Central London activities weekday evening

[Needtosoundoffandbreathe]

Apart from shopping on Oxford and Regent Streets, what could I do on a weekday evening in London? I'll be in London for work next week with a few hours to kill on my own. I don't fancy a show or theatre this time.

I'm happy to walk, bearing in mind it'll be dark so probably not through any parks.

Lates at a museum
Gallery opening
Book reading at a bookshop
Board game night at a pub
Wine tasting evening
Paint & sip class

I know you said no shows but there are quite a few bars and cafes where you can have a drink and listen to some fabulous music - the new Blue Note is excellent (and not just jazz, a wide variety of music), as is the jazz bar at Oriole (of course there is also Ronnie Scotts and the Pizza Express jazz cafe as well).

I think my ideal evening would be - visit to the Barbican Art Gallery, solo dinner at Cloth in Cloth Fair, or Brutto (all solo diners get a free drink there), walk to Oriole in Covent Garden for a nightcap and catch the 9pm live music set (only a £4 cover).

Or one of these events followed by dinner nearby: literarylistingslondon.substack.com/p/all-london-book-talks-23-oct-3-dec

Group salsa at Coals Drop Yard near King's Cross on Wednesday evenings.

Some great ideas there - thank you!

Just to update: the Barbican Art Gallery closes at 6pm Tuesdays and Wednesdays so doesn't work and the Coals Drop Yard salsa only runs to the end of October.

Oh bum - how about the ICA on the Mall? They're often still open when I leave work, though you'd need to check your particular days I guess.