London doesn't do one big night, it does twenty small ones. Pick a postcode, commit, let the last Tube go without you.
Fabric, Farringdon
Three rooms, a bodysonic dancefloor and electronic bookings that run till morning. Buy online, the door queue is brutal.
Ronnie Scott's late set
Soho jazz since 1959, two shows a night at 47 Frith Street. The 11pm late set is cheaper, looser and easier to book.
Satan's Whiskers, Bethnal Green
Taxidermy, hip-hop and a cocktail list rewritten daily. Opens 5pm, no online booking, so phone ahead or walk in early.
Village Underground, Shoreditch
Victorian warehouse under old tube carriages on Holywell Lane, doing gigs and club nights, plus a new rooftop bar.
Beigel Bake at 4am
159 Brick Lane, open 24 hours, seven days. Salt beef with mustard and pickle, cheap, and served with zero patience.