Given that it’s bang in the centre of London, it’s not surprising that Soho is full of great places to eat. You can get everything from all-day dim sum to fresh pasta to authentic sushi, but which are the very best restaurants in Soho?
If you’re dining solo, Soho is full of counter restaurants that are perfectly set up for a meal for one. Pull up a stool at The Palomar, Kiln or Barrafina Soho and watch chefs whip up plate after plate of Middle Eastern, Thai and Spanish delights. And if you’re feeling particularly flush, Simon Rogan’s Aulis has recently had a refurb and as well as adding space for more diners, the new menu is knockout too.
Soho has undoubtedly changed a lot, going from the seedy red light district to the gentrified neighbourhood it is today, filled with small plates restaurants and boutique stores. Yet there are some venues that have stood firm in the face of relentless change. Quo Vadis, Lina Stores, Bar Italia, and The French House are just some of the city’s longstanding institutions that call Soho home.
Despite the fact that Soho has got more homogenous as time has gone on, having a restaurant here is still seen as a significant marker of success. There are those who start their journey in the surrounds of W1, like Blacklock, which has gone from the original Blacklock Soho in the basement of an old brothel to one of London’s most-loved restaurant groups. And there are others who begin life further away from the centre and are drawn inwards after achieving success, like Bubala Soho, the younger (but no less popular sister) to the OG site in Spitalfields. So whether you’re looking for the hot new spot in town or a stone-cold London classic, you’ll find it in Soho.
Yauatcha
It’s no secret that Yauatcha is one of our fave restaurants in London and we could eat dim sum all day long, so we suggest diving straight in to their Taste of Yauatcha set menu. It gives you a good flavour of the place and includes THOSE baked venison puffs – but whatever you do save room for those macarons!
15-17 Broadwick St, Soho, London, W1F 0DL
yauatcha.com
The Palomar
Getting a table at The Palomar might not be easy, but it’s SO worth the effort. The menu brings together the cultures of Southern Spain, North Africa and the Levant in dishes like stone ass machluta and Jerusalem mix of chicken liver, heart & veal sweetbread a la plancha.
34 Rupert St, London, W1D 6DN
thepalomar.co.uk
Blacklock
Located in the basement of an old brothel in the heart of Soho, Blacklock has been serving up piles of juicy tender meat for several years now. They’ve become pretty famous for their ‘all in’ options – you can get a pile of chops and sides on the a la carte menu or a huge platter of beef, lamb and pork, giant Yorkshire puddings, perfectly crispy roast potatoes, heritage carrots and sprouting broccoli on Sundays. It’s basically heaven for carnivores.
24 Great Windmill St, Soho, London, W1D 7LG
theblacklock.com
Milk Beach
It’s a fave in Queen’s Park and now Aussie restaurant Milk Beach boasts a second site in Soho at the Ilona Rose House building, a bright and airy space complete with an outdoor courtyard. A handful of faves from the original location have made the move over to Soho, including Chinese five-spice BBQ pork rib dumplings with chilli pho ga consommé, and koji marinated chicken ‘schnitty’ with fermented chilli mayonnaise, but there are plenty of newbies on the menu to get stuck into. We’re talking dishes like prawn toast with gochujang sweet & sour sauce; Belted Galloway bone-in-ribeye with tare, oyster & tarragon butter; grilled oyster mushrooms with fermented mushroom glaze & macadamia hummus; and Milk Beach ‘Golden Gaytime’ with toffee & buttermilk parfait, dark chocolate, and malt & honeycomb crumb.
Ilona Rose House, Manette Street, London W1D 4AL
milkbeach.com
Lina Stores
Lina Stores, which has been supplying Londoners with the best Italian ingredients for over 75 years, is a Soho institution, and as well as the iconic deli on Brewer Street, they have a pasta restaurant around the corner on Greek Street. It’s all handmade daily in the deli, just like it has been since 1944, and head chef Masha Rener has created a menu that features Lina Stores classics as well as regional Italian specialities. Not only is the food great – not surprising given the quality of the produce – it’s bloody great value too.
51 Greek St, London W1D 4EH
linastores.co.uk
Aulis
Aulis, Simon Rogan’s London chef’s table restaurant, has reopened with more seats (12) as well as a lounge for pre- and post-dinner drinks. Head Chef Charlie Tayer is still looking after the stoves alongside wingman Oli Marlow, Simon’s Exec Chef for the group. The tasting menu, based around British ingredients, uses produce from Simon’s own Lake District farm and tries to be as sustainable as possible, replacing citrus for vinegars and the like. Happily it’s as good as, if not better, than before with dishes like pig and eel donut; crispy chicken skin with Cornish crab; cheese and truffle pudding; crab bone custard with rosehip vinegar and marinated trout roe; peas from Simon’s farm served with beef tendons in broth; and a delicious spin on a cheese course, frozen Tunworth cheese with truffle honey and hazelnut.
16 St Anne’s Ct, London W1F 0BF
aulis.london
10 Greek Street
Given the rate at which restaurants open and close in this city, anywhere that survives more than a couple of years can easily become a classic. It opened in 2012 (so not brand new but certainly not old) yet that’s exactly what it feels like at 10 Greek Street. It also massively helps that there’s some fantastic cooking and an effortlessly convivial atmosphere happening inside. The staff have nailed the art of relaxed service and diners are more than happy to talk across tables – it’s a small restaurant but you don’t actually mind being sat close together. The concept here is simple in that there is no concept; just a daily changing menu, broadly European in style, built around what produce is best and chalked up on the blackboard. The wine list at 10 Greek Street is as well curated as the food menu. It’s short but varied and lacking crazy mark-ups – you can get glasses under a fiver, which feels like a steal. Great food, great wine, zero pretension, all delivered without blowing a hole in your wallet.
10 Greek Street, London W1D 4DH
10greekstreet.com
Kiln
A fave amongst London foodies, Kiln defo lives up to the hype. The food is inspired by the Thai borderlands, including Burmese and Yunanese spices and flavours, and there’s lots of cooking over open fire. The jungle curry of brill is a winner (and spicy) and the claypot baked glass noodles are an absolute must-order too.
58 Brewer St, Soho, London W1F 9TL
kilnsoho.com
Paradise
Modern Sri Lankan restaurant Paradise takes inspiration from Sri Lankan cities Colombo and Galle, and its menu even includes some of the chef’s own family recipes and curries. Obviously the hoppers are a must order, but we’d also recommend the date and pistachio hand-stretched godamba roti if you fancy trying something new. Most of the dishes on the menu have quite a kick to them, so you’ve gotta be able to handle your spice. From the dishes and drinks to the design, the whole thing is well executed and shows off the best Sri Lankan food has to offer.
61 Rupert St, London W1D 7PW
paradisesoho.com
Firebird
Madina Kazhimova and Anna Dolgushina, the St Petersburg-based restaurateurs who run Wong Kar Wine, have opened low-intervention wine bar and open-fire restaurant Firebird in Soho. The menu includes the likes of tuna tartare with ponzu & cured egg yolk; choux bun with chicken liver pâté & hazelnut; halloumi with truffle & apricot; scallops with mash, truffle, peas & parsley oil; chicken breast with bacon jam & king oyster mushrooms; and baked Alaska with earl grey ice cream. The wine list focuses on natural and biodynamic producers from across Europe and the cocktails are well worth a go, with serves like strawberry-infused mezcal negronis and seaside martinis with oyster shell-infused vermouth on offer.
29 Poland St, London W1F 8QR
firebirdlondon.co.uk