London is a city buzzing with endless opportunities, vibrant culture and innovative apps, that can enhance your experience. Whether you’re a foodie, explorer or simply looking to save money. There are a variety of apps designed to help you navigate, dine and enjoy the city more efficiently.
From finding the best bars to saving on restaurant meals and even reducing food waste. These nine apps are essential for anyone looking to make the most of London. Let’s dive into the top apps you need to know about!
Dusk
Dusk is an app that helps you find fantastic bars where you can get a free taste of alcohol. It is updated every day with the newest locations and openings.
This covers both well-known bars (like Simmons) and undiscovered treasures. It tells you which drink you can get for free (like an espresso martini at Greenwich Grind) and provides you with a brief description of the locations, images, and videos of them.
Tastecard
I realized how much of a game-changer TasteCards are the moment I received my first one, and I decided it was okay to go out all the time—some would even say too much.
However, it’s well worth the effort! They run promos all the time (I got one for £1 last year!) and give discounts of 50% or 2 for 1 at a tonne of different restaurants. The fact that they are unavailable on weekends is their lone drawback.
Too Good To Go
By purchasing a “Magic Bag” of food at a significantly reduced cost from retail, Too Good To Go helps both the environment and your pocketbook by ensuring, that food is consumed rather than wasted. You can determine, if it’s worth it by using the app to see how much the food typically costs.
You can specify your dietary needs and they will give you a rough idea of what is in your order, but you won’t know for sure until you pick it up.
There’s bound to be food you love on there, because they’ve partnered with 5,753 UK businesses so far to fight against food waste, including many household brands.
Groupon
Groupon is fantastic if you’re looking for a flexible place to go for a general activity, like getting afternoon tea with a friend who is visiting London. I looked up “events in London” and the first thing that came up was a 50% off escape room at a popular venue, I’ve already gone to “afternoon tea” with an American friend who was visiting.
Olio
Olio is a food-sharing app that is somewhat similar to Too Good To Go (I’m not sure if it’s as popular for non-food household items though). The food offered on this one is completely free.
Through OLIO, neighbors can connect with local businesses and each other to share excess food instead of throwing it away. Examples of this kind of sharing include the groceries in your refrigerator before you leave or food that is almost expiring in local stores.
It’s very simple to use; all you have to do is open the app, add an item, write a description, and a photo, and specify the time and location of pick-up. To obtain items, look through the listings close to you, make requests for whatever catches your attention, and schedule a pick-up via private messaging.
Santander Cycles app
If you ever ride a Santander bike, downloading the app is helpful because it provides a release code sent straight to your phone, allowing you to bypass the terminal and get on your bike sooner. To plan routes and view real-time cycle and docking space availability, utilize their journey planner.
Frugl
Thousands of offers and activities are available for you to take advantage of on Frugal, which will also keep you informed about daily deals, bargain events, and discounted activities in the city.
Magic Stamp
To store all of your favorite loyalty cards digitally, get them all in one location without having to download a hundred different apps. If you place an order for delivery, you can also have stamps sent to your phone. It’s also much easier to use than a loyalty card since there are no QR codes and no email address required.
Santander Cycles
When you can pedal your way around London on a “Boris Bike,” who needs stuffy trains or tubes? The Boris Bikes are named after the former Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, even though it wasn’t his idea!
This really good app will show you where the bikes are available and how to get to a docking station close to where you want to go. Additionally, the app offers a list of “Top London Rides” that let you ride a bike through some of the best parts of the city.
Conclusion:
London is full of exciting possibilities and with these apps, exploring the city has never been easier. Whether you’re after free drinks, discounted meals, sustainable food options or simply a fun day out. These nine apps offer practical solutions to improve your London experience. By utilizing these resources, you can discover hidden gems, reduce waste and take advantage of unique deals. So, download these apps and start exploring the best, that London has to offer, one click at a time!
