It’s that time when football people get really really excited. When people don England shirts who don’t normally don anything sporty at all. When celebrities release cheesy singles and the nation prepares its collective fingernails for some tense penalty shoot-outs.
For the rest of us, its time to accompany boyfriends, girlfriends, football fans and hangers-on to watch as many matches as it takes with our friends and partners until England are inevitably knocked out of the whole thing. Which puts us in an important position: we can choose the bar. So here are some suggestions…
Street Lounge at Street Pizza
Any excuse to hang out at Battersea Power Station, a whole neighbourhood that didn’t even exist when the last Euros ran.
Football viewing options include Street Lounge, where Gordon Ramsay (wasn’t he something to do with football at one point?) and the team over at Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza have created the ‘ultimate’ lounge in which to sit back and enjoy the games. Plus, bottomless pizza…
Where: Arch 759 – Arches Lane, Circus West Village, Battersea, SW11 8AB
Website:www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com
Piano Works
No big international football competition would be the same without music, usually it’s Lily Allen’s dad and a novelty single (watch this space, no doubt) but it reminds us that there’s no better place to catch Euros 2020 that The Piano Works Farringdon or West End.
Along with bottomless beer and prosecco packages, there’s a happy hour before each game, large screens liberally scattered across the place and free drinks if you guess winning teams.
It’s not over until the fat lady sings, and at Piano Works that’s all the time!
Where: 113-117 Farringdon Road, Farringdon, EC1R 3BX or 47 Whitcomb Street, Leicester Square, WC2H 7DH
Website:www.pianoworks.bar
The Happenstance
If you’re back in the office, The City is still noticeably quiet, but one place where pre-pandemic levels of energy can be found will be The Happenstance.
The Paternoster Square bar, a stone’s throw from St Paul’s, brims with screens and an all-weather terrace ideal for ordering a jug of Pimm’s for the table and a sharing board and fully loaded burgers.
Where: 10 Paternoster Square, The City, EC4M 7DX
Website:www.drakeandmorgan.co.uk
Kindred
London members’ club Kindred will be showcasing a number of the Euro Games this summer along with the appropriate dishes to go alongside them.
Thanks to head chef Romulo Silva, the club will bring together the diverse flavours and ingredients from across London and Europe with beautiful food for the beautiful game.
Where: Bradmore House, Queen Caroline Street, W6 9BW
Website: www.wearekindred.com
Devonshire Terrace
Devonshire Square, close to Liverpool Street Station, has a fully weather-proof terrace just waiting for the football to start.
Courtesy of Devonshire Terrace, whatever the weather brings the screens will continue to beam live football to tables, and the drinks will flow, making it an ideal post-work football option. Or, indeed, a weekend destination.
Plus, when the footy’s over, they’ll be doing it all again for Wimbledon!
Where: Devonshire Terrace, Devonshire Square,, EC2M 4WY
Website: www.drakeandmorgan.co.uk
Skylight Rooftop
With its panoramic views of London’s skyline, Skylight Rooftop is a treat to visit even when they’re not screening England games on massive screens.
The venue has partnered with beer makers Budweiser and Bud Light, who are apparently the Official Beers of the England Men’s Team (presumably this is a key part of their training regime). And as such, Skylight Rooftop is aiming to be known as England’s Spiritual Home for football (tough competition, Wembley).
The large LED screens will once again bring the games live to the rooftop, all that remains is to enjoy the Budweiser makeover
Where: Tobacco Dock, Wapping, E1W 2SF
Website:www.tobaccodocklondon.com
The Last Talisman
Bermondsey destination The Last Talisman will be playing the footy down in Male Madre, which describes itself at ‘the Russian doll of cocktail bars’, a bar within a bar and an ideal place to sit and watch the football while being plied with cocktails.
There’s a very big screen, which means that you won’t miss a single thing, and if you’re heading down with a partner who’s less keen on the Euros, the main bar at The Last Talisman will remain a football free zone, so they can meet friends and not be bothered by the constant angst of penalties.
Where: 171-173 Bermondsey Street, Bermondsey, SE1 3UW
Website:www.thelasttalisman.com
