Despite what your may have heard, the US isn’t the only place in the world with excellent bowling alleys. Cross the Atlantic and get yourself to London in the UK, and you’ll find plenty of bowling centers that are just as nice as the upscale Bowlmor Lane location in your American city.
Here are some particularly nice bowling alleys you should try in London, if you’re ever there visiting:
All Star Lanes, 2nd Floor, Westfield Stratford City Shopping Centre
This is a great place where some folks can relax, even as some of the other members of the family continue to get some shopping done in the Westfield Stratford City Shopping Centre. The place takes its cues from US West Coast bowling alley trends, which is why the place is roomier and brighter than the other All Star Lanes spread out in London.
This place features 14 bowling lanes, and you can even hire the whole place if you’re planning a party of up to 300 guests. For smaller gatherings of 30 or so guests, you can still get 4 lanes exclusively for your party.
Even if you’re just taking a break from all that shopping, the place is quite relaxing. It has a large, open-plan restaurant that offers plenty of American dishes. You can try out their triple-cheese mac n’ cheese, or go with the buttermilk fried chicken burger.
Kids especially love the place as they can enjoy ramps and bumpers while bowling. As for the adults, there’s a cocktail bar.
BrewDog Waterloo
You can find this bowling alley in the famous Waterloo Station. It’s actually the biggest of the many BrewDog bars in the city, as it’s spread out over 2 floors. But then again, it has to stand out when its neighbors include world-famous landmarks like the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye.
The bowling alley here is terrific, but that’s not its only attraction. It features a stand-alone cocktail, and it even has its own brewery so you can try out some amazing craft beer. The restaurant offers plenty of burgers, American comfort food, and brunch menu items, along with excellent ice cream and coffee.
Queens Bowling
The name does indicate that the place takes bowling seriously, and here you have 12 lanes for bowling complete with industrial chic and neon-blue mood lighting. But that’s just one part of the overall attraction. The place also has an arcade for the kids, and also an ice rink.
There’s also a burger restaurant, but you can get lane-side service for the food and drinks. They offer excellent drinks, and you have got to try their Deep South dishes. Somehow, those dishes go very well with the beer and cocktails.
Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes
From Sunday to Wednesday, the place resembles an American bowling alley as it might have looked like in the 1950s. It’s extremely retro, with milkshakes available along with cocktails and craft beer during the evenings.
There are even 5 karaoke rooms for you and your buddies to try out, when you’re done bowling. You also have arcade games and even ping pong tables.
But during the evening from Thursday to Saturday, this becomes a party place. It either features DJs laying dance tunes until late at night, or live bands. And you can hire out the whole place for your own private party.
Try any of these bowling alleys, and your London vacation will be so much better!
