Stag-Do City Guides: London

Our nation’s capital is a great choice if you’re organising a stag do. There’s loads of different pubs, clubs, hotels and daytime activities, and it’s easy for almost everyone to get to. That said, it’s not a cheap option. A pint will set you back at least £3.50 and getting around can be costly too.

There are no particular areas to avoid, though you should watch your stuff, particularly in pubs in Covent Garden/Leicester Square/Piccadilly. It is said that only tourists and mad men go out in the West End, but people do go a bit mad on stag-dos so we wouldn’t rule it out unless your stag is a quiet sort of chap.

If he is, or if you’re looking for slightly less dense crowds, good beer and food, try East London. A less obvious choice, it has fantastic nightlife and it’s always fun watching Shoreditch douchebags prance about in skinny jeans and pork pie hats.

NIGHT CLUBS

Chinawhite – If you’re having a very traditional stag do, this is perfect – loud, large and full of loose women. Try to book ahead though as the queues can be bad. And be warned, it’s not cheap. 6 Air Street, Soho, London W1B 5AA; 020-7343 0040 Piccadilly Underground www.chinawhite.com

Movida One for the club kids, an award-winning venue that’s just had a revamp. 8 Argyll St, London, W1F 7TF; 020-7734 5776 Oxford Circus Underground www.movida-club.com

KOKO The cavernous indie venue was once a theatre and now hosts great gigs and DJs. 1A Camden High Street, NW1 7JE; 0870 4325527 Mornington Crescent Underground www.koko.uk.com

93 Feet East One of the best nights out in the East End, there are great DJs on for cool club nights with handy barbecue food right outside. 150 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL; 020-7770 6006 Liverpool Street/Whitechapel Underground www.93feeteast.co.uk

Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club A bit more off the beaten track, geographically and figuratively. But with themed nights from Burlesque to 1940s and many punters dressed up to match them, this has a great atmosphere and is a really unusual night out. 42 Pollard Road, Bethnal Green, E2 6NB; 020-7739 2727 Bethnal Green Tube www.workersplaytime.net

DECENT PLACES TO GET A BEER

Five great pubs in East London

The Ten Bells A traditional but well-kept pub that’s something of an institution in London, possibly because of a Jack the Ripper connection. Staggered was drunk when we heard that story but there is a Jack the Ripper connection. And an open fire. And sometimes a dog. 84 Commercial Street, London E1 6LY; 020-7481 1095 Liverpool St/Aldgate Underground

The Pride of Spitalfields Another legendary boozer, this is for smaller stag groups and beer connoisseurs. Have a London Pride before heading round the corner on to Brick Lane for a curry/club night. 3 Heneage St, London E1 5LJ; 020-7274 8933 Liverpool St/Whitechapel Underground

The Big Chill Bar Try to ignore the “It’s more than a festival, it’s a philosophy” guff on the menus etc; this is as the title suggests a cool bar to go with a group.Dray Walk, London E1 6QL Liverpool St/Whitechapel Underground

The DispensaryBig pub that used to be a hospital dispensary and now sells medicine of another sort. 19A Leman Street E1 8EN; 020-7977 0486 Aldgate East Underground

The Prospect of Whitby Bit more off the beaten track but an old navvy once recommended it to Staggered as the best pub in London and if that’s your cup of ale, there are other treats in the area like the Caxton on The Highway. 57 Wapping Wall, E1W 3SP; 020-7481 1095 Tower Hill  Underground; Shadwell/Wapping DLR

Five great pubs in the West End

The Fitzroy Tavern A classic Sam Smith’s pub, it’s always packed but there’s a reason for that. If you’re price-conscious, in fact, think about doing a Sam Smith’s pub crawl – there’s loads. 16 Charlotte St, W1T 2NA; 020-7580 3714 Goodge Street/Tottenham Court Road Underground

King & Queen A rugby pub with great beer, pork scratching, all of that. 1 Foley St, W1P 7LE; 020-7636 5619 Goodge Street Underground

The Salisbury Very traditional, with brass and mahogany and all that. A proper man pub. 90, St Martin’s Lane, WC2N 4CP; 020-7836 5863 Leicester Square/Covent Garden Underground

Albannach Bar & Restaurant More upmarket, with prices to match. But the women are hot and you’re right in the middle of a London landmark. 66 Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DS; 020-7462 0672 Charing Cross Underground

Mahiki Wills and Harry love it – need we say more? Those are two boys who know how to have a good time. Aside from the royals, Mahiki is all about the cocktails. 1 Dover Street, W1S 4LD;
Green Park/Piccadilly Underground 020-7493 9529

STRIP CLUBS

Stringfellows – One of the most famous gentlemen’s clubs in the world – 201-203 Wardour Street, Soho, W1F 8ZH www.stringfellows.co.uk

Red Rooms 4 Great Queen St, WC2B 5DG; 020-7831 0802 www.theredrooms.co.uk

Windmill International Old school venue for a bit of flesh. 17-19 Great Windmill Street, London, W1D 7JZ; 020-7439 3558

Metropolis Vast strip club with different themed areas (including a beach!) 234 Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, London, E2 9NN www.metropolis-uk.com

Club Oops Pricey lapdancing club with live sport and lots of girls 30 Alie Street, Aldgate, London, E1 8DA 0207 481 8288

DECENT RESTAURANTS

The Hard Rock Café – Burgers/US OK, OK, you think the HRC is cheesy and you’ve been to eight around the world. This is the original and the best though. Massive, and full of rock memorabilia, you’ll also find the burgers unbeatable and the waitresses’ skirts tiny. 150 Old Park Lane, London, W1K 1QZ Hyde Park Corner/Green Park Underground www.hardrock.com

Chinatown – We know, it’s lame not to pick a restaurant, but rows broke out when Staggered tried to name Wong Kei or Crispy Duck as top of the pile. You’ll have to choose your own. They’re all pretty good, especially after a night out. Piccadilly/Leicester Square/Tottenham Court Road Underground www.chinatownlondon.org

Brick Lane – Indian Ditto! Head here and let the touts talk you into a free round of drinks. Liverpool Street/Shoreditch www.bricklanerestaurants.com

The Pizza Express Jazz Café – Italian If you’re dealing with fussy eaters, this is a simple solution that also has history as the first Pizza Express. Jazz performances are usually downstairs; check if there’s one on and if you can get a table near it when you book. 10 Dean Street, London W1D 3RW Wardour Street, London W1 www.pizzaexpresslive.co.uk

Canteen – Modern British Part of the redeveloped Spitalfields Market, this menu is basically canteen food (macaroni cheese, pie and mash, fish) done really, really well. Spitalfields Market, London E1 Liverpool Street Underground www.canteen.co.uk

LATE NIGHT EATING

The Brick Lane Beigel Bake Perfectly boiled (not baked) dough, chunks of beef with plenty of mustard, these are officially the best salt beef bagels in the world. Open 24 hours. 159 Brick Lane, E1 020-7729 0616

Maoz Falafel Cheap and the closest to your five-a-day you’re going to get on a stag. 43 Old Compton Street, London W1D 6HG; 020-7851 1586

Kebab Kid Not central by any stretch but if you are staying in Fulham or Putney this place is renowned. 90 New Kings Road, London, SW6 4LU; 020-7731 0427

TRAVEL

The Underground is always the best way to get around if you don’t know the city. Invest in Oyster Cards; for a £3 deposit the pay-as-you-go scheme offers huge discounts on otherwise expensive Tube and bus travel. Taxi-wise the best thing is always to get a black cab, but if that’s not possible, there are plenty of minicab offices around most night hotspot. Agree a rate beforehand.

West End Central Police Station is on Savile Row; call 020-7437 1212 if anything (or anyone) goes missing.

ESSENTIAL TRIVIA

The most popular route for tourists is Leicester Square to Covent Garden on the Piccadilly line. It is quicker to walk this distance than travel on the tube.

The Cadbury’s Whole Nut chocolate bar is the biggest seller in the chocolate machines at tube stations.

There are thirty three bridges of all types across the tidal Thames up to Teddington Lock.