London area of Soho guide

What to do and where to stay in London's Soho neighbourhood

The sleazy heart of London’s Theatreland has thankfully stood firm against the worst ravages of gentrification and managed to retain some of its unique character. Tourists and immigrants created Soho, and while the flashing neon of the sex shops hints at a darker side, the area also abounds with excellent old shops and restaurants run for generations by the same French, Italian, Russian or Jewish families. Dozens of theatres mean that the pubs and bars are full of actors and celebrities – who often flock to the shabbiest looking spots in an attempt to avoid prying eyes – and the area has a genuine 24-hour nightlife. You can find some lovely hotels nearby to lay your head at the end of a long night. South of Soho, Chinatown is a chaos of exotic sights, sounds and smells, where English is a second language for a majority of residents. Leicester Square's cinemas still play host to two or three star-studded movie premieres a month.

See our recommended nearby Soho Hotels, Entertainment, Sights and Attractions, Shopping, Restaurants, Pubs, Nightlife, Leisure, Education, and Meeting Venues.

Soho Hotels

in or near Soho
Corinthia Hotel London
London > Hotels > Luxury Chain Hotel
Whitehall Place, SW1A
With 294 bedrooms, multi-level penthouse suites and terraces offering spectacular views of the River Thames, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall - the £300 million restoration of the ... More
 
 
 
The Montague on the Gardens
London > Hotels > Mid-Range Chain Hotel
15 Montague Street, WC1B
Overlooking the gardens of Montague Garden Square, this sedate hotel has a peaceful feel even though the British Museum is right next door and Covent Garden's ... More
 
 
 
Washington Mayfair Hotel
London > Hotels > Luxury Chain Hotel
5 Curzon Street, W1J
Dating back to 1913, The Washington Mayfair Hotel successfully blends historic art deco with modern design. Located in the premier commercial and cultural centre of London, ... More
 
 
 

Soho Entertainment

in or near Soho
PICK
Sondheim Theatre
London > Entertainment > Theatres
51 Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, London W1D
With a new name and following a major renovation, Queen's Theatre became the Sondheim Theatre in December 2019, reopening with Cameron Mackintosh's new version of Les ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Gielgud Theatre
London > Entertainment > Theatres
Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, London W1D
From the outside, the Gielgud Theatre is an impressive sight, towering four storeys over Shaftesbury Avenue, its height further emphasized by the turret on top. The ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Ronnie Scott's
London > Entertainment > Jazz Clubs
47 Frith Street, Soho, London W1D
The legendary Ronnie Scott's has been a Mecca for the international jazz community since 1959. Created by music-lovers for music-lovers, it has played host to almost ... More
 
 
 

Soho Sights and Attractions

The best museums, galleries, attractions in or near Soho
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Lights Of Soho
London > Attractions > Art Galleries
Brewer Street, Soho, London W1F
A new gallery space dedicated to light art. ... More
 
 
 
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Soho
London > Attractions > Other Attractions
Soho, London W1D
Soho, the set of streets and alleyways between Oxford Street, Shaftesbury Avenue, Charing Cross Road and Regent Street is one of the most cosmopolitan parts of ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Horse and Dolphin Yard
London > Attractions > Soho, London W1D
Walking from Gerrard Street to Shaftesbury Avenue in the Chinatown area of Soho you'll come across the pedestrianised Horse & Dolphin Yard which gets its name ... More
 
 
 

Soho Shopping

The best shops and markets in or near London's Soho
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Tokyo Fixed Gear
London > Shopping > Bicycle Shops
4 Peter Street, Soho, Soho, London W1F
Pay homage to the bicycle with a trip to new Soho cycling boutique Toyko Fixed Gear. Although they divide opinion amongst the cycling community, fixed-gear bikes ... More
 
 
 
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The Lounge Soho
London > Shopping > Hair and Grooming
26 Peter Street, Soho, London W1F
The well-established Lounge Soho can boast about their session-work for style, trend-setting glossies such as Dazed, Arena and British Vogue but it’s their friendly, welcoming and ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Supreme London
London > Shopping > Menswear
2-3 Peter Street, Soho, London W1F
Loyal fans queue around the block - some sleeping outside on a chilly September night - to get a first look at the cult skate brand ... More
 
 
 

Soho Restaurants

What are the best dining options in or near Soho London?
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Beatroot
London > Restaurants > Vegetarian restaurants
92 Berwick Street, Soho, London W1F
Vegetarian cuisine. ... More
 
 
 
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Bar Bruno
London > Restaurants > Cafes and Delis
101 Wardour Street, Soho, London W1F
This formica-and-blackboards cafe is one of the last true vestiges of old Soho, a place where journalists, artists and builders settle in for hours with the ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Bone Daddies
London > Restaurants > Japanese restaurants
31 Peter St, Soho, London W1F
Continuing the new trend of London ramen bars, Bone Daddies opened its doors in late 2012. Located just off Wardour Street in Soho, ... More
 
 
 

Soho Pubs

The best pubs in or near London Soho.
PICK
Endurance
London > Restaurants > Gastropub
90 Berwick Street,, Soho, London W1F
... More
 
 
 
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The Blue Posts
London > Nightlife > Pubs
28 Rupert Street, Soho, London W1D
Across the road from Chinatown, a pub had stood on the site of The Blue Posts at 28 Rupert Street since 1739. ... More
 
 
 
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The Toucan
London > Nightlife > Pubs
19 Carlisle Street, Soho, London W1D
This is not so much a restaurant as a tiny atmospheric Irish bar. Having grown out of its minuscule basement into the bar upstairs it's always ... More
 
 
 

Soho Nightlife

Soho clubs, bars, cabaret nights, casinos and interesting nightlife.
PICK
Meza
London > Nightlife > Mediterranean restaurants
100 Wardour Street, Soho, Soho, London W1F
If you come to sample the delights of the West End and get a craving for some Mediterranean food you can’t do better than this sleek, ... More
 
 
 
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La Casa del Habano
London > Nightlife > Bars
100 Wardour Street, Soho, London W1F
As soon as you step into the La Casa del Habanos bar you feel like you're in Cuba. Warm oranges and yellows stand out from the ... More
 
 
 
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Basement Sate
London > Nightlife > Bars
8 Broadwick Street, Soho, London W1F
What a sweet idea. London's first bar serving only cocktails and desserts, Basement Sate combines inventive cocktails made with unusual ingredients like seaweed and salted caramel, ... More
 
 
 

Soho Leisure

Soho gyms, sporting activities, health & beauty and fitness.
PICK
Urban Golf Soho
London > Leisure > Golf
33 Great Pulteney Street, Soho, London W1F
OK, so you may not be able to soak up the rays on this indoor course but it's a brilliant idea that has been stylishly executed. ... More
 
 
 
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AWAY Spa W London
London > Leisure > Health and Beauty
10 Wardour Street, Soho, London W1D
On the 6th floor of the W London the AWAY Spa certainly takes you away from the manic pace of life in Leicester Square ... More
 
 
 
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Triyoga Soho
London > Leisure > Health and Beauty
Unit 2.4-2.6 Kingly Court, Soho, London W1B
On the second floor of the Kingly Court complex off Carnaby Street, Triyoga offers busy city people a refuge where they can centre themselves. One of ... More
 
 
 

Soho Education

in or near Soho
PICK
Cookery School
London > Education > Cookery Courses
15B Little Portland Street, Soho, London W1W
Awarded The Best City Cookery School 2013, the Cookery School at Little Portland Street has been teaching people to make simple, honest food for more than ... More
 
 
 
 
Conde Nast College
London > Education > Universities and Colleges
16-17 Greek Street, Soho, London W1D
Fashionistas will be excited to hear that, from January 2013, they can enrol at the Conde Nast College when the Vogue fashion publisher opens its first ... More
 
 
 

Soho Meeting Venues

Where to have your meeting, conference, exhibition, private dining or training course in or near Soho.
PICK
68 Dean Street
London > Business > Venue Hire
68 Dean Street, Soho, London W1D
This stylish private house in Soho is suitable for photo shoots, meetings, press events, filming and for a limited range of social events such as dinners ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Odeon, Leicester Square
London > Business > Venue Hire
24-26 Leicester Square, Soho, London WC2H
One of London's biggest cinemas, the Odeon Leicester Square regularly plays host to premieres and awards ceremonies as well as screening the week's big releases. Aside ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Haymarket Hotel
London > Business > Venue Hire
1 Suffolk Place, Soho, London SW1Y
A hip designer hotel by Tim and Kit Kemp in a grand building on the prestigious Haymarket, the broad boulevard street making for an impressive entrance. ... More
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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