Board games are a fantastic way to unite people for fun. Add good food and drinks, and you create an occasion filled with casual conversation and a little competitive spirit. Board game cafes in London are often at the heart of a community and offer a socially inclusive hub to play your favourite games with friends, family, and sometimes strangers.
Board game cafes have popped up worldwide in recent years. Online gaming might be popular, but people want face-to-face entertainment. Games appeal to all interests, whether sci-fi, fantasy, or traditional. If you are intrigued to learn more or want to find a local board game cafe in London, here is our guide to six of the best.
The Best Board Game Cafes in London
If you want to put your problem-solving skills to the test, we have found six of the best board game cafes in London.
1. Draughts – Bringing People Together
Draughts aim to bring people together, regardless of how experienced a board game player you are. They have two London venues, one in Hackney and another in Waterloo.
The Hackney venue occupies a beautiful grade II listed building with impressive features. There are several gaming areas, including a beer garden, a games studio, a lounge, and a dive bar.
The Waterloo venue is in a former railway arch split over two floors, retaining many original features. This venue can accommodate up to 220 people.
Gaming admission is £7.00 giving you access to over 1,000 games.
If you crave energy after concentrating on your game strategy, food menus offer Small Plates, Tacos, Burgers and Desserts, including vegetarian and vegan options.
Draughts creates and hosts competitions, special events, celebrations, team-building events, and corporate fun days.
Draughts has helpful staff who explain how to play the games. The venues are spacious, with plenty of room to set up board games. It is one of the best game cafes in London and gets booked quickly.
Address Waterloo: Arch 16, Leake St, London SE1 7NN
Telephone: 07903 441976
Address Hackney: 41 Kingsland High St, London, E8 2JS
Telephone: 07930 936237
Related: Arcades in London – From Retro Machines to VR
2. Badger Badger – Celebrating the Local Community
Inspired by the local community Badger Badger welcomes people from all walks of life. It is a great neighbourhood pub where you can play board games and sample Japanese street food. Badger Badger frequently holds DJ nights and provides a workspace area during the day.
The board game pub in London has over 400 board games available to play on-site. While playing, the pub includes table service.
Game table reservations cost £5.00 per person for up to three hours. However, multiple sessions can be reserved if desired.
Badger Badger has workspace tables during the working week with fast Wi-Fi and power sockets for £5.00 per person. You do not have to make any further purchases. However, coffee, locally sourced alcohol and treats are available.
Badger Badger has a menu of Japanese fusion food with many items available for takeaway. A Yakitari indoor bbq of Pork belly with plum sauce is £7.00. Or try a Salad box with Miso salmon for £9.50.
Party bookings are available with party menu sharing boards for £10.00 or £15.00 per person. A minimum of 15 people is required.
Many people consider Badger Badger a great neighbourhood board game pub in London.
Address: 139 – 145 Deptford High Street, London, SE8 3NU
Telephone: 0208 691 5642
3. Rogues Quarter – Kentish Town
Rogues Quarter in Kentish Town is a board game cafe near Shoreditch and is dedicated to protecting the environment, using sustainable brands for all consumables. They only serve ethically sourced coffee from Ethiopia supplied by Liberty Coffee.
They have an extensive library of board games and 6X4’ gaming tables for Wargaming. With about 450 games, you should not be short of choice.
Booking Wargaming is online at £15.00 for a four-hour slot. Board games are for hire at £5.00 for three hours.
Food menus include Tapas at £4.50 or four for £15.00. For something more substantial, a Cheese topped Nacho Mountain with Jalapenos, Guacamole, sour cream, and salsa is £9.00. The drinks menu has a choice of hot, cold and alcoholic drinks. A double shot expresso is £2.20.
Rogues Quarter is a games cafe in London with a local feel. The owner readily offers assistance with game rules and explanations. It is an excellent place for relaxing with friends and playing board games.
Address: 155-157 Queens Crescent, London NW5 4EA
Telephone: 0207 916 4219
4. The Library Pot – Eat, Play and Laugh
The Library Pot is a licensed restaurant and board game cafe in Richmond. It is a brilliant place for relaxing, enjoying good food, and mixing with great company while playing one of at least 700 board games.
The board game cafe is open from Thursdays to Sundays at varying times, so it is best to check their website for details.
There is a £5.00 game charge per person. There is no charge for simply sitting at a table without games.
When you arrive, there is a minimum spend of £10.00 on food and drink per person per session.
The food appears reasonably priced, with plenty of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options.
- On the menu are Vegan Yakisoba Noodles for £8.95.
- The Vegan Thai Green Curry is gluten-free and priced at £9.95.
There is a list of the cafe’s wide range of games on the website. It is useful to browse before turning up. If you are unsure, the hosts, Emily and Rob, will help you choose.
While a few game tables are set aside on a first-come-first-serve basis, the Library Pot prefers online reservations. They are incredibly successful and get very busy.
The Library Pot accepts bookings from solo players. They organise a meet-up group for special events, and you can comment on your booking if you will be playing alone.
If you want a board game cafe in London, the Library Pot is a great place to play and reminisce, play new games, eat tasty food, and meet new people.
Address: 86 Kew Road, Richmond, TW9 2PQ
Telephone: 07930 332688
5. Bad Moon Cafe – Tabletop Games in London
Bad Moon Cafe creates a warm and friendly environment to relax and enjoy tabletop games.
The cafe has ten casual board-game tables for £5.00 per person. You can access the entire board-game library with over 150 titles until closing.
Bad Moon Cafe has 15 gaming tables dedicated to games such as Warhammer, 40,000, and Age of Sigmar. The price is £15.00 for the table for up to three people and £5.00 for each additional person for four hours.
The cafe has an extensive menu serving hot and cold beverages and alcoholic drinks. You can enjoy a 10” pizza from £11.95 and from £18.95 for an 18”.
It is possible to arrange team-building events, birthdays, and other celebrations where packages range from £20.00 per person for three hours of fun and a drink to £35.00, which includes five hours of playing, two drinks and half a pizza.
Bad Moon is a premier hobby bar with games in London. There are great gaming tables and a vast selection of board games. The venue hosts regular events, so check the calendar for one that suits you.
Address: 159A Great Dover Street, London, SE1 4GZ
Telephone: 020 3654 7032
6. Leisure Games – Specialist Bricks & Mortar Games Shop
Leisure Games is a board game shop in London. They pride themselves on their knowledge and stock of games. If you cannot find what you are looking for, Leisure Games will order it.
Customers can spend several hours looking for a suitable game, and there are free gaming tables if you want to try before you buy.
They also have an online shop with worldwide delivery for those unable to visit.
Leisure Games is not a board game cafe. It has a gaming area accommodating up to 40 people. After regular opening hours, the site offers a free-to-use community-inclusive space for like-minded people wanting to enjoy gaming in a safe and friendly environment. Check with the store directly for the next available dates.
Address: 100 Ballards Lane, Finchley, London N3 2DN
Telephone: 020 8346 2327
4 Tips for a Better Board Game Cafe Experience
- Visit at quieter times. Peak times get busy, and tables take longer to free up than in a restaurant.
- Have an idea of the game you want to play. Many cafes have a list of their games on their website. Knowing what you would like to play is a good idea, as choosing can take a long time and take up valuable playing time.
- Choose a quick game to learn. Learning something in a cafe can take a long time if you are easily distracted by noise. Selecting a game that is quick to teach will make for a much more enjoyable experience.
- Take hand sanitiser. When food and board games mix, things can get sticky.
