Our guide on where to eat, drink and be merry in igloos, globes, domes and other such transparent structures at bars and restaurants in London this winter — ideal for Christmas parties, meeting friends, and cosy date nights.
Igloos next to the Thames at Coppa Club, Tower Bridge
The OG igloos which sent London into an Instagram frenzy have gone permanent. Yep, you can now dine in an igloo next to the Thames all year round — but it's that little bit more magical at Christmas, with Tower Bridge and the London skyline twinkling in the background.
Up to eight people can share an igloo, though do take note of the minimum spends: £150 per igloo during peak times, and £35 per person at other times (though — top tip — there's no minimum spend for breakfast bookings). Themes tend to update seasonally — for summer 2022, things got very pink, with Mediterranean bouganvillea flowers draped across the igloos, and we're waiting to see what winter brings for the nine boltholes.
Blankets are provided, but you're still advised to wrap up well on very cold days. Oh, and these igloos are very popular and get booked up as soon as bookings open (usually a month at a time —it's a case of checking the website regularly for when your date becomes available).
Coppa Club igloos, Tower Bridge. Available now, throughout winter.
Igloos at Aviary, Finsbury Square
Mulled cider, and festive cocktails mixed with Monkey 47 gin await at the igloos atop Aviary, which overlooks Finsbury Square. (The view of the City is pretty dreamy too in a high-rise kinda way — we went a few years' back.) The 'Fondue with a View' package offers you and your gang either cheese or chocolate fondue, served with all the trimmings (bread, crudités, gherkins; or fruit, chocolate chip cookies, waffles, and marshmallows). The igloos are heated, and come with furry blankets for extra comfort, but seeing as you'll be dining on a rooftop, wrapping up snuggly is still a very sensible idea.
Aviary igloos, Finsbury Square, Available now, until end of February 2023.
Igloos at Coppa Club, Putney
Last autumn, another Thames-side Coppa Club venue opened, down in Putney — and yes, it has igloos too. Though it only has three of the transparent domes compared to Tower Bridge's 14, this venue is lesser-known (for now...) so you might have more chance of getting booked in here (and minimum spends are slightly less here too — £25 per person for all bookings).
Up to eight people can while away a couple of hours tucking into nibbles, main dishes and drinks, cosied up under blankets, right alongside the river.
Coppa Club igloos, Putney. Available now, throughout winter.
Igloos and Alpine huts at Skylight, Tobacco Dock
Views of Tower Bridge are all well and good, but what about the entire London skyline? Tobacco Dock once again hosts Skylight, with private rooftop igloos and Alpine huts available to hire.
Book ahead for a heated igloo, seating up to 10 people, with table service offering a festive drinks menu and Alpine-themed street food, as the London cityscape twinkles in the distance. Igloos are split across two levels of the venue — if you're on a budget, you can save a few quid by booking for Level 11 rather than Level 12. Once you've paid your hire charge (£55-£70 for a 3 hour 15 minutes slot), there's no minimum spend, and your booking includes either a 750ml bottle of Prosecco or six bottled lagers.
If there are more than 10 of you, the venue allows you to book multiple neighbouring igloos — or consider the Alpine huts, which seat up to 14 people.
Rooftop igloos at Skylight. Open now, until March 2023.
Igloos at Fire and Fromage (Jimmy's Pop Up), South Bank
It wouldn't be winter in London without one of chef Jimmy Garcia's pop-up restaurants on South Bank. Jimmy's Lodge is gone this year, replaced with Fire and Fromage, an homage to French Alpine ski resort Courchevel.
As with previous Jimmy's Pop Ups, private dining igloos are available to hire, for either lunch, pre-theatre or dinner sittings, each with their own set menu, and minimum spend is £650 per igloo for lunch or dinner, and £450 for pre-theatre. You'll fit up to 10 people in your igloo, and menu options include traditional Alpine fondue with mixed charcuterie, a steak sharer cooked on a hot stone, and boozy hot chocolate topped with cream and marshmallows. Mmm... all the best bits of skiing, basically, without having to do any actual work.
Private dining igloos at Fire and Fromage, 4 November 2022-8 January 2023.
Forest igloos at Winterland Fulham
Riverside venue Winterland has a frankly dizzying choice of seating and table options (Ski lift bubble? Moose cabin? Bavarian tent?) but we also spy the return of its forest igloos. It'll cost you £120 per igloo, but that includes entry into the venue for up to eight people. This year's food options haven't been announced at time of writing, but in the past have included sharing platters, wood-fired pizzas, burgers and fondues, while the drinks menu usually features warm cocktails and special hot chocolates.
Winterland, Wandsworth Bridge Road, SW6 2TY. 4 November 2022-28 January 2023.
Christmas igloo at The Waterway, Little Venice
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Fancy Maida Vale gastropub The Waterway isn't an obvious location for the latest dining trend, but you'll find a solitary festive igloo in its canalside garden. It seats up to six, and has a heater and speaker system, with a minimum spend starting at £75 per session — that's for weekday lunchtimes, and reaches £200 for Friday and Saturday evenings.
The igloo can be hired either for dinner or drinks. The food is typical gastropub fare — think burgers, rotisserie meals and salads, with an impressive wine list and classic cocktails.
Christmas igloo at The Waterway, 54 Formosa Street, W9 2JU. 24 November 2022-18 February 2023.
