The Ludoquist: A Board Game Café in London

Anyone who knows me knows that board games are one of my great loves, so of course in London I went looking for where people play. That's how I found The Ludoquist — a café-bar in Croydon, South London, dedicated entirely to board games.

Even from outside, with the glowing blue sign and the big windows, you can see tables full of people leaning over boards, cards and dice. Inside it feels like a giant living room for game lovers: entire walls of shelves packed with boxes, and long wooden tables that invite you to sit down.

I'll be honest: I haven't had the chance to explore the place in depth yet. But from what I understood, on Wednesday and Thursday evenings people who don't know each other come in, sit down together and simply play. Exactly the kind of place where a stranger becomes a turn partner, and after one evening, a friend.

The café also runs regular meetups listed on their website and in the Ludoquist Meetups group, so it's worth checking what's on that week before you go.

If you're in London and looking for an easy way to meet people without the pressure of small talk, a board game is the perfect icebreaker. I'm planning to go back, and I'll update here once I've explored more.