You wanted the best board games cafes London has to offer? You got 'em, kid. Gone are the days when board games were reserved for Christmas get-togethers or rainy afternoons. In London, rolling the dice and savouring a pint is as much a part of the social scene as a pub night out.
Grab your friends, put on your poker face, and prepare to get delightfully competitive over a game of Dungeons & Dragons while sipping on your favourite drink, courtesy of our guide to gaming hotspots in the Big Smoke. Ready, set, game on.
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London Board Games Cafes
Draughts
Roll on over to Draughts in Waterloo (arguably the best board game cafe in Central London) and Hackney, where board games and bites collide. With a whopping collection of over 1,000 games – from Exploding Kittens and Obama Llama to Monopoly and DungeonQuest – you'll be dice-deep in fun for hours.
All that game-playing working up an appetite? Fear not; this haunt serves a delicious menu featuring everything from juicy cheeseburgers and Korean fried chicken to popcorn shrimp and waffle fries. And let's not forget the drinks - while you're competing towards victory and bragging rights, they offer plenty of draught beers, wines and ciders so you can stay happily hydrated while you play your way through the night.
From just £7.25 per person, you and your pals can game for as long as you like at Draughts.
The Library Pot
Richmond's The Library Pot is a quirky gaming café stacked with hundreds of board games like Kitchen Rush and Forbidden Island, which keeps growing all the time. With a session costing just £6.50 per person and a minimum spend of £15, you'll easily get your money's worth with their vast selection of games.
The food menu is as eclectic as the games, offering everything from a classic chicken burger to kimchi noodles and Thai green curry. Whether you're sipping tea or knocking back spirits, this joint is the ultimate hangout, sitting somewhere between a bar and a café – but definitely offering the best of both worlds.
Roll the dice, and get ready for a night of board game glory at The Library Pot.
Loading Bar
Loading Bar has been serving up games and good times in London since 2010, and it's still going strong with hotspots in Stoke Newington, Peckham, and a bonus location in Brighton. Ready to play? Dive into a stack of board games, or mix it up with some arcade action, console classics on Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo Switch, or a round of table football.
No entry fee here – just pay as you play with tasty food and game-themed cocktails like Super Mario 3D Land, a tasty concoction mixed with sake, mint, and button mushrooms or the Pokémon Sloe featuring sloe gin, lemonade, and berry sweets.
It's all fun and games at Loading Bar, one of the best board game cafes in London for adults.
Escape Bar
Searching for board game cafes in London near me? While away the hours at Escape Bar, the ultimate play zone in Stratford packed with all the classic board games you know and love, along with a selection of unique gems that you've never even heard of.
They've got everything from Bucket of Doom to Rhino Hero and Codenames, so you won't even experience a second of boredom. Here, you can enjoy an all-you-can-play game session with a side of beers and maybe even catch a mic drop at an open mic night, crack up at a comedy gig, or show off your smarts at a pub quiz.
With a stash of classic board games and quirky new favourites, there's plenty to keep you entertained at Escape Bar.
Rogues Quarter
Looking for someplace extra magical? Rogues Quarter has you covered with regular Magic: The Gathering events where you can meet and duel with other gaming enthusiasts. This Kentish Town gem is a wargamer's paradise, boasting grand 6×4 tables perfect for plotting your next big battle.
For just £6 per person, you can rent a game for up to three whole hours, but don't forget to grab some food or drink to access their game library. Hungry gamers can refuel with a delicious mix of tapas, burgers, and snacks, plus a selection of cold beers, wines, spirits, cocktails, and hot chocolates.
Rogues Quarter is a top-notch board game cafe.
Bad Moon Café
Bad Moon Café in South London may have a smaller game collection than most, but with over 150 board games as well as epic Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer offerings, they've got plenty of winners up their sleeves. From old-school favourites to the latest hits, their games are organised in alphabetical order, making it easy to pick your next adventure.
The café offers an airy and bright setting to dive into tabletop games while you snack on tasty treats and sip on coffee or locally brewed craft beers. This venue also hosts special events and doubles as a shop, so you can grab some Warhammer gear or your favourite board game to keep the fun going at home.
Bad Moon Café is a Warhammer wonderland featuring 15 custom-built gaming tables complete with mats and dice trays.
Ludoquist!
A Croydon favourite, Ludoquist! is your go-to spot for all things board games. With a staggering 1,400 games on deck, from family favourites to quirky Japanese imports, trust us when we say you'll be spoiled for choice. Whether you're into classics, role-playing, social games, or adventurous quests, they've got you covered.
Their drinks menu is just as impressive, featuring craft beers on tap, a tempting cocktail list, and a selection of wines and bubbles. And when hunger strikes, enjoy a tasty panini or pizza while strategising your next move.
Board of the same old hangouts? Why not roll the dice on something different and head to Ludoquist! in Croydon?
For more fun things to do, check out our guide to quirky activities in London.
