Best Restaurants In Soho

We all know Soho is one cool place to be. It might be pocket-sized, but it’s London’s dynamite for diverse cuisines, entertainment, shopping, and culture. When it comes to finding the best restaurants Soho can offer, there’s a lot to choose from.

As a real fan of food and all things dining, I love going out in Soho. You know you’re there with the sounds and scents of all this wonderful food enjoyed by the buzz of people all having a good time. And there’s SO much on offer.

But that’s kind of the problem – where do you choose to go? So many options, and only one digestive system, one budget, and one occasion to get it right.

Here are my favourite places to eat in Soho. There’s a little bit of everything here, so everyone’s happy.

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Fine Dining for Special Occasions

Quo Vadis

Managed to snag a table here to celebrate my friend’s engagement and it was such a treat. The smoked eel sandwich is their signature dish for good reason – sounds a bit weird, I wasn’t sure at first. But it was absolutely divine. Small but perfectly formed, rich and smoky with a hint of horseradish that just cuts through beautifully.

Service was spot on – attentive without hovering, and they made the occasion feel special without any cringe-worthy attention. The wine list is excellent but not intimidating, and the sommelier suggested a gorgeous English white that paired perfectly with my roast chicken.

Of course, fine dining never comes cheap – our bill came to about £150 for two with wine – but for a special occasion, it delivers. The set lunch is much more affordable if you’re watching the pennies but still want the experience.

Location: 26-29 Dean Street, London W1D 3LL Contact: 020 7437 9585

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Sushi Kyu

If you’ve never had omakase before, it’s essentially where you put yourself in the chef’s hands – they serve whatever’s freshest that day, piece by piece, right in front of you.

The nigiri was some of the best I’ve had in London – each perfect little mouthful dressed with just the right amount of soy or a dab of freshly grated wasabi. And the chef explains each piece as he serves it, which I found really interesting. There was this one scallop nigiri that was so sweet and delicate I actually closed my eyes when I ate it!

The dining experience here is pretty unique. Firstly, it only has about 10 seats. It’s very intimate, where you’ll find yourself chatting with the chefs and even other diners. It’s not really the place to go if you want a private dining space. Instead it feels like you’re at a dinner party hosted by extremely talented friends.

Location: 22 Brewer Street, London W1F 0SH Contact: 020 7439 8649

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Independent & Unusual Cuisines

These smaller, independent places might look unassuming from the outside, but they’re serving some of the most exciting food in Soho.

The Barbary

Popped in here on a whim one Thursday night and managed to grab the last two seats at the counter. The menu is inspired by the Barbary Coast of North Africa, and it’s all about bold, punchy flavours that make your taste buds do a little happy dance.

We ordered way too much (as usual) but hey, I’m glad we did really. The charred octopus was out of this world – perfectly tender with this smoky harissa that had just the right amount of heat. The labneh with za’atar was phenomenal too. Their flatbread comes straight from the clay oven in front of you, all puffy and warm, and it’s the perfect scoop for all those lovely sauces.

It’s not a place for a quiet, intimate dinner – you’re sitting right up at the counter with everyone else, and it gets pretty lively. But that’s half the fun! The chefs clearly love what they do, and their energy is infectious.

Location: 16 Neal’s Yard, London WC2H 9DP Contact: 020 7242 4119

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Hoppers

I’ve been absolutely obsessed with this place since it opened. If you’ve never had a hopper before, it’s this amazing bowl-shaped pancake made from fermented rice batter. You crack an egg in the middle and use it to scoop up all sorts of incredible curries and sambols.

I managed to get back there last month with my sister and we shared the bone marrow varuval (sounds intimidating but it’s really, really good) and the black pork kari which had this depth of flavour that’s hard to describe. The egg hopper itself is a work of art – crispy round the edges and soft in the middle where the egg sits.

One tip – don’t wear your favourite white top. The curries are rich and vibrant, and I always seem to end up with at least a small splash on me (worth it, though!).

Location: 49 Frith Street, London W1D 4SG Contact: 020 3319 8110

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Imad’s Syrian Kitchen

Love this place. The restaurant has an amazing story behind it – Imad is a Syrian refugee who started with supper clubs before opening this proper restaurant. And you can really feel the love and passion that goes into the food.

We went for the mezze feast and it was a proper spread – the fattoush salad was so fresh and zingy, and the muhammara (a red pepper and walnut dip) was addictive. But the absolute star was the shish taouk – these incredibly tender chicken skewers that had clearly been marinating for ages.

This place is so special for how warm and welcoming it feels. Imad himself often comes out to chat to diners, and there’s a real sense that you’re being welcomed into someone’s home rather than just another restaurant. It’s a novelty to be made to feel like a guest rather than a customer.

Location: Top Floor, Kingly Court, Carnaby St, London W1B 5PW Contact: 020 7434 1667

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Budget-Friendly

Pizza Pilgrims

This is my go-to spot when I’m craving comfort food but don’t want to spend a fortune. The pizzas are the real deal – proper Neapolitan style with that lovely puffy, charred crust and minimal but quality toppings.

I’m a bit boring and usually go for the margherita (you can really tell a good pizza place by how they do the basics), but their double pepperoni with spicy honey (shown above) is a real flavour bomb if you’re feeling more adventurous. Oh, and definitely try the nutella pizza ring for dessert – it’s obscenely good.

The Dean Street branch is quite small and always busy, so be prepared to wait at peak times or try their Kingly Court spot which is a bit bigger. But even when there is a queue, it moves pretty quickly, and the staff are super efficient.

Location: 11 Dean Street, London W1D 3RP Contact: 020 7287 8964

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Govinda’s

I’m not a vegetarian and I absolutely loved it here! It’s run by the Hare Krishna temple, and while it’s super no-frills (you queue up, canteen-style), the food is absolutely delicious and ridiculously good value.

For about £8 you can get a massive thali plate with dahl, rice, subji (veg curry), salad, and a sweet. I had lunch there and their chilli paneer was a ten out of ten – spicy, tangy, and somehow both crispy and tender.

Don’t expect fancy service or ambiance – it’s bright, basic and sometimes a bit chaotic. But the food is made with love and the portions are really generous. It’s mostly takeaway, but there are a few tables if you want to eat in.

Location: 9-10 Soho Street, London W1D 3DL Contact: 020 7437 4928

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Kingly Court – A Foodie Haven

Sometimes you want options, right? Kingly Court is perfect when everyone fancies something different.

Kingly Court is my saviour when I’m meeting friends who can never agree on what to eat (a common connundrum). It’s this really rather pretty three-story courtyard with restaurants around the edges and seating in the middle.

I’m a bit obsessed with Le Bab on the top floor – they do these amazing posh kebabs that are a million miles from your 3am doner. Their chicken shish with garlic toum and pickled cucumber is my absolute favourite. And for dessert, the Crumble Rumble place on the ground floor does these gorgeous hot crumbles with custard that are perfect when it’s chilly outside.

The vibe changes depending on when you go – lunchtimes are busy with shoppers and local workers, while evenings (especially weekends) have more of a buzzy, pre-night-out feel. In summer, they open up all the doors and it feels very continental sitting outside with a glass of wine.

Location: Kingly Court, Carnaby St, London W1B 5PW Contact: N/A (check individual restaurants)

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Overview

As you can see there’s so many exciting options to choose from. These few only touch the surface of what’s available in Soho – I’ve tried so many. And I have no doubt there’ll be more popping up in time.

But for now, these are my favourite, and I hope you love them too! Just remember that the really popular spots like Hoppers and The Barbary don’t take bookings for dinner and can have epic queues, so either get there early (like, really early) or be prepared to leave your number and have a drink nearby while you wait.