It’s October, and you know what that means… the one night of the year when adults can dress up and let loose is approaching. Whether you’re planning on hamming it up or paring it back this Halloween, prepare yourself for a thrilling time at some of the most ghoulish events happening in the capital on and around the 31st.
Brasserie of Fright, Oxford Street
For four days only the usually elegant Brasserie of Light will be transforming into a haunt for all things that go bump in the night. Wittily renamed the Brasserie of Fright, look out for a limited-edition cocktail menu created in partnership with Whitley Neill Gin and the special Medusa’s Spell dessert, featuring white chocolate, grenadine vermicelli, hazelnut cream, dark chocolate sponge, pumpkin spiced foam and raspberry sauce.
From 29 October, the restaurant will also become home to a host of infamous horror characters, alongside DJs and live entertainment, while the restaurant’s staff will be given horrifying makeovers courtesy of Dior Beauty. Expect an immersive experience that’s (almost) terrifying enough to put you off your dinner.
From 28-31 October 2022, brasserie-of-light.co.uk
Halloween at The Standard, King’s Cross
Hip north London hotel The Standard will be turning up the fear factor this Halloween with a series of events and parties for hotel guests and visitors alike. The surefire sell-out is celebrity makeup artist Isamayya Ffrench’s takeover of the tenth-floor Decimo restaurant on 28 October for The Night Riders from Hell: an utterly unique Halloween party that promises to put a Western spin on classic horror tropes (cowboy boots and chaps optional but encouraged).
Meanwhile, downstairs, the ground-floor Double Standard bar will be serving up a limited edition Cherry Killer cocktail (black cherries, Eminente run and jasmine) alongside its usual menu of American-inspired comfort food classics.
24 October – 1 November 2022, standardhotels.com
Day of the Dead at Chotto Matte Soho
Soho-based restaurant, grill and sushi bar Chotto Matte is celebrating its Peruvian heritage with a nearly fortnight-long party to celebrate the Day of the Dead. From 24 October to 6 November, Chotto Matte will offer incredible nikkei dishes – that’s South American flavours, such as avocado, pomegranate and aji peppers, prepared with Japanese techniques. Also on offer will be a selection of limited-edition cocktails such as the El Ramo Immortal, comprising aged rum, dry vermouth, banana cordial, elderflower, lime and Peychaud bitters, and the Nueva Esperanza, with Mezcal Espadin, vermouth and bitter. Finally, expect some lively entertainment. During the candlelit Night of the Immortal party on 29 October, DJs will be doing their thing ’til late.
24 October – 6 November 2022, chotto-matte.com
Sunken Circus at Sexy Fish, Mayfair
Never one to miss an opportunity for a party, Sexy Fish is pulling out all the stops with a demonic circus-themed Halloween party on 29 October. Limited edition cocktails will come from Monkey 47 gin and Perrier-Jouët champagne (our pick is the Lost Boy’s Blood: gin, raspberry cordial, Noilly Prat vermouth and chocolate bitters), while snake charmers, stilt walkers and cabaret acts will bring the carnival atmosphere. And as for music? Live bands and DJs will keep the night going until the early hours.
Fin-De-Siecle salon at Thin White Duke, Soho
Theatrical Soho cocktail bar Thin White Duke is stepping back in time this Halloween with a series of Fin-De-Siecle Salons inspired by the illicit and underground hedonism of the 19th Century. Entry is granted via a gilded antique key, unlocking an immersive experience of burlesque dancers, tarot reading and cocktails which take their cues from Soho’s creative luminaries of past and present, including Oscar Wilde and David Bowie. There will also be a live band and in-house makeovers to get you looking the part.
27-29 October 2022, thethinwhiteduke.london
Halloween Party at Sky Garden, The City
The Walkie-Talkie’s top-floor restaurant is a favourite among Londoners – Instagrammers vying for the perfect selfie are a staple at this altitudinous institution. Sky Garden throws an annual Halloween bash, and this year promises to be bigger and better than ever. On 28 October, Sky Garden will undergo a spooky makeover before inviting guests for a night of live entertainment from ALR Music, late-night dancing with its resident DJ, and delicious themed cocktails 35 floors above The City. Tickets start from £55 per person, and dressing up is strongly encouraged.
28 October 2022, skygarden.london
Jack the Ripper tour at Discount Suit Company, Aldgate
Mark Halloween in a truly spine-tingling way by retracing the streets stalked by grisly serial killer Jack the Ripper. Expert tour guide Simon Whitehouse has partnered with East London cocktail bar Discount Suit Company to offer special Ripper tours on 31 October. They start outside the bar (with a complimentary hot punch) before winding through the back allies of Whitechapel and Spitalfields and concluding back at Discount Suit Company for post-walk libations. Stick around after the tour to enjoy the bar’s inventive cocktails at a 25 per cent discount.
31 October, theumbrellaproject.co.uk
Halloween at Shakespeare’s Globe, Southwark
Image: Johan Perrson
Shakespeare wasn’t one to shy away from the ghoulish and grizzly and, accordingly, his namesake theatre will be holding a whole host of events for visitors of all ages. For families, the Ghosts & Ghouls tour brings to life famously spooky moments from the likes of Hamlet and Macbeth, as well as exploring London’s history with the supernatural. There will also be sword fighting demonstrations and guides to dressing like an Elizabethan to help little perfect their Halloween costumes.
For older visitors, the Shakespeare’s True Crimes walking tour will take guests back to 16th Century Bankside, exploring the neighbourhood’s dark past, while the Twilight Walking Tour takes in Shakespeare’s favourite insalubrious after-dark haunts.
22-29 October 2022, shakespearesglobe.com
Read more: Brilliant things to do in London this October
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