tour makes a good date
The best date nights share a similar shape: there's something to actually do together, the conversation has natural gaps to fill rather than needing to be manufactured from nothing, and there's a clear beginning and end so nobody's stuck wondering when to call it a night. A guided tasting tour ticks all three. You're moving between taprooms rather than sat opposite each other for two hours, you've always got the beer in front of you to talk about, and a set finish time means the evening has a natural shape without either of you having to steer it.
The Bermondsey Beer Tasting Tour: active and social
Our Bermondsey Beer Tasting Tour is the livelier option — a tutored tasting at four of the Bermondsey Beer Mile's best railway-arch taprooms, led by an accredited Beer Sommelier, running 2 to 3.5 hours with start times from midday right through to 6:30pm. At £49 per person it's an easy one to book on a whim rather than something you have to plan weeks in advance, and because you'll be moving through the mile alongside a handful of other small groups, it takes the pressure off a strictly one-on-one date without losing any of the intimacy — you're still very much having your own conversation, just with a bit more energy in the room. It meets at Southwark Brewing, 46 Druid Street, a short walk from London Bridge station.
The Cheese, Meat & Beer Tour: the more romantic option
If you'd rather sit down together than walk between arches, our Cheese, Meat & Beer Tour is the better date-night fit. It runs Saturdays, 12pm to 2:30pm, at three Bermondsey taprooms, with proper tastings of British cheese and charcuterie alongside each beer — closer to a long, unhurried lunch than a crawl. It's £65 per person and tends to suit couples who want the beer-and-food conversation without quite as much time on their feet. Read our beer and food pairing guide beforehand if you want to sound like you know what you're talking about when the cheese course arrives.
First date or twentieth anniversary?
Both work, honestly, though we'd frame them slightly differently. For a first or early date, we'd lean towards the Bermondsey Beer Tasting Tour — it's shorter at the low end (2 hours), lower commitment, and being around other small groups takes some of the intensity out of a first proper date. For an established couple looking for something different from the usual restaurant booking, the Cheese, Meat & Beer Tour's slower pace and food-forward focus makes for a genuinely nice way to spend a Saturday together, and it's become a popular choice for anniversaries and "date night, but make it an occasion" bookings.
Can we book a private tour just for us?
Our private tours are built for groups of around six people upwards, with your own guide and a route tailored to your numbers — so for just the two of you, it isn't the better option, and our public departures work out both cheaper and easier to book directly. Where a private tour does make sense for a date night is a double date or a small friendship group doing a joint celebration — say four to eight of you wanting the mile to yourselves rather than sharing it with strangers. If that's the plan, get in touch with your date, headcount and rough budget and we'll put a route together.
Make an evening of it
A tasting tour doesn't have to be the whole date. Plenty of couples start with Maltby Street Market for something to eat beforehand — our Maltby Street Market guide has our pick of the stalls — then walk the tour and finish with a drink somewhere quieter once the last taproom closes. If the evening's warm, our roundup of London's best beer gardens has a few good spots to carry on to nearby, including some right on the Bermondsey Beer Mile itself. And if you're new to the area, our craft beer near London Bridge guide covers the wider neighbourhood beyond the mile if you fancy exploring further.
A date night at home, if you'd rather stay in
Not every date needs to leave the flat. If you're after a cosier night in rather than a trip to Bermondsey, our how to host a beer tasting at home guide has everything you need to run a mini version yourselves — a handful of beers, some simple glassware and a rough tasting order is genuinely enough to make an ordinary Tuesday feel like an occasion. It's also a good warm-up if you're planning to book the real thing later and want to arrive already knowing roughly what you enjoy.
Choosing when to go
Summer suits both tours especially well — taproom yards and outdoor seating are at their best, and a late-afternoon start on the Beer Mile tour can drift naturally into a warm evening without either of you watching the clock. Winter dates have their own appeal too: the railway arches feel cosier with fewer people about, and it's usually easier to get the exact Saturday slot you want for the Cheese, Meat & Beer Tour. Whatever the season, weekend dates book up fastest, so if you've got a specific Saturday in mind, it's worth getting it booked rather than leaving it to the week itself.
What to know before you book
- It's over-18s only. Bring ID — anyone who looks under 25 may be asked to prove their age.
- Wear comfortable shoes for the Beer Mile tour. You'll be walking between railway arches, so save anything fancier for after.
- Let us know dietary needs in advance for the Cheese, Meat & Beer Tour, and we'll make sure the cheese and charcuterie board works for both of you.
- Non-drinkers are welcome too. Soft drinks and lower-alcohol options are available throughout, so it still works if one of you isn't drinking.
- Book ahead for weekends. Saturday dates in particular sell out fastest, especially over summer.
A little extra for the evening
The link below is an affiliate link: if you book through it we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only suggest experiences we'd recommend anyway.
- The View from The Shard — a striking way to round off the evening with a skyline moment, a short walk from where the tour finishes.
Gift a date night rather than plan one
If it's your other half's beer habit you're indulging rather than your own, our gift vouchers are delivered instantly by email and never expire, so the two of you can pick your own date without you having to guess what evening actually suits. It's a genuinely easy way to give the experience as a present without the planning falling on you.