Staying in Southwark, where should we head for dinner/drinks for DP's birthday?

[anywhichwayyoucan]

In London next month which is coinciding with DP's birthday. I've been to London a lot but never really gone out for a nice meal/drinks (has always been with my mum so we would usually head to china town then to see a show) and DP has never been.
We are staying in Southwark so want somewhere within 30 mins by tube etc but which area should we head for?

Budget isn't huge, don't really want anywhere that is more than £15 for a main but open to any cuisine or something a bit different. Also somewhere that is close to some bars/pubs for a nice drink beforehand and probably a couple more afterwards if we aren't too knackered!! We are early 20's if that makes a difference.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

From Southwark it is nice to walk along the river rather than get a tube. I can’t recommend anywhere individually but if I was you I’d look at going to a restaurant/pizzaria overlooking the river in the area near oxo tower.

There are some lovely places in Bermondsey. It’s v trendy these days and has a NY-ish warehouse feeling. Some pizza and tapas places and if you did want to push the boat out a bit. Pizarro is a fabulous Spanish restaurant. Might be a bit over budget but do have a look.

Brindisa and Padella are both really good.

How about Padella in London Bridge? Really affordable but amazing and authentic pasta made right in front of you. It's very very popular and people are often queuing out the door but they might have a reservations system (all the 'trendy' London restaurants don't these days).
Loads of pubs/bars nearby and might even be walking distance.

Alternatively you could walk to the southbank from where you are and go to the southbank centre food market for some awesome street food. I can personally recommend the duck burgers. Not a posh sit down meal but loads of choice and there's 2 bars in the market too (not including the hundreds all around you) and it benefits from being right on the Thames obviously.

Also on the southbank is Ping Pong which serves dim sum and cocktails. Really tasty and you could get loads of sharing dishes for you both to eat. Deffo takes reservations and is massive so you could probably also just walk in.

Also - Morito is really tasty tapas style sharing dishes. Little sister restaurant of Moro but a bit more relaxed and cheaper. It's in soho though so not as local.

Most of central London is within a 30 minute tube ride of Southwark so you could head for anywhere. South Bank does have some nice restaurants - I like the Gourmet Pizza place in Gabriel’s Wharf (next to the Oxo Tower, which is prob our of budget but you could have a cocktail there beforehand). Or Borough High Street has some nice places, or The Cut near Waterloo - I like TAS which has branches in both of those places.

It’s not the liveliest part of London for drinks afterwards though. You might be better off heading to Soho if you want a late night (I’m early 40s so there’s probably better people to advise you on this!)

Thanks everyone for the suggestions will have a look into them tonight, Padella sounds really nice we are only in London for 24 hours and as DP has never been it's going to be very jam packed! So doubt it will be a really late night as we will be knackered by 9pm

How was it OP? Did you eat at any of our suggestions?

Wa coming on to say Padella but I see I've been beaten to it! It's really good, though!