It’s spooky season. The time to summon your coven, slip into something suitably sinister, and start your search for the city’s scariest soirées. As experts on the world’s biggest and most exclusive events, you’ve come to the right place. From frightening feasts to phantasmagorical parties, here are our top picks of the London Halloween events that are as eerie as they are elegant.
Samhain: Into the Woods at The Mandrake
Best for: an utterly original (and eerie) and theme.
When: Saturday 25 October, 8pm–3am.
Dress code: children of the forest.
Before Halloween, there was Samhain – a Celtic festival marking the turning of the seasons and thinning of the veil. This year, The Mandrake is reviving the ancient ritual with a night of haunting visuals and spellbinding energy via live DJ sets, immersive art, and hypnotic performances. Picture guests who’ve gone all-in on the dress code, shadowy corners, and spirits – of both kinds – flowing all night long. We rarely have reason to use the word phantasmagorical, but it might just be the only way to describe this event.
themandrake.com | Tickets from £150


20-21 Newman St, W1T 1PG
JOIA Rooftop Halloween Movies
Best for: film fans seeking a sky-high fright.
When: Wednesday 29th October–Sunday 2nd November, from 5:30pm.
Got a head for heights and a heart for freights? Whizz up to the 16th floor of art’otel Battersea Power Station, where you’ll find one of London’s best rooftops: JOIA. You’ll start by settling down in front of the striking skyline and dining on Henrique Sá Pessoa’s signature dishes, before snuggling up on a sofa in front of the candlelit big screen showing cult classics, like Lost Boys, Ghostbusters, Scream, and Hocus Pocus – with popcorn and hot toddies in tow, of course. It’s bone-chilling. And not just because of the high altitude.
joiabattersea.co.uk | Tickets £80pp for chairs, £90pp for a sofa


1 Electric Blvd, SW11 8BJ
Día de los Muertos at Fonda
Best for: a one-time-only Mexican menu from a Michelin-starred chef.
When: Sunday 2nd November, 11:30am–5pm.
Fonda (sister restaurant to KOL – one of our all-time favourites due to having one of the most unusual tasting menus in London) is doing something so out of character, we’re pre-emptively spooked. It’s opening its doors on a Sunday – for one day only – to celebrate Mexico’s Día de los Muertos with a special brunch menu by chef Santiago Lastra. Think aguachile shrimp cocktail, short-rib birria, and truffle quesadillas – all washed down with all-agave cocktails curated with The Lost Explorer. The best part? Live mariachis keeping the mood high.
fondalondon.com | Tickets from £55


12 Heddon St, W1B 4BZ
Saints & Sinners at The Standard
Best for: hedonistic energy that’s equally heavenly and hellish.
When: Friday 31st October, 9pm–2am.
Heaven or Hell isn’t a choice we get to make for ourselves in the afterlife. You get what you’re given (or, famously, deserve). But, here on Earth, The Standard is switching it up. Because it’s transforming its Sweeties and Townhouse 9 spaces into two opposing realms for one unmissable night. Start by seeking salvation in Sweeties, where Lagoon with Drybabe, LEXII, Rabz, Sippin' T, and Egypt serve high-energy club sounds. Then, slowly descend into sin in Townhouse 9, where Nikki Nair, NYX, and Ikonika bring genre-bending chaos.
standardhotels.com | Tickets £40


10 Argyle St, WC1H 8EG
Halloween Kid’s Masterclass at Sticks’n’Sushi
Best for: little monsters with big appetites.
When: Saturday 25th–Sunday 26th October.
Calling all mini masterchefs and future foodies. This October half-term, Sticks’n’Sushi is getting spooky, with various locations hosting hands-on sushi workshops for kids aged 8–12. Under the guidance of expert chefs, they’ll learn to roll pumpkin ‘Jack-O-Lantern’ onigiri, kappa maki, nigiri, and more. Costumes are encouraged, competition is on (spot the restaurant’s mischievous witch to score a sweet surprise), and kids will walk out with a ghoulishly good goody bag.
sticksnsushi.com | Tickets £40


Various Sticks’n’Sushi locations
COYA’s Cursed Circus
Best for: twisted and theatrical live entertainment.
When: Thursday 31st October, from 6pm.
Dress code: dark glamour or twisted circus.
COYA is one of London’s best restaurants with live entertainment. So, when it says it’s throwing its more dramatic party yet, we listen. The Mayfair hotspot is transforming into an abandoned circus, where music, mystery, and the downright macabre reign. Step right up for live performances, dancers, and DJs spinning into the early hours – with a special menu of COYA favourites keeping the energy high. There’s even an early family-friendly sitting for those dining with little ones. Come dressed to impress – the more cursed the costume, the better.
coyarestaurant.com


118 Piccadilly, W1J 7NW
Day of the Dead Dinner at Ayllu
Best for: a vibrant celebration of life, death, and everything in between.
When: Friday 31st October–Saturday 1st November, from 7pm.
For two nights only, the spirit of Mexico’s traditional Día de los Muertos holiday is coming to the capital – and it’s set to be a feast for all the senses. Expect candlelight, marigolds, and three of Ayllu’s signature Nikkei tasting menus. Between bites of sashimi and ceviche, guests can sip pisco sours to the sound of live Spanish guitar, get a glimpse into the unseen under the guidance of a tarot card reader, or go full calavera with professional face paint.
ayllu.co.uk | Tasting menus from £39


25 Sheldon Square, W2 6EY
The Witch & The Wood at Cirque Le Soir
Best for: an eye-boggling experience that’s as exclusive and immersive as it gets.
When: Monday 27th October–Saturday 1st November, 10:30pm–5am
IYDKDW (if you don’t know, don’t worry). Cirque Le Soir’s infamous slogan certainly applies to its Halloween extravaganza, The Witch & The Wood. In fact, as a fully immersive experience inspired by the Salem witch trials, you might not want to know at all. If you step willingly into this world of shadows and superstition, expect to find a dark 1600s pilgrim village, haunted forests, eerie funfair rooms, and spine-tingling surprises. The installation theatre and live performances might delight you. But beware: the villagers may turn on you at any moment.
cirquelesoir.com | Tables from £1,000


15–21 Ganton St, W1F 9BN
Die Rheinnixen at Battersea Arts Centre
Best for: opera lovers with a taste for the gothic.
When: Thursday 30th October–Sunday 2nd November, 5pm and 7:30pm.
If your Halloween leans more highbrow than haunted house, Gothic Opera’s Die Rheinnixen is the ticket (literally). Staged at Battersea Arts Centre, Offenbach’s long-forgotten horror story gets a moody, modern twist. Set in the turmoil of the Weimar Republic, it’s a tale of deception, desire, and the supernatural – brought to life by a chamber orchestra and visuals inspired by expressionist cinema. Atmospheric, eerie, and hauntingly beautiful, this UK premiere proves that horror doesn’t need jump scares to chill the blood.
bac.org.uk | Tickets from £15.20


Battersea Arts Centre, SW11 5TN
Rather hibernate at home this Halloween? We spoke to our in-house events agency, Quintessentially Experiences, about how to throw a hauntingly high-end at-home Halloween bash. Read their expert advice here…