Greetings from Soho, possibly the best spot in the UK to go hungry. Some of the most treasured eating experiences in the city may be found in this once (and occasionally still) risqué section of Central London, which boasts a range of food, concept, and price point virtually unmatched on these shores.
However, this option entails a well-known paradox that can occasionally render you speechless in a Côte, muttering something like their steak frites being “actually quite nice.”
which is accurate. In any case, you’ve come to the correct spot if you’re searching for the best of the best, the crown jewels, or the tour’s forces. These are our top picks for Soho dining establishments—the IDEAL 22.
Archer Street’s Bocca Di Luppo
Ideal for flavourful, seasonally-changing regional Italian food…
Our first choice at Soho’s IDEAL 22, and unquestionably one of our fave spots in Soho, if not all of London, is Bocca Di Lupo, which is unquestionably one of the most robust eateries in the city. Open daily from lunchtime to 11pm without interruption, its long Carrara marble bar facing an open-plan kitchen is always bustling with light conversation and the sound of inventive plating from dish to dish.
With an emphasis on occasionally overlooked gems from each of Italy’s twenty regions, the cuisine serves here is a tribute to regional Italian cookery. Here, game and offal are omnipresent. Every day, a range of Italian foods are included on the menu, each with its place of origin prominently identified.
Savoury, delicately scented pork and foie gras sausages have been a recent highlight, along with the unusual sanguinaccio dolce, which is a chocolate custard flavoured with pig’s blood. The restaurant’s meticulously chosen wine list, which includes wines from all throughout Italy, reflects its dedication to authenticity. Is there anything not to love?
Kingly Court, Donia
Perfect for energising Filipino cuisine prepared with flair
The old Kingly Court is an odd location. Ground floor bustling and with an odd passive aggressive vibe (here is the Nightjar outpost; just avoid it), its USP seems to be trying to provide some relief from the chaotic Soho streets outside but actually makes you feel more stressed.
On the upper level, however, you’ll find some genuinely outstanding restaurants (Asma Khan’s Darjeeling Express and the excellent Imad’s Syrian Kitchen filling the area; eschew the plastic pints and garish neon colour scheme). The best of them, though, is the recently opened sensation Donia, an intriguing addition to the many contemporary Filipino eateries that have sprung up across the capital in recent years.
Londoners are suddenly familiar with tugak and sisig, as well as tinola and tapa, and we’re all for it. Homegrown ingredients are celebrated in a number of sophisticated yet whimsical dishes at Donia, from the team behind both Panadera Bakery and Mamasons ice cream parlour in Kentish Town. Yes, Flourish and Philip Warrens have undoubtedly had their wicked way here.
A stunning first snack of chicken heart skewers, costing only £3.50 for five or six blushing chunks of offal that are glazed until burnished and sitting in a lustrous pool of glaze, is part of the menu’s clever pricing strategy. That’s how a meal should begin.
Better still is the gorgeous lamb caldereta. Traditionally, this is a goat stew thickened and enhanced with Pinoy liver spread, which has a texture and subtle thrum akin to a country-style French pâté. However, in this instance, the stew is housed beneath a mahogany-colored pastry dome that has been lacquered, and it crackles as you cut into it. Rich and funky, but also aerated to lighten things up, is the accompanying sauce. Everything about it is quite skilful, familiar yet reassuring, full of nuance and intrigue. To soak up the sauce, you should get a side order of pandesal, or Filipino milk bread. Not only is the rocher of invigorating, verdant chive butter next to it a treat, but it’s one of the meal’s pleasures.
Given the team’s history in pastry making, it would be impolite to end without something sweet. The corn tart is a work of art; its filling perfectly balances the sweet and savoury flavours, and its sunflower yellow crust has a crisp yet comforting irregularity. We were so full by then that we missed the much-discussed ube choux, which had won the Hot Dinners best dessert of the year award. Let’s try again later.
Greek Street, Soho Noble Rot
Perfect for elegant yet hearty, seasonally-changing French cuisine…
Primarily a top-notch restaurant in Soho, Noble Rot has a rich political history as it was formerly the location of the renowned Hungarian eatery Gay Hussar. A well-known hangout for left-wing politicians like Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, and Clement Atlee, this darkly lit area still has a few intimate nooks and corners where business could still be done and extramarital affairs could still take place.
Head Chef Alex Jackson, who was previously the Executive Chef of the Sportsman and the Head Chef at the critically acclaimed Sardine restaurant (which is tragically no longer open), oversees the kitchen at Noble Rot Soho. Together, they have created a cuisine that honours Jackson’s signature French country cooking style while also subtly referencing the Gay Hussar’s Hungarian culinary heritage. Anticipate delicacies such as Salade Lyonnaise with smoked eel and a frequently rotating goulash, served for both enjoyment and historical significance.
Noble Rot Soho is a wine-focused restaurant with a comprehensive wine list that toes the line between traditional winemaking regions and practices and modern trends with a fun touch. Yes, there aren’t too many overcast drops here.
Rupert Street’s Speedboat Bar
Perfect for experiencing a bit of Bangkok’s Chinatown in London
This is your chance to see Bangkok’s vibrant Chinatown, also known as Yaowarat, without having to deal with the inconvenience of travelling to Thailand if you’ve never had the chance.
The brilliant, Thai-food-obsessed British chef Luke Farrell, who has been hopping between Dorset, London and Thailand for years, is the creator of Speedboat Bar, a neon-lit treasure in London’s Chinatown.
The restaurant draws inspiration from two main sources: the exhilarating sport of speedboat racing along Bangkok’s canals (klongs) and the neon-fueled party atmosphere of Chinatown. The menu focusses mostly on gap klaem, or Thai drinking food, and almost everyone starts with the crispy chicken skins. After that, savour a selection of foods that are commonly consumed in Yaowarat’s streets. Two standouts are the raw prawns dressed in nahm jim fish and the stir-fried prawns with cool jam.
This is all mere preamble to the major event. The Speedboat signature pays homage to the legendary Tom Yam Mama Noodles, a late-night treat created by her son that is perfect if you’ve had too many Thai whisky sodas, as well as the iconic Jeh O Chula, a shophouse on the outskirts of Bangkok’s Chinatown. It’s also one of our IDEAL 22 street food spots in Bangkok.
You’ll undoubtedly be having a few of them because they’re open until midnight most weeknights and one am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Dean Street, Barrafina.
Perfect for indulging on tortillas, croquettes, and other Michelin-starred Spanish appetisers…
Barrafina is worth visiting for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it’s maybe the greatest tapas restaurant in all of London, much alone Soho. More importantly, though, is the atmosphere, which is superb regardless of the season, weather, or other unrelated elements that would make less well-regarded London restaurants stumble.
Originally located on Frith Street before relocating to Dean, Barrafina Soho has been a fixture in the area since 2007 and has been recognised with a Michelin star since 2014. Seafood is the main focus of this restaurant, which is led by Antonio Gonzales Milla, a recent hire who was born in Andalucia.
The eatery is known for its fuss-free, ingredients-led eating philosophy and its no-booking policy. From the deceptively simple pan con tomate, which is topped somewhat unconventionally with finely sliced chives, to the imposing bomba, a famous croquette from Barcelona’s backstreets, every dish at Barrafina showcases the chef’s mastery in Spanish coastal cuisine. The real delight, however, comes from the fresh fish that is hooked off the ice display across from the order, kissed by the plancha in a matter of seconds, and then placed on your plate.
There are just 23 seats available around that beloved counter, making the area both cosy and busy. You won’t ever want to go.
Denman Street, Devonshire
Perfect for proper pub dining in London…
This is the spot to go if you’re searching for food and drink in Soho—it’s our newest addition to the IDEAL 22. It is true that you must have made a reservation several months in advance. Indeed, there’s a chance you might encounter TopJaw loitering outside with a microphone and an unopened Guinness. However, the wildly anticipated Devonshire is well worth the significant obstacles to your business. A dream team consisting of Oisin Rogers, the founder of Flat Iron, Charlie Carroll, and award-winning chef Ashley Palmer Watts brings their distinct skills to this incredibly self-assured pub/restaurant/bar-and-grill.
Positioned proudly on a crossroads where Piccadilly meets Soho, The Devonshire spans four stories, with the ground floor serving as a walk-in pub and the upper floors featuring dining rooms that are highly recommended to be reserved. After securing a table in the restaurant’s Grill Room, you should place your order from the grill section of the menu, which accounts for nearly half of the food that leaves the kitchen. The meat is sourced from a number of specialised suppliers through the Devonshire’s dedicated butchery room, which has enough room to hold 4000 steaks.
Choose the ribeye (around 300 grammes, £36), which is cooked on the elegant wood-fired grill until it develops a beautiful bark while, naturally, still glowing in the middle. It’s fantastic, and made much better with a classic Béarnaise sauce (yours for £2.50). As this is an extravagant establishment, enjoy your steak with the “pile of langoustines,” which are exactly that—grilled and halved—with plenty of spice from a smoking stack of beechwood appearing to be all they need.
Be careful that all sides—buttered carrots, creamed leeks, duck fat potatoes—come with a healthy dosage of fat if you’re going to give a gesture towards health and vitality. Right now, a thick, deep pint of the black stuff seems fitting, and this one will definitely not be captured on any boring Instagram “pints” accounts.
Its reassuringly affordable set menu, which costs £29 for three substantial meals, keeps things modest despite its seemingly unstoppable surge of popularity. Right now, there’s a cocktail made with prawns and langoustine, skirt steak, fries and Béarnaise, followed by a decadent sticky toffee pudding. We’re stuffed, too; it’s ended us.
Frith Street, Koya Soho
Great for Soho’s best udon noodles and a hearty Japanese breakfast.
One of London’s most simply delightful and soul-nourishing restaurants, whether or not it is Japanese, is Shuko Oda’s Koya. With lots of extras and toppings to spice things up, the menu here mostly consists of two varieties of udon atsu-atsu (hot noodles in a hot broth) and hiya-atsu (hot broth with cold noodles on the side).
The standout dishes include the famous traditional Japanese breakfast and the hot bowls of udon noodles with tempura prawn, but there’s plenty more to love here, such the expertly positioned house pickles and the gelatinous, generously portioned braised pork belly with cider. It is just delightful.
As before, Dean Street
Perfect for classic British fare in the most prestigious of environments
Since 2012, Jeremy Lee has served as Quo Vadis’ leader. He is the embodiment of all that is admirable and wonderful about cooking on this island, with the voice of a thespian and the culinary generosity of the old French masters.
Simple British cuisine with a touch of French technique is provided at Quo Vadis. Examples of this include a whole mackerel presented prosaically/poetically with simply a wedge of lemon and skate wings tossed with brown butter, capers, and parsley. Or just a platter of pickles and pate.
One of Lee’s hallmark dishes, the renowned smoked eel and pink pickled onion sandwich, is a mainstay of the menu and can be found on many lists of must-try foods in London. And then there’s always a pie on the menu, always golden, with a pastry bottom intact and a substantial filling. Simply delicious and quite fulfilling.
Desserts are one of the biggest charms here, in our opinion. Like Lee himself, these profiteroles are just seductive and something we dream of, even though they’re not usually on the menu.
Temper Broadwick Street, Soho
Perfect for a unique backyard barbecue in the basement…
Nestled beneath Broadwick Street in a spacious basement, Temper Soho is a unique barbecue restaurant. The gritty, below-street-level surroundings perfectly complement the live fire cooking and nose-to-tail philosophy of the establishment.
The focal point of the eatery is a massive fire pit where cooks skilfully prepare entire animals that are purchased from farms in England. To put it mildly, you won’t be happy if you’re expecting an American-style barbecue establishment with burnt ends and beef.
Instead, Temper Soho’s cuisine has a strong Mexican influence, interspersed with oddities from other nations, such as their amazing gochujang butter paired with beef fat cornbread, to keep things fresh.
An omnivore with a special fondness for grilled food should not miss their beast board, which is perfect for sharing and has a variety of lesser-used cow cuts such as smoked ox cheek, liver, and ox heart anticucho skewers.
Berenjak, Street Romilly
Perfect for a taste of Iran right in the middle of the city…
JKS Restaurants also created Berenjak, the first Iranian restaurant in Soho, which is helmed by talented chef Kian Samyani, who was formerly employed at Gymkhana and Brigadiers.
The menu, which was inspired by Tehran’s little kabab shops, offers excellent mazeh-style small plates, baklava ice cream sandwiches, and exquisite charcoal-grilled kababs and khoresht (stews).
The name itself is derived from the vibrantly coloured, toasted rice snacks that are a staple of Persian funfairs. It conjures up images of a carefree, whimsical meal, much like the dining room itself, which features luxurious leather banquette seating and exquisitely detailed Persian tiles.
But the feeling of family, community, and camaraderie that permeates the whole dining experience is what really makes Berenjak unique. The restaurant runs with a genuine warmth thanks to Samyani’s long-standing ties with his crew members, some of whom he has known for over ten years. And it’s not just the charcoal barbecue doing the talking!
Ramo Noodles, Brewer Avenue
Perfect for mouthwatering bowls of Japanese ramen with a Filipino twist…
A few years back, Momofuku’s David Chang, whose Japanese-Korean fusion bowls are frequently attributed with the spread of ramen over the pond, helped spark a ramen revolution in London.
Nowadays, Soho in particular has excellent ramen to be had almost anyplace in the city. Ramo Ramen has provided us with a newfound reason to savour a bowl of delicious noodles by combining the flavours of the Philippines and Japan in an unconventional way.
What should I order here, then? Their potent and euphoric 16-hour fish and tamarind broth makes their Sinigang Ramen a highlight of the menu.
Regardless of your opinion, Ramo Ramen has emerged as one of Soho’s most intriguing eateries and a superb ramen purveyor. The cooks at the restaurant are not only changing the city’s perspective of Filipino cuisine, but they are also demonstrating that ramen is much more than the sum of its parts. And that’s exactly what we’re here for.
Gauthier, Romilly Street, Soho
Perfect for a luxurious fine dining experience in London that is all plant-based…
The customs of a traditional French fine-dining experience are subverted by this acclaimed and highly regarded vegan-only fine-dining establishment, which places an emphasis on vegetables and plant-based cuisine.
In contrast to certain British restaurants that consider vegetables as an afterthought or a diversion, at Gauthier they are the main attraction, combined with herbs and spices to create opulent combinations.
A tasting menu is served with the food here, in typical opulent, fine-dining fashion. Gauthier Soho asserts itself as the world’s first vegan fine-dining establishment, specialising on classical French cuisine. It also makes the claim to be the first main sustainable gastronomy restaurant in the world; by omitting some components, their carbon impact is quite small. And I believe that’s something that we can all get behind.
We can’t say enough good things about this place—it’s not only one of the greatest vegan restaurants in Soho, it’s one of the best restaurants in Soho period.
Chef’s Cut, Kingly Street
Perfect for the greatest eats from Bombay this side of Ghuar Moti
For those who are unaware, Dishoom is a devotedly curated and perennially popular Indian restaurant that serves traditional Bombay delicacies that will surely please you, much like the beat bands of the 1960s Bombay that inspired the atmosphere.
Dishoom’s signature bacon naan roll, which consists of crispy bacon, chilli jam, cream cheese, and herbs wrapped in freshly baked naan drizzled with melted butter, is the reason for the crowds’ (and boy do they gather) visit. It’s everything you need as fuel before attacking Soho businesses.
Better then is the Salli Boti, a delectable curried lamb dish cooked in a rich broth and topped with crispy salli chips, which is the chef’s special at the Kingly Street location. This Parsi favourite would definitely help you become more receptive to the unique tastes of the ethnic religion.
Are you still hungry? Next, place an order for a dish of crispy garlic-ginger-soy-chilli-chicken, which is influenced by Indo-Chinese cuisine, and a platter of Dishoom’s rich and deep house black dal. You won’t regret it. Have the famous chicken ruby curry from Dishoom the next time you visit—and there will be a future time—it’s delicious.
Dishoom has nine locations throughout the UK, including four more in London in Kensington, Shoreditch, King’s Cross, and Covent Garden, if you can’t get the Kingly Street location. Oh, and Dishoom feeds hungry children in India and the UK with a school lunch for each meal that is sold. Fantastic things
Greek Street’s Lina Stores
Perfect for artistically coiled fresh pasta…
The top Italian restaurants in London provide an abundance of riches in the form of unleavened dough, and the pasta scene has probably never been better—from Peckham’s Artusi and London Bridge’s Padella to Shoreditch’s Manteca. Yes, there are many of great Italian restaurants in London, both new and ancient. The latter includes the much-loved Soho institution Lina shops.
now 1944, Lina Stores has been providing genuine Italian food. It began as a delicatessen and has now grown to include fresh pasta produced in-house, desserts, cured meats, and cheeses that are imported directly from Italy. It now has six sites throughout London, with its Greek Street store being an outpost of their original delicatessen on Brewer Street, which is close by. It is without a doubt one of the greatest spots for pasta in the city, with its distinctive pastel ice cream parlour front.
Our recommendation is to select the pasta and grab up a stool at their 12-seat bar in front of the open kitchen. Their spaghetti is one of the most straightforward yet delicious pasta dishes in the city, topped with drifts of Grana Padano, spicy pink peppercorns, and Amalfi lemon.
With the amalfi lemon number clocking in at just £7.50, Lina is on the more cheap end of the dining out in Central London price spectrum for those eager to explore as much of the menu as possible. So gauge your level of hunger and order as many of these as you can!
The Rupert Street Palomar
Perfect for a rowdy, arak-soaked event and trendy Jerusalem cuisine…
A mainstay of Soho’s lively eating scene, The Palomar serves up shots of arak with nearly as much vigour as the ubiquitous labneh topped with za’atar, which goes well with the freshly grilled house pita.
Founded by twins Layo and Zoë Paskin, it’s an exciting journey through contemporary Jerusalem cuisine that takes cues from the vibrant cultures of the Levant, North Africa, and Southern Spain. Even if the mnu’s bread and dip section is a great way to begin (and end) a meal, The Palomar’s coal-fired food is what truly gets us going. Imagine incredibly tender lamb rump enhanced with a vibrant salsa verde, and perfectly crispy metugan bream accompanied by Israeli kimchi and visually arresting green harrisa.
Yes, you will leave here feeling both full and flighty, satiated and brisk—a difficult balancing act to pull off.
Ceviche Frith Street, Soho
Perfect for exquisite Peruvian mini plates…
We didn’t need to remind you that ceviche is named after Peru’s national cuisine, but what always amazes us is the variety of this vibrant, light dish available.
The fish is prepared and sliced with such theatricality that perching at that counter seems like the wise choice. However, it would be unwise to enter the situation uncooked. The Peruvian love of grilling offal is evident here as well, and the charcoal barbecue plays a significant part. The marinade of smoked chilli makes the beef heart skewers even better, as it becomes its own sauce on the platter.
Whatever you decide, be sure to choose one of their fruit-forward pisco sours; their raspberry variety is particularly delicious. Ceviche also offers a tasty mocktail made with herbaceous hibiscus for people who are not into hard liquor. Drink and take in the lively atmosphere of this fully operational restaurant. It makes sense that Ceviche is one of our IDEAL 22 Soho restaurants.
Dean Street’s The French House
Perfect for perfectly spiced steak tartare and other classic French bistro dishes…
There are several reasons why the French House is very dear to us. In addition to fulfilling the desire for a swift drink prior to a dinner appointment, it offers an opportunity to properly recognise and value Soho’s rich history and its excellent pubs. More significantly, though, is that it’s among our top restaurants in the city.
Though many consider the French House to be a famous London pub, it also boasts a modest, elegant dining room upstairs that serves incredibly delightful French gastronomy. It’s our first choice anytime we get a sudden hunger for steak frites or a hankering for expertly seasoned steak tartare. Which is, we’re embarrassed to say, rather frequently
The French House’s dining room has a rich history dating back to its 1992 opening by Fergus and Margot Henderson. Currently, it is run by the gifted chef Neil Borthwick, who has worked at renowned restaurants like Merchants Tavern, which he co-founded with Hartnett, and The Connaught, where he met his wife, chef and national treasure Angela Hartnett. The robust, fuss-free French food offered at The French House is a testament to Borthwick’s culinary prowess, and long may it continue.
Frith Street, Barshu
Perfect for fans of Sichuan who want a mala hit…
Although there are many excellent Sichuan restaurants in London, Barshu in Soho—aptly named given the old Scoville Heat Units—will satisfy your cravings for faithful, intimidating, and fucking delicious versions of the cuisine’s mainstays. The food here is excellent since it isn’t simplified for the Great British palette, unlike many other similar restaurants in the city.
While there are many dishes at Bar Shu that would tantalise and titillate fans of hot sauce, the boiling sea bass with sizzling chilli oil (Shuizhu Yu) may be the meal with the highest level of heat. To help soften its harsher aspects, we suggest placing an order for some refreshing meals.
We also love the dumplings elsewhere on the menu, which are drenched in a vinegar sauce so good you could suck the liquid on its own and a smokey chilli oil. Yes, we have. Alternatively, come here for what is arguably the best bowl of dan dan noodles in the city. Indeed, the cuisine at this place is rather enjoyable.
Brewer Street Kiln
Perfect for a fun and theatrical Thai barbecue…
With bar seating overlooking flames, blazing coals, clattering clay pots and burning woks, Kiln is quite the sensory display. You feel as though you’ve left metropolitan London behind and are in a much hotter, more rural place.
And that is even prior to you taking a bite out of this. When you do, you’ll discover incredibly tasty and usually spicy Thai dishes.
The menu is seasonal and features only the best ingredients. During game season, when the cuisine comes alive with jungle curries of wood pigeon or wild duck and minced laab salads of fresh deer, is our favourite time to visit.
Kiln’s grilled cull yaw skewers, dusted with cumin, are a menu staple and a must-order; they’re incredibly tasty and leave a memorable impression. You may have a beautiful mini lunch by following with the clay pot baked glass noodles, which is a highlight dish that has never been removed from the menu.
Pilgrims Pizza on Dean Street
Perfect for quirky takes on classic Neapolitan tastes
Arrive for the wood-fired Neapolitan and stay for the mouthwatering Gin and Pocello (their own take on Limoncello, which is simply divine).
With a basis of lightness, chew, a tinge of sourness, and the necessary heat blisters that are the characteristic of a wonderful pizza from the Motherland, Pizza Pilgrim lives up to its motto, “In Crust We Trust.”
Many people still consider the Dean Street location of Pizza Pilgrims, which opened as the company’s first permanent location, to be the best version of the beloved pizza restaurant. Get takeout, grab a couple cans, and head to Soho Square for an even more enjoyable experience if you’re not a kid, even if it’s always hilarious to dig into your pizza around the restaurant’s central fussball table.
Poland Street, Keu
Perfect for the most thrilling Bánh Mì experiences outside of Vietnam
One of the best sandwiches in the world is the bánh mì, a sandwich that is sold all over Vietnam’s streets and masterfully combines French and Vietnamese ingredients. And Keu serves us some of the freshest, crispiest, and most amazingly delicious Vietnamese sandwiches in London.
Keu’s excellent bánh mì production process produces hundreds of baguettes every day, with thirteen filling options. There’s something for everyone here, from traditional fillings like pate and pickles to unconventional ones like slow-braised mackerel in caramelised fish sauce and their kimchi-filled bánh mì with honey glazed pork.
On Ganton Street, Dehesa
Perfect for Soho’s inventive modern tapas…
We end at the Dehesa on Ganton Street, tired and tipsy. We may even be too full to complete this one. Rather than take another bite out of this eatery today, why instead read our review of it here? We believe the IDEAL 22 eateries can have that kind of impact on your waist size.
And we’ll see you over in Marylebone when our appetites both return; whomever gets there first gets the Welsh rarebit croquettes in? Agree?
