There are loads of lesbian and gay eating and watering holes in London, many of them operating as cafés by day and transforming into drinking dens at night. Lots have cabaret or disco nights and are open until the early hours, making them a fine alternative to the more expensive clubs.

The places listed here are merely a small selection of the most central, although almost every corner of London has its own gay local. Bear in mind that, as ever, "mixed" tends to mean mostly men.

Most of these cafés and bars have free admission, though a few levy a charge for the evening session (usually between £2 and £5) if there is music, cabaret or a disco.