Eating out in Soho
undefined • 4 June 2025
Soho is absolutely teeming with places to eat, drink and dance late into the night but when it comes to eating out, how do you know which ones to head for or avoid? Let us help you with our guide of cafes and restaurants that have been tried and tested (sometimes many times) by us. All of them are within a 10 minute walk of our building in 7 Greek St and they are listed in no particular order.
Dishoom
is a small chain with 8 restaurants in London serving Indian inspired breakfast, lunch and dinner. They always have some walk in tables available although it is best to try to book in advance and despite the food being not entirely authentic, it is just delicious and the cocktails are excellent. Don’t miss their gunpowder potatoes, chicken ruby or house black daal and wash it all down with a mango lassi. Located on Kingly St just behind Carnaby St.
Flat Iron
on Beak Street has a simple centre piece in its menu: steak. Everything else dances around that including crispy bone marrow garlic mash, chips made from beef dripping and a choice of 5 different sauces. Mouth-watering for carnivores but if you don’t eat beef then this is not for you.
Govinda’s
vegetarian restaurant has been established since 1979 and is part of the Hare Krishna Temple in London. As one of London’s very first vegetarian restaurants it serves good value plant based food in unpretentious surroundings (their most expensive main course with 12 items is the Thali Extravaganza priced at just £15.95). Located on Soho Street just off Oxford Street.
Another really good option for cheap eats is Bistro1
at the bottom end of Frith Street. The menu is unfussy but with lots of choice and they offer a 3 course lunch menu for £18.90 which is remarkable.
Gilgamesh
offers contemporary pan Asian food in dark and opulent surroundings. The range of food covers dim sum, sashimi and tempura as well as signature dishes of beef rendang and ribeye bulgogi and yuzu baby chicken. An express lunch with a choice of 3 courses will cost just £20. Located on Upper St Martin’s Lane which is just on the cusp of Covent Garden.
Can you recall the scene in Eat, Pray, Love when Julia Roberts tries pizza in Naples for the first time and cannot believe her mouth? The restaurant she visited was called L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele
which has been pizza making since 1906 and named “the world’s best pizza”. Luckily for us, they have two restaurants in London including one on Old Compton Street. The interiors of the restaurant are, if we are honest, a little bizarre with such dark decor you are left wondering if they have paid the electricity bill but the pizza is quite simply “the nuts” and they are huge. Don’t settle for bad pizza.
Another good option for pizza with more of a canteen feel is Ruby’s
on Wardour Street. It’s well priced with unusual monthly specials on the menu alongside their good range of classics with vegan options.
Lina Stores
started off life as a one site deli in Brewer Street which still exists today. They have since expanded to restaurants in several locations, but nothing beats the original deli for fresh pasta and salami as well as Christmas hampers and panettones. They have a café and bar to eat on site but if you wanted to buy some groceries or a meal kit then you could prepare your food back at the flat.
Pie and Mash is a working-class British staple which you simply must try. Sadly, so many of the old institutions serving pie, mash and “liquor” (a parsley sauce, not booze) have since closed down but Mother Mash
is here to fill that craving. Choose your pie or sausages, style of mash (including Irish colcannon) and choice of gravy or liquor and tuck in. Finish off with sticky toffee pudding or apple crumble and leave the establishment knowing that you have had yourself a truly British experience.
A collection of restaurants particularly famous for their brunch menu, the Daisy Green Collection brings Australian food and coffee culture to London. Soho is home to Scarlett Green
offering shakshouka, tandoori salmon, Asian chicken salad, mars bar cheesecake and tiramisu for breakfast right up until 5pm. A different menu takes over for the evening. Order a summer negroni with gooseberry gin and don’t look back.
The Breakfast Club
also serves its menu all day and has several locations in London including two in Soho (D’Arblay Street and Old Compton Street). Enjoy pancakes, eggs and all manner of other classics with a strawberry matcha or immunity shot.
St Moritz
on Wardour St was set up in the 1970s and appears to still be in the same decade which is just wonderful. With a wood panelled interior reminiscent of a ski lodge you can choose from several fondues, bratwurst, rosti, veal in cream & mushroom sauce, frogs legs and snails. The wine list is, of course, Swiss.
Chotto Matte; Japanese Peruvian fusion starts here in this lively environment. Stand out menu items include gyoza paired with sea bass ceviche or red prawn truffles with smoked lamb chop. They have live Latin music every Thursday evening and a resident DJ on Friday and Saturday. As you would expect, the drinks menu is also super unusual. Really worth a visit for a unique experience where creative things happen with pisco.
Cecconi’s pizza bar
(yes pizza again) is on Old Compton Street with a range of pizza and pasta choices that you might expect but it is worth noting that they have a Friday and Saturday late night food menu from 11pm to 1am. Try the chocolate negroni.
Bone Daddies
on Peter Street is a great place to pop in and have a quick warming bowl of noodles swimming in delicious broths with Korean and Japanese options.
The Ivy Soho Brasserie
is delightful whether you sit inside or out on Broadwick Street. Famous for their Shepherd’s Pie where the mash is beautifully piped on top, they have a two course heritage lunch menu for £20.95 and they also do an excellent traditional Sunday roast. It’s a great place for non-speedy dining.
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Journal
Here is our guide to getting the best out of London this season. Firstly, the best parks for those photogenic colours and squirrels doing what they do best; squirrelling: Richmond Park - Stunning autumn foliage and rutting deer season (September-October) including a 7 mile circular taking in the Isabella Plantation Hampstead Heath - Golden leaves and crisp walks to Parliament Hill viewpoint, one of the best views of London Greenwich Park - Royal Observatory views framed by autumn trees Regent's Park - Queen Mary's Gardens with late-season roses Hyde Park - Serpentine Lake surrounded by changing leaves St. James's Park - Pelican feeding continues through the autumn months Kensington Gardens - Italian Gardens and Diana Memorial surrounded by autumn colours It’s not all parks and trees, some other recommendations for London’s best head clearing walks include: Thames Path Autumn Section - Westminster to Tower Bridge with golden plane trees Hampstead Heath to Kenwood - Through ancient woodland with stunning views Canal Walk - Regent's Canal from Camden to Little Venice with autumn reflections Literary London Autumn Tour - Keats House and poets' haunts in Hampstead The calendar is full of events this season with a mixture of homegrown & adopted cultures as well as historical events providing the context: Diwali Celebrations the Hindu, Sikh and Jain festival of light with fireworks displays all over London including festivities at Trafalgar Square on Sunday 12th Oct 2025. Remembrance Sunday 9th November 2025 – head to the Cenotaph at Whitehall for a respectful and well attended ceremony and memorial services commemorating Armistice Day. Please consider buying a poppy from the Royal British Legion. Black History Month is in October in the UK rather than February in the US due to historical and culture differences. Watch out for free events, exhibitions, and talks celebrating Black heritage London Oktoberfest draws on the Munich tradition which needs no explanation and takes place over three October weekends in Finsbury Park and Hammersmith. Lederhosen optional. Hallowe’en (31st October) is muted in some areas and impressive in others, especially where there are American communities. Kensington, St Johns Wood and Knightsbridge are all excellent for trick or treating and instagrammable house decorations. Free Halloween activities include self-guided ghost walks through historic areas, Covent Garden and the West End for retail displays, pumpkin picking in some city farms such as Kentish Town and Stepney and underrated graveyard tours in Highgate and Kensal Green Cemeteries to take in the resting places and lore of bygone celebrities. The London Dungeon and The Tower of London are also excellent choices for the spooky season. Bonfire Night - remember remember the 5th of November is famous for Guy Fawkes’ gunpowder plot when he tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament and King Charles I in 1605. [GF didn’t get the King in the end but the parliamentarians did later on when HRH was found guilty of treason and executed in 1649 resulting in a temporary republic. Irony eh?] We have been celebrating this failed/foiled attack with bonfires and fireworks ever since. The best locations for such cavalier displays are Alexandra Palace, Blackheath, Clapham Common and Victoria Park. Some events are tickets only. Perhaps you have heard something about British weather being unpredictable. Don’t stress as many of the best Autumn cosy experiences can be found indoors, including: British Library - Free exhibitions and warm reading rooms Wellcome Collection – Free and special exhibitions with café Royal Festival Hall - River views and free events Barbican Centre - Brutalist architecture, lakeside dining and conservatory Somerset House - Courtyard and river terrace Historic & riverside pubs - The George Inn, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, so many others. Reward yourself with pub pit stops along the way Traditional Sunday roasts - Many pubs offer reasonably priced meals but the best Sunday roast we have ever consumed was courtesy of the Builder’s Arms in Kensington where you can order a sirloin, chicken and lamb rump “to share” for a meagre 4,081 calories Seasonal Tips: • Pack layers and thermos for longer outdoor exploring • After 1st November it will get dark by 4pm so get up and out early • Use heating in cafés and museums as free warming stations • Autumn is known for its harvest so choose produce at markets like Borough • Always carry umbrella for sudden London showers • Wear comfortable waterproof shoes for leaf-covered paths • Check museum late-night openings for shelter during rain • Keep an open mind- you may need to tweak your plans in line with the weather but with a good jacket you may still be able to sit outdoors in some cases. Our verdict: Is Autumn a good time to come to London? Yes! The weather can actually be very mild and city breaks can be uncomfortable during a heat wave. It’s a great time to get away before proper winter. Where should I stay? Our choice would be either near the river or the parks if the outdoor scenes appeal to you and Eldon Chambers is ideal. If you prefer the pre-Christmas retail vibe then perhaps you might prefer Interlude House .
Bloomsbury has a strong academic and literary history and is, of course, home to the British Museum. As you would expect, there are various restaurants catering to tourists that are best avoided if you want a good meal out. Here is our guide to some of the best choices within a 15 minute walk of Virginia House. My Old Dutch is a pancake restaurant on High Holborn. Aside from a multitude of sweet options, they have a surprising selection of savoury options too. If you imagine the sort of toppings you might get on a pizza but instead on a large crêpe then you get the right idea. Absolutely every dish is customisable and they also have a really good salad menu. Reasonably priced. Cocoro on Coptic Street serves hearty bowls of authentic ramen, sashimi and hot pot in an izakaya setting. We love the display food so typical of Japan to help you choose your dish. Flight Club Bloomsbury is more of a social bar that serves food. After a competitive game of darts (yes, darts!) tuck into a sharing platter or a burger. A particularly good spot for groups and located on New Oxford Street. Uzumaki on Gt Russell St is an immersive anime restaurant where you can eat a lovely bowl of brothy ramen, admire the amazing character mural and then exit via the gift shop. Eggslut is just off Tottenham Court Road on Percy Street. It is messy food to eat but the sort of place where you want to eat without conversation so that you can concentrate on the food’s comfort. Everything is set within a sandwich and honestly it’s the best place eat when you are particularly starving. Make your choice and apply to face. The Life Goddess is a Greek deli restaurant on Store Street serving healthy fare such as giant butter beans, kleftiko and crispy liver. A great spot for lunch or dinner with limited outdoor seating. Honey & Co have two local spots; one on Store St and another on Lambs Conduit Street. It offers a modern menu with a Middle Eastern influence. They have a decent breakfast menu and a generous sharing menu for lunch or dinner. Fortitude Bakehouse is not a restaurant and, aside from some sandwiches, they mostly serve delicious pastries and filled doughnuts, sorry, "beignets", in a converted mews garage. All food is to take away and there is some outdoor seating but it’s really very good and has become an internet sensation which is why it is included here. Be prepared to queue unless you get there very early. Located just behind Russell Square underground station. Ciao Bella on Lambs Conduit St is an old fashioned Italian restaurant that has been there for years. It is not the kind of Italian that centres around pizza and pasta but an actual Italian restaurant with actual Italian food on the menu like actual Italians eat.
