Going for dinner with Billie Piper? Well, if you are, you’d do well to remember this handy mnemonic for navigating your way around Soho, as the letters indicate the order of this most famous of district’s streets. So, that’s Greek, Frith, Dean, Wardour, Berwick, and Poland…
Today – Billie or no Billie – we’re stopping off for dinner on Dean, a street that boasts some of London’s most beloved restaurants, all within walking distance of one another, and just a stone’s throw from Oxford Circus to boot.
Everything’s in such close proximity in fact, and the al fresco vibe so convivial – continental even – that you could comfortably spend a whole day here, taking a leisurely brunch at Dean Street Townhouse before effortlessly transitioning into lunch perched at the counter of one of London’s most capable, confident tapas bars.
A few afternoon pints in a Soho institution to follow, before dinner at any one of the strip’s many esteemed eateries. Finish with a show at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club and that’s a Dean Street day done right.
It’s been too long. Anyway, don’t let us dictate your day (or maybe, just a little). Instead, take your pick from these; the best restaurants on Dean Street, Soho.
Barrafina
Ideal for Michelin star tapas in Soho…
Sixteen years ago, the iconic Soho tapas bar Barrafina opened its first location on Dean Street and was instantly met with rapturous reception – no introduction needed. Co-founded by restaurateurs Sam and Eddie Hart, the restaurant promised a no-booking policy and a dedication to showcasing ingredients-led dishes, offering a brand of dining that wasn’t nearly as common as it is today.
At the helm of Barrafina’s culinary success is chef director Angel Zapata Martin, a champion of authentic Spanish tapas in the UK. With previous experience working in renowned restaurants like the 3-Michelin starred El Racó de Can Fabes, the chef brings his expertise in Spanish cuisine to every dish served at Barrafina, whether that’s in the deceptively simple pan con tomate, topped perhaps unconventionally with finely sliced chives, or on the imposing Bomba, a classic croquette from the backstreets of Barcelona. An oozing tortilla topped with an unnecessary (though totally welcome) piping of aioli seals the deal.
That said, it’s on the portable, personal chalkboard of specials – constantly doing the rounds of the L-shaped central counter here – where the real joy is found, with fresh fish hooked off the ice display opposite to order, and kissed by the plancha within seconds. If there’s ever a whole John Dory on, dressed simply with quality sherry vinegar and fried slices of garlic that are almost bitter, then make it yours.
Only 23 coveted seats exist around the illustrious counter (modelled on the beloved Cal Pep of Barcelona), creating an energetic yet intimate atmosphere with the buzzing of patrons and primarily Spanish staff. It’s a spot on a stool that will leave you feeling complete contentment.
Barrafina Soho had held a Michelin star since 2014, but recently – inexplicably – lost it. Perhaps the inspectors just wanted to better their chance of snagging a quick table?
Address: 26-27 Dean St, London W1D 3LL
Website: barrafina.co.uk
Quo Vadis
Ideal for smoked eel sandwiches, proper pies with pastry bottoms and decadent desserts, all in the most Soho of surrounds…
Originally founded by Italian entrepreneur Peppino Leoni at the start of the 20th century, Quo Vadis has come a long way – from its beginnings as a notorious brothel to being the home of Karl Marx, who wrote Das Kapital within its walls. This year, Quo Vadis underwent a grand renovation, expanding the restaurant’s capacity to 40 covers and ushering in a new era of sophistication and luxury. Today, Quo Vadis continues to captivate all who visit with its timeless appeal.
Some constants remain, and the beating heart of the modern day Quo Vadis isn’t as much the building, per se, but the renowned, charismatic chef behind the last decade of evolution, Jeremy Lee.
Lee, a tall Scottish cook with a passion for regional British produce, has been at the helm of Quo Vadis since 2012. Known for his bold and generous culinary creations, Lee is a rare phenomenon in the London food world – a chef universally adored for his dedication to simple, delicious food. With the voice of a thespian and the culinary generosity of the old French masters, Lee has made Quo Vadis very much his own.
Thankfully, the new look Quo Vadis hasn’t led to a complete reworking of Lee’s signature dishes; the smoked eel and pink pickled onion sandwich is still here and still bloody satisfying, and there’s always a pie – golden, pastry bottom intact, filled generously – on the menu. Desserts are, unsurprisingly, as good as ever; don’t miss out on the simultaneously nostalgic but grown-up rice pudding served with rhubarb and pistachio.
Of course, part of the appeal of Quo Vadis are the larger rooms upstairs designed for intimate (or, let’s face it, debauched, group dining). This legendary restaurant boasts not one, not two, but three private dining rooms on its second floor, with a capacity of over thirty guests in each. Whether you’re planning an octogenarian’s birthday celebration or an orgy, this is the space for you.
Address: 26-29 Dean St, London W1D 3LL
Website: quovadissoho.co.uk
SO|LA
Ideal for creative Californian cuisine in an elegant, intimate dining room…
Fast becoming regarded as one of the best luxury restaurants in London, minus all the unnecessary frippery associated with that kind of experience, SO|LA is the place to eat on Dean Street if you’re looking for a fuss-free fine dining experience.
Opened in 2019 by the talented, Spanish-born but American raised Victor Garvey, it didn’t take long for the accolades to come knocking at this light and airy interpretation of Californian’s coastal flavours. A Michelin star followed just a year later.
Victor Garvey, a chef with an international outlook, honed his skills in renowned restaurants across Spain, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Tokyo, Copenhagen, and Marbella before opening SO|LA. That rich and diverse experience shows in his creative Californian cooking, all served in an elegant, intimate dining room adorned with abundant plants and sculptural lighting, evoking the lush greenery, soft sunshine and laid back luxury of The Golden State.
The menu at SO-LA is testament to Garvey’s passion for using top-quality ingredients and showcasing them in simple yet innovative dishes. On the menu right now (and likely only for the next month or so), a tartlet of smoked eel, tear-drop peas and sharp/sweet bonito jelly is as fresh an interpretation of a dewy spring day in the UK as we’ve ever tasted, all garnished with that Californian eclecticism, lightness of touch and confidence in the ingredient.
Even better was a tail of langoustine, arriving on a rock before being flambeed tableside, the flames threatening the starched white napkin the rock was resting on. Served with foie gras and ginger, it’s a thrilling dish of high camp. Well, this is the heart of London’s theatre district, after all.
With a no choice tasting menu at both lunch and dinner (clocking in at £99 and £165, respectively) and a tight wine list made up of proudly, resolutely Californian wines aside from its champagne section, the vision here is one of brevity and levity, both in the dining room and on the plate.
It’s a restaurant we can’t wait to return to.
Address: 64 Dean St, London W1D 4QQ, United Kingdom
Website: solasoho.com
Ducksoup
Ideal for an eclectic natural wine list and thoughtful, seasonal sharing plates…
Not only is the eponymous dish absent on the menu at Ducksoup, but the focus of the bar/restaurant, it could be argued, actually falls just as enthusiastically on its natural wine list as it does the food.
That’s not to say that the loosely Italian, hyper seasonal menu at Ducksoup is an afterthought. Though the prosaic name and somewhat brooding entrance don’t give much away about what lies within, once you’re ensconced at the intimate counter seating – not as much knocking elbows with neighbours as spilling your sauce’s splashback on them – you’re going to get fed.
It’s one of the best places to eat well as a vegetarian in Soho, too. The chef, Tom Hill, has a particularly wicked way with beans, and a recent dish of braised butter beans and chickpeas, adorned with a soft, oozing goat’s cheese, was knock-out. Again, apologies to those neighbouring diners of ours, though…
Anyway, back to that wine, which is an eclectic, rule breaking bunch of biodynamic bottles from a rotating cast of just three or four producers, keeping things intimate and interesting. On our last visit, we were enamoured with a Malvasia from producer Mates Skerlji, which boasted an energetic brininess perfectly suited to a dish of mussels and braised fregola. Divine!
The restaurant has recently added a couple of ducklings to the family, expanding to include Rawduck in Hackney and a third restaurant soon to open in Battersea.
Website: ducksoupsoho.co.uk
Address: 41 Dean St, London W1D 4PY
The French House
Ideal for indulgent French fare in a Dean Street institution…
This historic pub and dining room has been a Soho institution since its inception in 1891. Originally known as the York Minster, it was run by Victor and Gaston Berlemont, a Belgian father and son duo, from 1914 to 1989, and quickly became a popular gathering place for writers like Brendan Behan and Dylan Thomas.
Though it’s always been known as ‘’The French’’ by those who patronised it, the name was finally changed to ‘The French House’ after a fire in 1984, the sign bearing the ‘York Minster’ name destroyed and the affectionate title used by patrons officially adopted.
The Dining Room at The French House has an equally storied past, having been opened by the inimitable Fergus and Margot Henderson in 1992. Fergus later left to establish the iconic St. John restaurant in Smithfield, while Margot continued to run the dining room for several years, before herself departing to open Rochelle Canteen, one of our (and many, many other’s) favourite spots in the city. Big shoes to fill indeed…
Today, The French House is helmed by the talented chef Neil Borthwick, who brings his extensive culinary experience and massive feet under the table. Before taking over the reins at The French House, Borthwick worked at prestigious establishments such as The Connaught, where he met his wife, the famed chef Angela Hartnett, and Merchants Tavern, which he co-founded with Hartnett. His impressive resume also includes stints at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant and under renowned chef Michel Bras.
Borthwick’s culinary prowess is evident in the hearty, fuss-free French cuisine served at The French House, and the dishes here have earned his iteration of this storied establishment a coveted spot at Number 40 in the current UK’s Top 100 Restaurants List.
This is opulent, old school French cooking at its finest, with a whole head (yes, a whole head) of confit garlic served atop a slice of sourdough toast, just begging to be crushed into its pores with the most gentle of caresses. A properly piquant goat’s curd joins the party because, well, why not?
Follow with a whole roasted dover sole, served on the bone and dressed in copious amounts of nut brown butter. Deploy the excellent house rillettes and chunky beef tartare almost as side dishes, and have a very happy heart attack on the way out.
Website: frenchhousesoho.com
Address: 49 Dean St, London W1D 5BG, United Kingdom
Tonkotsu
Ideal for next-level ramen done right…
Next up, we’re heading to Tonkotsu, whose namesake noodle dish is one of the finest in the city, let alone just Soho.
The team at Tonkotsu takes pride in their homemade noodles, which are crafted daily using their custom-made noodle machine and a precision pH level that’s top secret. Their Classic Tonkotsu Ramen is, of course, the must-try here, with its silky pork bone broth, slices of fatty but tender roast pork belly, and noodles cooked for 32 seconds. Yep, this is meticulous work indeed, but it’s still a bowl that bears plenty of its soul; the perfect balance, we think.
Opened in 2012 by co-founders Ken Yamada and Emma Reynolds, the restaurant is the result of the duo’s painstaking (and futile) search for great ramen in London. Because, as the ancient Japanese proverb intones, ‘’if you want something done properly, do it yourself, innit?’’.
Prior to opening Tonkotsu, Ken and Emma ran a series of pop-up ramen events at their sushi and katsu joint, Tsuru, for six months. Their dedication to authenticity led them to make their own noodles in-house, setting them apart from other ramen shops.
Today, the successful Tonkotsu brand has expanded to multiple locations across London, Brighton (one of our favourite bowls of noodles in the city), and Birmingham.
Keep an eye out for the restaurant’s guest chef collaborations, usually released to celebrate Tonkotsu’s birthday in the capital. Recent rippers have included Jose Pizzaro’s Iberico pork ramen with piquillo peppers, served with a shot of sherry, and, last year, chef John Chantarasak’s ramen/khao soi mash-up.
Address: 63 Dean St, London W1D 4QG, United Kingdom
Website: tonkotsu.co.uk
Read: The best ramen restaurants in Soho
Pizza Pilgrims
Ideal for a restaurant full of fun and frivolity that still takes its pizzas very seriously indeed…
The Dean Street branch of Pizza Pilgrims was their first permanent site, and to many, it’s still the best iteration of this much loved pizza chain.
Come for the wood-fired Neapolitan, get tempted by the Double Pepperoni and Spicy Honey (it works), and stay for several delicious Gin and Pocellos, their own version of Limoncello – just delicious. Pizza Pilgrim’s mantra is ‘In Crust We Trust’, and they stay true to this pledge with a base of lightness, chew, a hint of sourness and the requisite heat blisters that are the hallmark of a true pizza from Southern Italy. Their arancini balls make an excellent starter, too.
Though it’s always a laugh tucking into your pizza around the restaurant’s central fussball table, if you’re not a child it’s even more fun to get takeaway, a few cans and head to Soho Square.
We’ll see you there?
Website: www.pizzapilgrims.co.uk
Address: 11 Dean St, Soho, London W1D 3RP, UK