The Best Birthday Ideas in London to Suit Every Celebration

Turning a year older in London? The bad news is, we can’t reverse your ageing (although the supremely comfortable mattresses in our properties will make you feel 20 years younger). The good news is, you’ve picked the perfect place to celebrate another lap around the sun. The even better news? We’re about to curate your ultimate celebration thanks to these phenomenal London birthday ideas.

It’s your birthday so yes, every single thing you put in your mouth should be delicious. Thankfully, London is home to some of the world’s best restaurants and most mouthwatering morsels. Whether you’re waking up in a luxury apartment in Mayfair or a sleek warehouse conversion in Shoreditch, start your day with a chic breakfast at The Wolseley. This café-restaurant located on London's iconic Piccadilly serves the best eggs Benedict in town, with a side of people watching that just can’t be beat. Make sure you don’t skimp on dessert either, because the cakes here taste even better than they look.

A couple of other great London birthday breakfast ideas - because we know you’re picky and we love you for it - Granger and Co. with locations in Notting Hill and Kings Cross serves fresh, imaginative Australian-British fare. We recommend the lemon ricotta hotcakes and you’ll know why when you try them (thank us later). Balthazar in Covent Garden will have you feeling like you’re at a brasserie in Paris but with the added British stamp of approval, with strong drinks that pack a punch. Go for the Balthazar Steak and Eggs, or throw caution to the sea breeze and enjoy a lobster and chips. After all, it is your birthday.

If shopping is your favourite sport, why not spend a few hours giving that credit card a birthday workout? If you’re feeling fancy, start off at the Burlington Arcade in Mayfair, a picturesque covered shopping arcade, which was one of the precursors of the modern shopping mall. Then make your way to Bond Street, where designer shops glisten under the grey London skies.

Should you prefer a more unique and local array of boutiques head to Portobello Road, the famed outdoor market in the Notting Hill neighbourhood of West London. Start at the top by Notting Hill Gate station and walk all the way to the Golborne Road. Along the way, you’ll find vintage clothing, homeware, kitsch souvenirs plastered with faces of the Royals, food stalls if you’re feeling nibbly and fabulous antiques too - and no, in case you’re wondering, you are not the antique in this scenario. And if this sounds like where you want to wake up every day - surprise, surprise, you can.

London is home to some of the world’s best museums, theatres and art galleries, so if you want to douse yourself with some extra culture on your special day - and force your family to partake with you - this is your chance.

For those who were considered <s>dorks</s> smart in school, don’t miss the British Museum, home to historical treasures from the Rosetta Stone, to Parthenon sculptures, Aztec art and relics from the tombs of ancient Egyptian. If contemporary art is more to your taste, head to the Tate Modern to take in works by Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein and Gerhard Richter to name but a few. The Victoria and Albert Museum, or V&A, has a fantastic costume and jewellery collection and the National Gallery is perfect for those who want to explore the history of European art.

Let’s not forget about the performing arts either. How could we? London’s West End is known for its spectacular theatrical productions from edge-of-your-seat, new plays to classic musicals. The Globe theatre on the South Bank is the absolutely ideal spot to brush up your Shakespeare. If your birthday falls in the summer, there's an open air theatre in Regent’s Park where you can enjoy a play in the middle of one of London’s most beautiful gardens. The reality is it will probably rain at some point...but that’s what the plastic ponchos they sell at the bar are for.

Ahh, the pub, that bastion of Britishness, the haven of every neighbourhood, the place you will live your most authentic London life and where no one will look at you twice for ordering more booze - so take our advice and get another round. No list of London birthday ideas would be complete without including a pint at your neighbourhood public house.

Now for dinner. Do you like Greek food? If so, head straight to the Elysee, London’s original Greek restaurant open since 1936. Aside from the festive atmosphere and delicious Mediterranean fare, you’ll be treated to a live show, complete with folk dancers, belly dancers, musicians, singers and of course, plate smashing. If you prefer something a little more understated, make your way East to Brat in Shoreditch, a restaurant described by the Guardian as ‘the culinary equivalent of an Anthony Hopkins performance.' (In case you’re not a big Sir Anthony fan, that was meant as a compliment.) They do an incredible whole turbot for four, slow-cooked over indirect heat on an open fire and an admirable baked cheesecake just begging for a birthday candle.

Another favoured London birthday dinner idea amongst us here at Plum Guide is Sketch. Set in a quirky 18th century townhouse in the heart of Mayfair, it’s possibly the most aesthetically pleasing restaurant in London. After a tasty and incredibly well-presented modern European dinner, make your way to one of the multiple bar areas scattered throughout the building. You’ll feel like you’re bar hopping while never actually having to leave the restaurant. Dreams do come true (sometimes).