Experiences
The 6 Best Cinemas in London
Armchairs and cocktails, cult all-nighters and the birthplace of British film: London's best screens.
In short: our top picks are Electric Cinema, Everyman Hampstead and Prince Charles Cinema. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
London watches films in some remarkable rooms. The Electric on Portobello has armchairs, footstools and even beds; the Prince Charles off Leicester Square runs cult classics and sing-alongs; the BFI Southbank is the home of world cinema. Regent Street Cinema is where moving pictures were first shown in Britain. These are places where the room is half the point. Book the sofas early, and take the cocktails to your seat.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Electric Cinema | Notting Hill | £££ |
| Everyman Hampstead | Hampstead | |
| Prince Charles Cinema | Leicester Square | |
| BFI Southbank | South Bank | |
| Regent Street Cinema | Fitzrovia | |
| Curzon Soho | Soho |
-
Editor’s choice
Electric Cinema
Why we pick itSquishy armchairs, footstools, double beds and cocktails on Portobello Road, London's most indulgent screen.
luxury cinema
-
Everyman Hampstead
Why we pick itSofa seats, table service and pizza to your seat at the flagship of the Everyman chain.
boutique cinema
-
Prince Charles Cinema
Why we pick itLondon's beloved repertory cinema off Leicester Square, cult classics, sing-alongs and all-night marathons.
cult repertory cinema
-
BFI Southbank
Why we pick itThe British Film Institute's four screens on the South Bank, the home of classic and world cinema.
film institute
-
Regent Street Cinema
Why we pick itThe birthplace of British cinema, an Art Deco auditorium that showed the first moving pictures in 1896.
historic cinema
-
Curzon Soho
Why we pick itA Soho institution for independent, foreign-language and arthouse film, with a good bar downstairs.
independent cinema
Before you book
The boutique cinemas, the Electric and Everyman, charge more but bring drinks and food to your seat, so allow time before the film. The Prince Charles and BFI are the value picks for repertory and classics. Membership at Curzon or the BFI pays off quickly if you go often.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
Electric Cinema is our editor's choice: Squishy armchairs, footstools, double beds and cocktails on Portobello Road, London's most indulgent screen. Electric Cinema, Everyman Hampstead and Prince Charles Cinema lead the guide, with 6 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
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