New In Town? Here’s 17 Easy Ideas For How To Make Friends In London

London can be lonely. Trust me – as an American expat, coming to chilly England can be frustrating when you hail from somewhere more friendly and open. 

The English are notoriously reserved and hard to get to know. But that’s okay! Everyone is different, and if you’re wondering how to make friends in London, plenty of others are, too. 

You just need to find each other. 

Here are some easy tips for how to make friends in London, even when it seems impossible. 

1. Join the Great London Friendship Project

There’s an entire group dedicated to making friends in London: The Great London Friendship Project!

Join fellow Londoners for some of their cool events (3-4 per week, all over the Capital), and come away with some new contacts in your Whatsapp.

They do everything from introvert-friendly walks to board game nights and pub quizzes, and it’s all super affordable.

You don’t have to be lonely, and joining this group will show you exactly how many others are longing for connection in this city, too.

2. Don’t Rely on the English or Longtime Londoners to Make New Friends in London 

Here’s where most people run into trouble making friends in London: they try to befriend longtime Londoners or the English right off the bat.

Every English person I know is asking you to take two steps back right now. 

Now, this is certainly not true of ALL British people or all Londoners. But I find people in London are harder to get to know, and this is likely because people come and go from London all the time. They don’t want to invest in a friendship that might soon disappear. 

The English are just a bit trickier socially than some other cultures, and I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. It’s just a game you have to learn to play. 

While us Americans might meet a new friend and go for drinks the same night, an English person will need at least 5 casual encounters where you talk about the weather or the match before they’ll even consider swapping phone details. 

After that, it’s best to go slow. A casual group meetup at a pub is a good first step. 

3. Make Friends in London with other Expats or Newbies

Other expats or other people who are new to London are in the same boat as you. They all want that social net to feel connected to the place they live. 

You can find each other on expat groups, you can find each other on TikTok, and you can find each other in real life at events for expats. 

It’s easiest to start on Facebook, which you may need to dust off just for this occasion. Chances are if you search Facebook for whatever criteria you want – “Americans in London,” “Swedish in London,” or anything else – there is a Facebook group for you. 

4. Make Friends in London with People From Your Culture 

Are you from Eastern Europe? Australia? Canada? You can find your people! And it’ll be 10x easier to make friends when you already know the social rules and customs with your own crowd. 

It’s not cheating to befriend other expats from your country, I promise. Some of my best friends in London are other Americans, because it’s just easier. And you actually have more in common because you’re both strangers in a foreign land. 

5. Try to Meet People in London Close to Where You Live or Work

The hardest thing about meeting new people in London? They could live on the opposite side of the city from you, and that means you’ll have to really commit to spending time together.

With a new friendship, this is tough. 

That’s why it’s good to try to meet people in London close to where you live or work. If you have a location in common, it’ll be easier to spend more time together and get to know each other. 

But if you’ve made a friend who you really like and they live far away, you can always meet in the middle! There’s always something going on in London and a new event to check out, so pick a spot and make a date. 

6. How to Make Friends in London Fast? Go to the Pub. 

Pub culture is everything in the UK. After work? Go to the pub. Sunday afternoon? Go to the pub. The match is on? Go to the pub. 

This can be tricky if you don’t drink alcohol, like you’re missing out on some secret society (I get it, I don’t drink either). But if you really want to make friends in London, the pub is where it happens. 

Buy your new friends a round and you’re already in their good graces. 

7. Make New Friends in London that Share Your Interests

If you’re a Swiftie, find other London Swifties. If you’re a cat lover, find other cat lovers.  If you’re an Arsenal fan, find other Arsenal fans. If you want to explore other places outside London, join a travel group.

Shared passions are the #1 easiest way to make friends in London, because you’ll always have something to talk about, somewhere to go, and something to obsess over and text each other about.  

8. Become a Regular Somewhere 

Whether it’s your local pub or local coffee shop, get into a routine of going to a place you like. Why? Because people similar to you will go to the same place. 

I love my daily chats with the coffee shop regulars, and I even scored a phone number to go on a walk with another mum.

9. Attend Local Events and Festivals

There’s lots going on in your neighborhood you might not even know about. Go to that Christmas Market, hit up the pop-up on the high street. You’ll meet people local to you who share similar interests. 

10. Take a Class or Workshop 

What have you always wanted to learn? Crochet? Playing the guitar? How to paddleboard? There is literally a class for everything in London, and lots of them are free. 

This is a great way to make friends in London because you’ll instantly have something to do together, and you’re both learning new things, which means you’re open to change. 

11. Volunteer

I know, I know. We’re not made of time or money in London. But even if you have an hour on a Saturday morning, volunteer for a cause you care about. This is especially great for students to make new friends. 

Passionate about politics? Go campaign. Homelessness? Go help out. The environment? Join a local eco group. 

12. Explore Co-Working Spaces

If you’re a freelancer or have a flexible working arrangement, co-working spaces can be a great place to meet other professionals.

It can be SO isolating to work from home – trust me, I know. You have to get out, even if it’s to work at the coffee shop for two hours. 

If a co-working space is out of your budget, plenty of other Londoners are in the same boat. Find where people remote work locally near you by searching local professional or community groups, and go there. 

13. Use Social Media and Apps 

Apps like Bumble BFF or Nextdoor can help you connect with people in your area who are also looking to make friends.

This seems daunting at first, but literally everyone is in the same boat using these apps. Everyone is putting themselves out there, looking for connection.

You’re not alone! 

14. Join Fitness Groups or Clubs 

If you’re into fitness – or want to get into fitness – joining a gym or a group like a free training club can be a great way to meet people.

It also gives you an instant connection, doing the same things at the same time, and there’s always an excuse to go to the pub after! 

15. Don’t Do as the Londoners Do

Be open and approachable. Don’t mimic every head-down, earbuds-in commuter you see – you’ll never open yourself up to meeting people that way. 

Londoners are generally friendly and open to making new acquaintances, they just like to pretend they’re not because of the cold social norms of this city.

Break those norms! Say hello! Ask them how their book is, where they got their gorgeous winter jacket, where they get their hair done.

Start with a compliment – everyone loves a compliment, even chilly Londoners.  

16. Decipher the Common London Friendship Lingo

New social situations with the British can be tricky. 

Here’s a small portion of phrases you might encounter with new friendships or interactions in London that aren’t what they seem. 

Note: these aren’t all the same in every part of England or the UK, and are based only on my experience. They aren’t set in stone, and your experience may be different from mine.

• “Diary” = Calendar. “I’ll check my diary” doesn’t mean they will read through their personal scribblings. It means they’ll check their schedule and get back to you. 
• “I would suggest…” means they want to do what they’re suggesting, and not what you’re suggesting. It’s not a suggestion at all, it’s more of a demand. 
• “You must come for dinner!” does not mean you are actually invited to dinner nor will you be. It’s a way of being polite. 
• “A bit disappointing…” Whatever it was is rubbish and they hated it. 
• “Aww, bless…” means “you/they are an idiot.” 
• “Sorry” in the right context really means “you’re a wanker.” 
• “Not too bad, actually!” means “I’m better than I’ve ever been!” This is the most positive phrase a Londoner can utter! 
• “I might join you later” means “I’m at home on the sofa with no intention of leaving.” 
• “Could we consider some other options?” means “Absolutely no way in hell I’m doing what you suggested.” 
• “I’ll bear that in mind” means “your ridiculous idea is already forgotten.”
• “Yeah, we could do…” means “nope. Not gonna do that.” 
• “I’d love to, but…” means “I would not – under any circumstance – love to.” 
• “Let’s grab a drink sometime, yeah?” This is a polite way to end an interaction and is in no way, shape or form a plan to meet up. It will likely never happen. 

17. Take it Easy on Yourself

No one makes friends right away, unless they are one of those perfect specimens who seems to magically befriend everyone in the room. I’m not one of those people, and you probably aren’t either (they’re a rare gem, and I’m jealous).

It will take time. You’re in a new place. Don’t force it if it doesn’t happen naturally. For now, you can totally rely on your friends back home, call your family, complain to your girlfriends. It’s okay – it’s moving abroad. It’s supposed to be hard.

You’ve come this far, and you can do this hard thing, too. Just take it easy on yourself. It will happen when it’s supposed to happen.

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