11 Best Things to Do After Dinner in Norwich

Tombland is where you’ll find most of Norwich’s night-time activities. The area comes to life after dark, offering a mix of chain pubs, little drinking dens, and upscale restaurants set among pale-grey buildings and quaint streets. Many of these venues have outdoor seating, excellent for people-watching on a summer evening.

Notable places to go at night in Tombland include All Bar One, Mr Postles' Apothecary, and Gonzo's Tea Room. If you like clubbing, Mantra Club & Lounge plays a mix of tunes, with an outdoor area and quieter upstairs bar.

Riverside Entertainment Centre has plenty of restaurants and bars, some on a piazza overlooking the River Wensum. Some of the most popular places to eat in this complex include Nando's and TGI Friday's, but you can also enjoy Italian favourites at Bella Italia or Asian dishes at Riverbank Chinese Buffet. The Queen of Iceni, located on the riverside terrace, is a great place for real ales and pub food.

If you’re visiting with kids, Riverside Entertainment has a bowling alley and a trampoline park. There’s also the ODEON cinema if you want to catch the latest films. Located in Koblenz Avenue, the complex is within a 5-minute walk of Norwich Station.

The Norwich Theatre Royal is a historic performance venue on Theatre Street, opposite The Forum. While it opened its doors in 1758, it has undergone many reincarnations, now offering an eclectic mix of modern and art deco features.

The Norwich Theatre Royal can seat up to 1,300 people at a time. You can also find 2 function rooms, 2 bars and a restaurant as well. Every year, it puts on around 400 performances, including opera, ballet, family-friendly shows, musicals, and modern dance.

The Norwich Arts Centre is a modest yet well-loved theatre and art gallery on St. Benedict's Street, just under half a mile east of the city centre. Established in 1977, it occupies the former St Swithin's Church that dates back to the 15^th century. The venue is relatively small, accommodating about 300 people for standing concerts and 120 for seated events.

The award-winning Norwich Arts Centre hosts more than just concerts, as you can also enjoy comedy, theatre, dance, visual art, and literature performances throughout the year. It also has a gallery displaying art exhibitions and installations.

Adam and Eve is one of the oldest pubs in Norwich, opening as a brewhouse in 1249. It lies on Bishopgate, in the shadow of the Norwich Cathedral, with a pretty exterior decked with colourful hanging flower baskets. The pub also has a garden with picnic benches that are usually packed during the summer.

Adam and Eve specialises in back-to-basics food and local ales. Must-tries include the Yorkshire pudding and deep-fried brie. The pub is also the starting point of the Norwich Ghost Walks, a weekly tour that usually takes place between April and December.

The Murderers Pub is one of 2 original 16^th-century coaching inns in Norwich. Also known as The Gardeners Arms, this historic pub sources beers, lagers and real ales by independent breweries across the country. You’ll find 25 real ales on tap, with must-tries like the Ghost Ship, Smooth Hoperator, and Dark Horse Stout.

Live music is played in The Murderers Pub’s lounge on weekends. Several large screen TVs all around the pub show the latest sports events, including tennis, football and rugby. The Murderers Pub is also famous for hosting 2 beer festivals every year, usually in May or June and the end of October.

The Norwich Ghost Walks offers a rather morbid perspective of the city’s historic landmarks and ancient streets. Established in 1998, the tour is organised by The Guild of Shadows – a group of interesting characters with names like Le Morte, the Jack of Crows, the Witch Doctor, the Night Reaver, and the Keeper of Secrets.

You can choose to tour the Norwich Castle, Elm Hill, or River Wensum (Mondays in summer only), each of which includes real-life stories, tragic events, and reported ghost sightings. All walks last around 2 hours and start from outside the famous Adam and Eve pub.

The Maddermarket Theatre plays host to a wide range of musical programmes and recitals, along with various classes and workshops. Established in 1921, it occupies an Elizabethan-style venue that was originally a chapel. The theatre can accommodate a little over 300 people.

You can enjoy high-quality performances from the comfort of vintage 1930s cinema seats, including highbrow dramatic offerings. Besides 12 in-house productions by the Norwich Players, the Maddermarket Theatre also hosts contemporary music concerts, stand-up comedy, theatre, and talks throughout the year.

The Norwich Playhouse mixes highbrow cultural offerings with family-friendly shows. This 300-seat performing arts venue is very popular for showcasing theatre productions, comedy acts and live music – it has hosted legendary names such as Stephen Fry, Mark Watson, and Tim Minchin.

The Norwich Playhouse has an onsite bar with a large beer garden. Known as The Playhouse Bar, it serves real ales from local breweries, German lagers on tap, and imported wines, as well as tea and coffee. This prominent theatre is around 520 yards northeast of the Norwich Cathedral, across the River Wensum.

The Garage in Norwich serves as the city’s creative space and performing arts venue. You can take part in various workshops and classes, such as ballet, street dance, acting, and musical theatre. There are also Pilates and Zumba sessions if you want to keep up with your fitness routine.

The Garage has an intimate theatre that can accommodate around 113 people – its stage often hosts local and national productions in theatre, dance and music. You can find the venue in Chapel Field North, just a short walk of the Norwich Theatre Royal and Chapelfield Gardens.

Cinema City is one of the oldest independent movie venues in England. It occupies a 16^th-century merchant's house that’s adjacent to Stuart Hall on St. Andrews Street, about 520 yards north of Norwich Castle.

The Grade I-listed arthouse cinema only has 3 screens but offers a wide range of genres, including mainstream and family movies, documentaries and foreign language films. There are also special screenings for people living with dementia or autism, the elderly, and parents with babies. You can enjoy light snacks, brunches, and afternoon teas at The Dining Rooms & Bar, Cinema City’s onsite dining venue.