Welcome to Soho, arguably the finest place to find yourself hungry in all of the UK. Boasting a diversity of cuisine, concept and price point pretty much unparalleled on these shores, this once (and still occasionally) risqué area of Central London is now home to some of the capital’s most cherished dining experiences.
But with such choice comes a well-worn paradox which sometimes leaves you catatonic in a Côte, spluttering something about their steak frites being ‘actually quite nice’.
Which it is. But anyway, if you’re looking for the creams of the crop, the jewels in the crown, the forces of the tour, then you’ve come to the right place. Here are our favourite restaurants in Soho; the IDEAL 22 places to eat in Soho.
Bocca Di Luppo, Archer Street
Ideal for exciting regional Italian cuisine that changes with the seasons…
Our first pick in Soho’s IDEAL 22, and certainly one of our favourite restaurants in Soho if not all of London, Bocca Di Lupo is without doubt one of the city’s most fortifying restaurants to step into. Its long Carrara marble bar overlooking an open-plan kitchen is reliably abuzz with gentle chatter and the soundtrack of dish after dish of dexterous plating pretty much anytime you drop in (it’s open from midday to 11pm daily, without pause).
The food here is an ode to regional Italian cooking with a focus on sometimes obscure highlights from all twenty regions of Italy. Game and offal is an abiding presence here. The menu changes daily, showcasing a variety of Italian dishes with each item’s region of origin clearly labelled.
Recent highlights have included succulent, subtly-humming pork and foie gras sausages, as well as a unique sanguinaccio dolce – a chocolate pudding flavoured with pig’s blood. The restaurant’s commitment to authenticity extends to its wine list, which features carefully sourced selections from across Italy. What’s not to love?
Address: 12 Archer St, Soho, London W1D 7BB, UK
Website: boccadilupo.com
Read: The best places to eat pasta in Soho
Donia, Kingly Court
Ideal for invigorating Filipino food done with flair…
Kingly Court is a weird old place. Frantically busy at ground floor level and with a weird passive aggressive energy (the outpost of Nightjar here…just don’t), its USP feels aimed at offering some solace from the manic Soho streets outside, but does the exact opposite; it stresses you out.
Give the plastic pints and lurid neon colour scheme a swerve and make for the top floor, and you’ll find some seriously good restaurants however, with Asma Khan’s Darjeeling Express and the brilliant Imad’s Syrian Kitchen both occupying the space. Best of all though, is the recent hit opening Donia, an exciting addition to a string of modern Filipino restaurants that have opened up across the capital in the last few years.
Suddenly, Londoners are conversant in tugak and sisig, tinola and tapa, and we’re very much here for it. At Donia, from the team behind both Panadera Bakery and Mamasons ice cream parlour in Kentish Town, homegrown ingredients – yep, Flourish and Philip Warrens have no doubt had their wicked way here – are celebrated in a series of playful yet sophisticated dishes.
It’s a tight, keenly priced menu, with a gorgeous opening snack of chicken heart skewers clocking in at just £3.50 for five or six blushing bits of offal, glazed until burnished and sitting in a glossy pool of glaze. That is the way to start a meal.
Even better is the pretty-as-a-picture lamb caldereta. Traditionally a goat stew enriched and thickened with Pinoy liver spread (similar in texture and lowkey thrum to a country style French pâté), here the stew has made its home under a lacquered, mahogany-hued pastry dome that crackles as you cut into it. The accompanying sauce is rich and funky, but also aerated to lighten things up. It’s all pretty masterful, comfortingly familiar but with depth and intrigue. You’ll want to order a side of pandesal – Filipino milk loaf – to mop up the sauce. Its adjacent rocher of verdant, bracing chive butter is more than a bonus; it’s one of the highlights of the meal.
Of course, owing to the team’s pedigree in the pastry department, it would be rude not to end on a sweet note. The corn tart is a thing of beauty – sunflower yellow and with pastry that’s crisp but reassuring irregular, its filling straddles the sweet and the savoury in the best possible way. We’d have loved to try the much-hyped ube choux, winner of the Hot Dinners best dessert of the year, too, but by that stage, we were stuffed. Next time, next time…
Donia is closed on Mondays.
Address: 2.14, Top Floor, Kingly Ct, Carnaby St, Carnaby, London W1B 5PW
Website: doniarestaurant.com
Noble Rot Soho, Greek Street
Ideal for seasonally changing, robust yet refined French fare…
One of Soho’s best restaurants first and foremost, Noble Rot is restaurant steeped in political intrigue, having once been the site of the legendary Hungarian restaurant Gay Hussar. A notorious haunt for left-wing politicians such as Clement Atlee, Gordon Brown, and Tony Blair, the dimly lit room here retains a few nooks, crannies and corners of intimacy, where deals could still be done and illicit affairs conducted.
At the helm of Noble Rot Soho’s kitchen is Head Chef Alex Jackson, formerly of the acclaimed Sardine restaurant (now sadly closed) alongside Executive Chef Stephen Harris of the Sportsman. Together, they have crafted a menu that pays homage to the French country cooking that Jackson is known for, while also incorporating subtle nods to the Hungarian culinary traditions of the Gay Hussar. Expect dishes like smoked eel Salade Lyonnaise, and a regularly changing goulash, on not just for posterity’s sake, but also for reasons of pleasure.
As a wine-focused restaurant, Noble Rot Soho boasts an extensive wine list that playfully dabbles in contemporary trends while remaining grounded in traditional winemaking regions and practices. Yep, you won’t find too many cloudy drops here.
Address: 2 Greek St, London W1D 4NB, United Kingdom
Website: noblerot.co.uk
Maresco, Berwick Street
Ideal for Scottish seafood served with Spanish panache…
There’s a glowing blue neon sign on Maresco’s back wall that reads, translated from Spanish, “Spain, Scotland and the sea.” It’s a simple mission statement that belies the gentle sophistication of what’s happening in this corner of Soho, where owner Stephen Lironi – a former record executive and member of new wave punk outfit Altered Images – has created something genuinely original.
The concept was sparked by a Guardian article Lironi read while producing records in the Hollywood Hills, detailing how Scotland’s finest seafood was being exported directly to Spain. Two decades later, after successful ventures in Crouch End (Bar Esteban) and Stoke Newington (Escocesa), he’s brought his vision central, intercepting those Scottish treasures before they cross the Bay of Biscay.
The restaurant’s name reveals this cultural marriage – ‘mar’ meaning sea, and ‘esco’, borrowed from ‘Escocia’, the Spanish word for Scotland – whilst the dining room strikes a perfect balance between fishmonger’s functionality and restaurant theatricality. High stools line the counters, offering front-row views of the open kitchen where head chef Pablo Rodriguez (formerly of Barcelona’s Michelin-starred Jean Luc Figueras) works his magic. The display of ice-packed seafood isn’t just for show – watch as live langoustines wave their pincers moments before being transformed into elegant but full-bodied plates that would feel at home in San Sebastian.
The menu changes daily based on what’s landed from the Scottish coast, but certain dishes have already achieved signature status (as in, there’s mild uproar when they’re not on the menu). Maresco’s take on txistorra reimagines the traditional Basque sausage with mackerel and monkfish, served on mini corn tortillas with spicy yoghurt. The bocadillo de calamar arrives as a noir masterpiece – squid ink-blackened bread stuffed with both grilled and fried squid, a clever textural play made bracing and sensual by generous (in every sense of the word) aioli. Their ‘Bomba Maresco’ offers another creative twist, replacing the traditional meat filling with Shetland mussels, served atop fennel sofrito, pureed and sweet. The bomba wears another round of that aioli like a jaunty little beret.
Two years on from opening, and the international clientele and constant buzz suggest that Maresco has already found its audience, but it’s the fundamentals that will ensure longevity – pristine ingredients treated with respect, backed by an excellent wine list that leans heavily on sherries and Spanish low-intervention wines. For a restaurant that essentially reimagines what could have been a simple tapas bar, Maresco delivers something far more compelling.
Address: 45 Berwick St, London W1F 8SF
Website: maresco.co.uk
Speedboat Bar, Rupert Street
Ideal for a taste of Bangkok’s Chinatown in London…
If you’ve never enjoyed a stroll through Bangkok’s ever bustling Chinatown (aka Yaowarat), now’s your chance to do so without the hassle of flying to Thailand.
Speedboat Bar, a neon-lit gem in London’s Chinatown, is the brainchild of talented, Thai-food obsessed British chef Luke Farrell, who has been exploring the cuisine of the Kingdom for years while bouncing between Dorset, London and Thailand.
The restaurant takes its inspiration from the neon-fuelled party atmosphere of Bangkok’s Chinatown and the thrilling sport of speedboat racing along the canals (klongs) of the city. The menu leans on Thai drinking food, known as gap klaem, with the crispy chicken skins the first thing pretty much everyone orders here. Follow them with a collection of dishes reliably enjoyed on the streets of Yaowarat – clams stir fried in chill jam, and raw shrimp dressed in nahm jim seafood are particular highlights.
All of this is just foreplay before the main event. The Speedboat signature is a tribute to the iconic Jeh O Chula, a shophouse that sits on the outskirts of Bangkok’s Chinatown, and her legendary Tom Yam Mama Noodles – a once late-night special invented by her son which is ideal if you’ve had one too many Thai whisky sodas, and one of our IDEAL 22 street food places in Bangkok to boot.
Open until 1am on Friday and Saturdays and midnight most weeknights, you’ll certainly be having a few of them.
Address: 30 Rupert St, London W1D 6DL, United Kingdom
Website: speedboatbar.co.uk
Barrafina, Dean St.
Ideal for gorging on croquettes, tortilla and other Michelin-starred Spanish small plates…
There are many reasons to head to Barrafina, not least because it’s arguably the best tapas restaurant in London, let alone Soho. But more than that, it’s for the vibe, which is exquisite whatever the weather, time of year, or other extraneous factors that would put lesser London restaurants off their stride…
Barrafina Soho, first opened on Frith Street before moving to Dean, has been around, and consistently packed, since 2007, and has held a Michelin star since 2014. Headed up by recently appointed Andalucia-born Antonio Gonzales Milla, the focus here is classic tapas dishes with an emphasis on seafood.
The restaurant boasts a no-booking policy and an unfussy, ingredients-led approach to dining. The chef’s expertise in Spanish coastal cuisine is found in every dish served at Barrafina, whether that’s in the deceptively simple pan con tomate, topped somewhat unconventionally with finely sliced chives, or on the imposing bomba, a classic croquette from the backstreets of Barcelona. The real joy, though, is found in the fresh fish hooked off the ice display opposite to order, kissed by the plancha within seconds and on your plate a few moments later.
With only 23 seats available around that cherished counter, the space is both intimate and bustling. You’ll never want to leave.
Address: 26-27 Dean St, London W1D 3LL, United Kingdom
Website: barrafina.co.uk
SOLA, Dean Street
Ideal for haute cuisine that marries California’s abundance with Japanese precision…
Born in New York to a French-Spanish mother and American father, Victor Garvey’s culinary journey (you may have seen him on the latest season of Masterchef: The Professionals) has taken him through Barcelona, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Copenhagen. It’s this cosmopolitan background that informs SOLA, where California’s seasonal bounty meets exacting technique in one of Soho’s most accomplished dining rooms.
Following a major refurbishment in late 2023, the restaurant has expanded to include an intimate basement space and a chef’s table, but it’s the ground floor dining room that remains the jewel in the crown.
Here, amid perfectly spaced tables and thoughtful lighting, Garvey and his team deliver a tasting menu of remarkable precision. A sequence of elegant canapés sets the tone – a devilled egg arrives as a hollowed-out shell filled with smoked sturgeon mousse and sauce gribiche, further elevated with espelette pepper and toasted pumpkin seeds. Each course builds on the last, from vodka-cured wild salmon with fresh wasabi and red onion escabeche to the ‘Memories of Kyoto’ sashimi plate, where pristine fish meets roasted baby leeks, avocado sorbet and shimeji mushrooms dressed in kinako vinaigrette.
The highlight arrives midway – Scottish langoustines flambéed tableside, served alongside a bowl of profound dashi broth containing duck liver tortellini and an onsen quail egg. It’s this marriage of classical technique, premium produce and theatrical presentation that earned SOLA its Michelin star in 2021, as well as its current 39th place on the National Restaurant Awards list. At £159 for the tasting menu it’s firmly in special occasion territory, but Garvey’s cooking offers something genuinely distinct in London’s fine dining landscape – a cuisine untethered from geographical constraints yet precise in its execution.
Address: 64 Dean St, London W1D 4QQ
Website: solasoho.com
The Devonshire, Denman Street
Ideal for London pub dining done right…
Our latest addition to the IDEAL 22, if you’re looking for where to eat and drink in Soho, then this is the place. Sure, you’ll need to have scored a reservation actual months in advance. And yes, you run the risk of running into TopJaw hanging around outside clutching a microphone and an untouched Guinness. But the absurdly hyped Devonshire is worth those considerable hurdles to your patronage, with a dream team of consummate host Oisin Rogers, Flat Iron founder Charlie Carroll and decorated chef Ashley Palmer Watts all bringing their unique expertise to this supremely confident pub/restaurant/bar-and-grill.
Standing proud on a street corner where Piccadilly becomes Soho, The Devonshire sprawls over four floors, with the pub on the ground floor walk-ins only and the dining rooms above very much needing to be booked. Once you’ve secured a table in the Grill Room section of the restaurant, you’ll want to order from the grill section of the menu, which makes up almost half of everything that leaves the kitchen here, sourced from a string of bespoke suppliers via the Devonshire’s dedicated butchery room, which boasts space for 4000 steaks.
Go for the ribeye (around 300 grams for £36), which gets chucked on the handsome wood fired grill until a gorgeous bark has formed but it’s still blushing in the centre, of course. It’s wonderful, and only elevated further by a gold standard Béarnaise sauce (yours for £2.50). Because this is a place of excess, pair your steak with the ‘pile of langoustines’, which are, well, just that; halved and grilled, a generous shower of rock salt and plenty of seasoning from a smoking stack of beechwood seemingly all they need.
If you’re going to make a cursory nod to health and vitality, then be warned; all sides come with a good dose of fat; buttered carrots, creamed leeks, duck fat potatoes…you get the picture. A rich, thick pint of the black stuff feels appropriate right now, and this is one that won’t be documented on any tedious ‘pints’ accounts on Instagram, that’s for sure.
Despite it’s seemingly unstoppable wave of popularity, things are kept humble with a reassuringly priced set menu that will set you back £29 for three generous courses. Currently, it’s prawn and langoustine cocktail, skirt steak, chips and Béarnaise, and an indulgent sticky toffee pudding to end on. And it’s ended us, too; we’re stuffed…
Address: The Devonshire, 17 Denman St, London W1D 7HW
Website: devonshiresoho.co.uk
Koya Soho, Frith Street
Ideal for a nourishing Japanese breakfast and the best udon noodles in Soho…
Shuko Oda’s Koya is one of London’s most straightforwardly enjoyable, soul-nourishing restaurants, Japanese or otherwise. The menu here focuses on two types of udon atsu-atsu (hot noodles in a hot broth) and hiya-atsu (a hot broth with cold noodles on the side), with plenty of extra treats and toppings to liven up proceedings.
The iconic traditional Japanese breakfast and steaming bowls of udon noodles with tempura prawn are the headliners, but there’s so much more to enjoy here, from the perfectly poised house pickles all the way to braised pork belly with cider, gelatinous and giving in all the right places. It’s an absolute joy.
Address: 50 Frith St, London W1D 4SQ, United Kingdom
Website: koya.co.uk
Quo Vadis, Dean Street
Ideal for timeless British food in the most illustrious of settings…
Jeremy Lee has been at the helm of Quo Vadis since 2012. With the voice of a thespian and the culinary generosity of the old French masters, he represents everything that is good and great with cooking on this isle.
The food at Quo Vadis is a lesson in simple British fare with a flourish of French technique; be it in a whole mackerel served prosaically/poetically with just a wedge of lemon, or a wing of skate dressed with brown butter, capers and parsley. Or, simply, a plate of pate and pickles.
Mainstays of the menu include one of Lee’s signature dishes; the iconic smoked eel and pink pickled onion sandwich, which you’ll find in many a listicle of must try dishes in London. Then there’s always a pie – golden, pastry bottom intact, filled generously – on the menu. Just delicious and oh-so satisfying.
For us, desserts are one of the main draws here. Though not always on the menu, the profiteroles here are simply irresistible and are something we dream of, much like Lee himself.
Address: 26-29 Dean St, London W1D 3LL
Website: quovadissoho.co.uk
Temper Soho, Broadwick Street
Ideal for basement level barbecue with a difference…
Temper Soho is a one-of-a-kind barbecue restaurant nestled beneath Broadwick Street in a vast basement space, its grungy, below street-level surrounds feeling synergistic with the live fire cooking and nose-to-tail ethos of the place.
The restaurant’s centrepiece is a giant fire pit, where chefs expertly cook whole animals sourced from English farms. If you’re expecting an American style barbeque joint with brisket and burnt ends, you’ll be sadly disappointed – that, or pleasantly surprised.
Instead, the menu at Temper Soho comes with a pronounced Mexican inflection, with quirks from other countries, like their fantastic gochujang butter served with beef fat cornbread, keeping things interesting.
Made for sharing, their whole beast board blessed with a whole host lesser-used cuts of beef including house-made sausages, smoked ox cheek, liver and ox heart anticucho skewers, is one of the best things an omnivore with a particular penchant for grilled food can enjoy in London.
Address: 25 Broadwick St, London W1F 0DF
Website: temperrestaurant.com
Berenjak, Romilly Street
Ideal for a taste of Iran in the heart of the city…
Berenjak, Soho’s first Iranian restaurant, is another JKS Restaurants creation, with skilled chef Kian Samyani, formerly of Gymkhana and Brigadiers, at the helm.
Inspired by Tehran’s hole-in-the-wall kabab houses, the menu features succulent charcoal grilled kababs and khoresht (stews), as well as superb mazeh-style small plates and, perhaps most famously, an incredible baklava ice cream sandwich.
The name itself is inspired by the brightly coloured, toasted rice snacks enjoyed at Persian funfairs, setting the tone for a playful, nostalgic dining experience, as well as the dining room itself; all beautifully intricate Iranian tiles and rich leather banquette seating.
What truly sets Berenjak apart, however, is the sense of family, community and conviviality that permeates the entire dining experience. Samyani’s long-standing relationships with his team members, some of whom he has known for over a decade, ensure that the restaurant operates with a genuine warmth. And that’s not just coming from the charcoal grill!
Address: 27 Romilly St, London W1D 5AL, United Kingdom
Website: berenjaklondon.com
Ramo Ramen, Brewer Street
Ideal for ravishing bowls of Filipino flavoured Japanese ramen…
A few years ago there was a ramen revolution in London, thanks in part to Momofuku’s David Chang, whose Japanese-Korean fusion bowls are often credited with the rise of ramen across the pond.
Today, you can get a good bowl of ramen just about anywhere in the city, especially Soho. But through its unique fusion of Filipino and Japanese flavours and their unorthodox riffs on ramen, Ramo Ramen has given us a whole new reason to bite into a bowl of toothsome noodles and slurp away.
So, what to order here? With a 16-hour fish and tamarind broth, their heady and intoxicating Sinigang Ramen is a standout dish for us.
Whatever you take a punt on, Ramo Ramen has quickly become one of the most interesting Soho restaurants, and a fine purveyor of ramen to boot. Not only are they proving that ramen is so much more than a sum of its parts, but the chefs behind the restaurant are also helping change perceptions of Filipino food in the city. And we’re very much here for that.
Address: 28 Brewer St, London W1F 0SR, United Kingdom
Website: ramoramen.com
Gauthier Soho, Romilly Street
Ideal for a 100% plant-based high-end fine dining experience in London…
This much loved and lauded vegan-only fine dining restaurant subverts the traditions of your classical French fine-dining experience, focusing instead on vegetables and plant-based cuisine
Unlike some British culinary institutions that tend to treat vegetables as an afterthought or distraction, at Gauthier they are everything – the main focus – paired with herbs and spices to create decadent combinations.
And in true indulgent, fine-dining style, the food here is delivered as a tasting menu. In fact, Gauthier Soho claims to be the first classical French fine-dining vegan restaurant in the world. It also claims to be the world’s first primary sustainable gastronomic restaurant – in other words, their carbon footprint is relatively low because of the ingredients they choose not to use. And that’s something we can all throw our support behind, don’t you think?
Some of the highest praise we can offer is that this isn’t simply one of the best places to eat vegan food in Soho, but simply one of the best places to eat in Soho, full stop.
Address: 21 Romilly Street, London W1D 5AF
Website: gauthiersoho.co.uk
Dishoom, Kingly Street
Ideal for the best Bombay-based bites this side of Ghuar Moti
We realise it’s a pretty boring choice, but hey; judging by those queues and all the gratis chai, people still love this place for a reason…
For those not in the know, Dishoom is an enduringly popular and lovingly curated Indian restaurant serving classic Bombay dishes that, just like the 60s Bombay beat bands that the vibe is inspired by, are sure to delight you.
The crowds come here (and boy do they come here) for Dishoom’s trademark bacon naan roll, which involves crispy bacon, chilli jam, cream cheese and herbs, all encased in a freshly baked naan that’s been brushed in melted butter. It’s just the fuel you need before taking on shops of Soho.
Even better is the chef’s special at the Kingly Street branch, the Salli Boti, a tender curried lamb dish that is braised in a rich gravy and finished with salli crisp chips. A Parsi classic, this one is sure to open your mind to the distinct flavours of the ethnoreligious group.
Still hungry? Then order a plate of Dishoom’s deep and rich house black dal alongside an Indo-Chinese inspired dish of crispy garlic-ginger-soy-chilli-chicken. You won’t be sorry. Next time you visit, and there will be a next time, have Dishoom’s signature chicken ruby curry – it’s heavenly.
If you can’t get the Kingly Street, then Dishoom has nine other restaurants across the UK, with four more in London, in Kensington, Shoreditch, King’s Cross, and Covent Garden. Oh, and for every meal sold, Dishoom donates a school lunch to underprivileged kids in India and the UK. Great stuff!
Address: 22 Kingly St, Carnaby, London W1B 5QP
Website: dishoom.com
Lina Stores, Greek Street
Ideal for poetic, freshly rolled pasta…
The pasta scene in London has arguably never been better; from Peckham’s Artusi and London Bridge’s Padella all the way to Shoreditch’s Manteca, the best Italian restaurants in London offer an embarrassment of riches in the form of unleavened dough. Indeed, London is brimming with excellent Italian restaurants, some new and some old. Lina stores, a beloved Soho institution, falls into the latter camp.
Serving authentic Italian cuisine since 1944, Lina Stores was originally a delicatessen and over the years expanded its offerings to include fresh homemade pasta, sweets, cured meats, and cheeses, all imported straight from Italy. Today, it has six locations in London with the Greek Street branch being an extension of their original delicatessen nearby on Brewer Street. With its iconic ice-cream parlour pastel facade, it’s undeniably one of the best places for pasta in the city.
Our advice is to pull up a stool at their 12 seater bar in front of the open kitchen and prioritise the pasta. Their spaghetti with Amalfi lemon, fiery pink peppercorns and drifts of Grana Padano of is one of the most simple yet sensational pasta plates in the city.
For those keen to try as much of the menu as possible, Lina is on the more affordable end of the dining out in Central London price spectrum, with that amalfi lemon number clocking in at just £7.50 – assess your hunger and then order as many of these as you can rationalise!
Address: 51 Greek St, London W1D 4EH
Website: linastores.co.uk
Read: The best brunch in Soho
The Palomar, Rupert Street
Ideal for modern Jerusalem cuisine and a raucous, arak-soaked session…
The Palomar is a cornerstone of Soho’s vibrant dining scene, a place where shots of arak are taken down with almost as much vigour as you’ll find in the ever-present, za’atar spiked labneh, perfect for pulling through with the just grilled house pita.
Founded by siblings Zoë and Layo Paskin, it’s a thrilling whirl through modern Jerusalem cuisine, which draws inspiration from the rich cultures of Southern Spain, North Africa, and the Levant. While the bread and dip section of the mnu is a wonderful way to start (and punctuate a meal), it’s the stuff cooked over coals at The Palomar that really gets us going. Think impossibly succulent lamb rump given vivacity via a pert salsa verde, and oh-so crispy metugan bream served alongside Israeli kimchi and green harrisa – the latter tasting as striking as it looks.
Yep, this is a place where you’ll leave feeling full but flighty, satisfied but sprightly, and that’s a tough balancing act to pull off.
Address: 34 Rupert St, London W1D 6DN
Website: thepalomar.co.uk
The French House, Dean Street
Ideal for superbly seasoned steak tartare and other French bistro favourites…
The French House holds a special place in our hearts for more than one reason. Firstly, it satisfies the need to have a quick pint before a dinner date, while also providing a moment to truly acknowledge and appreciate Soho’s history and just how great its pubs are. But more importantly, it’s also one of our favourite places to eat in the capital.
While it’s known as an iconic London pub by many, the French House also has a small, exquisite dining room upstairs serving immensely satisfying French fare. It’s our go to place whenever we have a hankering for nimbly seasoned steak tartare, or when a craving for steak frites suddenly strikes. Which, we’re shy to admit, is rather often…
The dining room at The French House has a storied past, having been opened by Fergus and Margot Henderson in 1992. Today it is headed up by the talented chef Neil Borthwick who has worked at prestigious establishments such as The Connaught (where he met his wife, chef and national treasure Angela Hartnett) and Merchants Tavern, which he co-founded with Hartnett. Borthwick’s culinary prowess is evident in the hearty, fuss-free French cuisine served at The French House, and long may it continue.
Address: 49 Dean St, London W1D 5BG
Website: frenchhousesoho.com
Barshu, Frith Street
Ideal for Sichuan fans looking for a mala hit…
London is blessed with some superb Sichuan restaurants, but if you’re seeking faithful, fearsome, f’ing delicious renditions of the region’s staples, then Barshu (an apt name considering the ol’ Scoville Heat Units) in Soho will see you right. Unlike many similar spots in the city, the food here is not watered down for the Great British palate, and is all the better for it..
Whilst capsaicin-philes will find plenty on the menu at Bar Shu to tantalise and titillate, perhaps the straight up spiciest dish on the menu is the boiled sea bass with sizzling chilli oil (Shuizhu Yu). We recommend ordering some cooling dishes to help temper its rougher edges.
Elsewhere on the menu, we adore the dumplings doused in a smoky chilli oil and a vinegar sauce that’s so delicious you can slurp the liquid just by itself. We have. Or, head here for perhaps the finest bowl of dan dan noodles in the city. Yep, there’s a lot to love about the food here.
Address: 28 Frith St, London W1D 5LF
Website: Barshurestaurant.co.uk
Kiln, Brewer Street
Ideal for Thai barbecue with a sense of both fun and theatre…
Kiln is quite the sensory spectacle, with bar seating overlooking flames, smouldering coals, clattering clay pots and burning woks. The vibe transports you right out of central London and to somewhere altogether hotter and more rustic.
And that’s before you’ve even had a bite here. When you do, you’ll find Thai plates that are downright delicious and frequently fiery.
With a focus on high quality ingredients, the menu changes seasonally. Our favourite time to visit is during game season, where the menu comes alive with jungle curries of wood pigeon or wild mallard and minced laab salads of raw venison.
A mainstay and must order on the menu is Kiln’s grilled cull yaw skewers sprinkled in cumin; so damn delicious and an unforgettable snack. Follow with the clay pot baked glass noodles (a standout dish that’s never been taken off the menu) and you’ve got yourself a gorgeous little meal.
Address: 58 Brewer St, London W1F 9TL
Website: kilnsoho.com
Keu, Poland Street
Ideal for some of the most exciting bánh mì outside of Vietnam…
The bánh mì, a sandwich sold throughout the streets of Vietnam which beautifully melds French and Vietnamese ingredients, is one of the world’s greatest sandwiches. And some of the best Vietnamese sandwiches in London can be found at Keu where they are fresh, crisp and astonishingly delicious.
With thirteen fillings to choose from, Keu’s stellar bánh mì making operation sees hundreds of baguettes made each day. From classic fillings of pate and pickles to less traditional takes like slow braised mackerel in caramelised fish sauce, all the way to their kimchi-filled bánh mì that comes with honey glazed pork, there’s something for everyone here.
Address: 9 Poland St, London W1F 8PY
Website: banhmikeu.co.uk
Dehesa, Ganton Street
Ideal for creative modern tapas in Soho…
We end, exhausted and inebriated, at Ganton Street’s Dehesa. In fact, we might be full to finish this one. Why not check out our write-up of the restaurant here, rather than eating a single bite more today? The IDEAL 22 restaurants can have that effect on your waistline, we think.
And when our appetites both resume, we’ll see you over in Marylebone; whoever arrives first gets the Welsh rarebit croquettes in? Deal.
