The Poetry Cafe
Nearby The Poetry Cafe

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The Poetry Cafe is a friendly cafe/bar/restaurant with live poetry performances. Quaff coffee in the company of artists, lyricists, poets and performers as the delicate strains of sonnets and similes, quatrains and couplets, ballads and blank verses float through the air. Hidden away on an unassuming Covent Garden side street, this cosy hideaway offers customers a gentle introduction to poetry combined with a tasty, warming afternoon tea. Toast, cakes and a selection of leaf and herbal infusions can be munched on in a delightful atmosphere of unassuming creativity. Managed by the Poetry Society, this cafe/bar/restaurant also doubles up as a performance space with a varied programme that includes the odd floor-spot - so if you're feeling inspired by your cup of Darjeeling to pen an ode to 'Tea' this is the place to recite it. On Saturday evenings they hold a regular event in the Cellar highlighting the best in poetry and performance so why not follow-up afternoon tea with some of their excellent vegetarian food and then an hour or so discovering the best new and existing talent on the scene. A warm and welcoming, funky and friendly environment this isn't one of those exclusive, high-brow joints. You don't need to be a poet or even a liker of poetry to appreciate its charm - come and read the paper, contemplate life or simply sit back and sup - but here's betting you'll be writing sonnets before the teapot's dry. Best for:
Cosy hideaway, poetry, papers and performances, tea and toast.
The Poetry Cafe images
The Poetry Cafe
Opening and closing times for The Poetry Cafe
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Location map of The Poetry Cafe

Railway Stations
London > Hotels > Mid-Range Chain Hotel Double Rooms: 75% off from £99
Great Queen Street, WC2B | 3 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
Well-equipped, comfortable rooms await guests to this elegantly modern hotel in the heart of Theatreland. Set yourself up for the day with a hearty breakfast or ...More
London > Hotels > Luxury Chain Hotel Deluxe Double Rooms: 75% off from £119
9-13 Bloomsbury Street, WC1B | 5 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
Near to the British Museum, this Edwardian hotel is something of a Bloomsbury landmark. Relaunched in January 2009 following a £25million makeover, each of the 174 ...More
London > Hotels > Mid-Range Chain Hotel Petite Doubles: 59% off from £132
61 Lincoln's Inn Fields, WC2A | 6 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
Due to open on the 18th March 2012, Lincoln's Inn Fields is the 4th Club Quarters hotel in London. The hotel an ideal accommodation choice for ...More
London > Restaurants > Cafes and Delis
174 High Holborn, London, Covent Garden, London WC1V | 2 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
...More
London > Restaurants > Cafes and Delis
65 Long Acre, London, Covent Garden, London WC2E | 2 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
Pret sells up market fast food, hand made from natural ingredients, to take away or eat on site, in its trademark no nonsense chrome interiors. The ...More
London > Restaurants > Cafes and Delis
51 Long Acre, London, Covent Garden, London WC2E | 2 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
The ubiquitous Seattle based coffee shop can unsurprisingly be found all over London. Thanks to its market saturation policy, branches resemble the Capital’s buses by always ...More
London > Restaurants > Japanese restaurants
51-53 Shelton Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2H | 1 minute from The Poetry Cafe
Kulu Kulu is a good example of a typical sushi bar, a great place to go for sushi whether you’re a novice or an experienced fan. ...More
London > Restaurants >
16 Endell Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2H | 1 minute from The Poetry Cafe
Ian Campbell and Will Palmer's first restaurant venture comes to London in the shape of The 10 Cases, a bistro in Covent Garden. Set out over ...More
London > Restaurants > American restaurants
27-29 Endell Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2H | 1 minute from The Poetry Cafe
Opened mid January 2010, Circus is a hip eaterie serving Pan-American cuisine and boasting an interior design by Tom Dixon. More than just a dining experience, ...More
London > Events > Theatre Dates: 19th April 2012 to 26th May 2012 - Various Times
The Donmar Warehouse, 41 Earlham Street, Seven Dials, Covent Garden, London WC2H | 3 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
Sara Kestelman features in Peter Gill's production of Robert Holman's triptych of dramas, each looking at the effects of war and the universal bonds of suffering....More
London > Events > Theatre Dates: Friday 25th May 2012 at 7.30pm & Saturday 26th May 2012 at 3pm and 7.30pm
Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1D | 9 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
Moses the puppet invites you to his home, the Table, where he experiences real and surreal visions in Blind Summit Theatre's imaginative show combining puppetry and ...More
London > Events > Theatre Dates: 1st May 2012 to 26th May 2012
Trafalgar Studios, 14 Whitehall, Westminster, London SW1A | 14 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
Blake Harrison is stepping away from the screen and onto the stage for Step 9 (of 12) at the Trafalgar Studios. Directed by Tom Attenborough, the ...More
London > Entertainment > Arts Centres
24 Endell Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2H | 1 minute from The Poetry Cafe
Before it was a hip private members' club designed specifically for the creative industries - complete with bar and dining rooms, cinema, TV and recording studios ...More
London > Entertainment > Theatres
Drury Lane, London, Covent Garden, London WC2B | 1 minute from The Poetry Cafe
Although this site has been an entertainment venue since at least the mid-19th century, the New London Theatre only opened its doors in 1973, making it ...More
London > Entertainment > Theatres
41 Earlham Street, Seven Dials, London, Covent Garden, London WC2H | 3 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
Housed in an impressive red-brick industrial building - at various times a brewery, a banana warehouse and a film studio - this tiny repertory theatre is ...More
Sights and Attractions near The Poetry Cafe
London > Attractions > Art Galleries
135 Flitcroft Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2H | 5 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
Elms Lesters Painting Rooms are housed in an extraordinary space, purpose built as a painting studio in 1904. Since 1984 the gallery has been specialising in ...More
London > Attractions > Museums
35 Little Russell Street, London, Bloomsbury, London WC1A | 5 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
Combining art with humour, this addition to London's museum-cum-gallery scene is refreshingly vibrant. From political cartoons of Thatcher, Brown, Bush and Blair to rare originals on ...More
London > Attractions > Museums
45 Wellington Street, London, WC2E | 5 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
The London Film Museum, located on the site of the Theatre Museum in the original Flower Cellars in the heart of Covent Garden, is the second ...More
London > Shopping > Clothing
51 Endell Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2H | 1 minute from The Poetry Cafe
Blackout II is one of London's premier stores for all vintage clothing and accessories. Two floors of stylish and fun period clothing and accessories for men ...More
London > Shopping > Hair and Grooming
Urban Retreat and Chakra Rooms 174 High Holborn, London, Covent Garden, London WC1V | 2 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
Environmentally conscious hair and make-up brand with 'lifestyle' stores like this one in High Holborn - where there's even a herb garden on the roof terrace. ...More
London > Shopping > Shoes
70 Neal Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2H | 2 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
Every summer, the London streets are ablaze with a rich array of sandals and flip-flops. Clumpy, frumpy and built for comfort, Birckenstock footwear has become fashionable ...More
London > Education > English Language Courses
10 Coptic Street, London, Bloomsbury, London WC1A | 4 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
English [Out There!] takes a very hands-on approach to learning English. The course places an emphasis on using what you have learned. Students are taken out ...More
London > Education > Universities and Colleges
Southampton Row, London, Holborn, London WC1B | 7 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
One of the premier arts colleges in the world, St Martin's accepts only a few talented students each year, and is very well regarded in the ...More
London > Education > Professional Training
Churchill House, 35 Red Lion Square, London, Holborn, London WC1R | 8 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
...More
Leisure near The Poetry Cafe
London > Leisure > Health and Beauty
25 Shelton Street, 40 Earlham Street, London, WC2H | 3 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
Let the Thai Square Spa transport you to the shores of Asia with their traditional Thai spa treatment rooms, smack bang in the centre of Covent ...More
London > Leisure > Fitness
12 Floral Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2E | 4 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
This day spa exclusively for women is a total pampering experience from the minute you step through the door. Located in bustling Covent Garden you'll soon ...More
London > Leisure > Parks and Gardens
21 Stacey Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2H | 5 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
In the shadow of both Centrepoint and St Giles-in-the-Fields Church, hidden from most tourists and residents alike, lies this beautiful West End garden. Originally a car ...More
London > Restaurants > Gastropub
39 Bow Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2E | 4 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
Gastropub ...More
London > Nightlife > Pubs
33 Rose Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2E | 6 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
One of the oldest pubs in London, the Lamb & Flag was once known as the Bucket of Blood, thanks to the bare-knuckle fights held here. ...More
Nightlife near The Poetry Cafe
London > Nightlife > Bars
36 Drury Lane, London, Covent Garden, London WC2B | 2 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
The reputation of the Benelux breweries precedes them and this themed bar captures the flair of Dutch cafe culture too. The impressive row of shiny silver ...More
London > Nightlife > Bars
35 Earlham Street, Covent Garden, London, Covent Garden, London WC2H | 3 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
Covent Garden "style" bar serving cocktails and a chilled out, trendy vibe. Considered to be one of London’s original “style” or “concept” bars, despite being on the ...More
London > Nightlife > Bars
1 Aldwych, London, Covent Garden, London WC2B | 7 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
Named one of the top five hotel bars in the world by the Sunday Telegraph, the Lobby Bar at the chic One Aldwych hotel is renowned ...More
Meeting venue hire near The Poetry Cafe
London > Business > Venue Hire
61-65 Great Queen Street, Covent Garden, London, Covent Garden, London WC2B | 4 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
These elegant rooms, in the heart of Covent Garden, successfully combine tradition with some of the most high-tech facilities in the country, to provide a superb ...More
London > Business > Venue Hire
Great Russell Street, London, Bloomsbury, London WC1B | 6 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
...More
London > Business > Venue Hire
Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London, Bloomsbury, London WC1B | 7 minutes from The Poetry Cafe
If you wanted to thoroughly explore the British Museum, it would take months, if not years. Over seven millions objects from all over the world are ...More
Also in Betterton Street
Our recommendations in the same street as The Poetry Cafe
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What's On Today Near The Poetry Cafe Brazil Rocks Clubbing and Nightlife | On 26th May 2012 Guanabara 1 minutes walk from The Poetry Cafe DJs Limao and D Vyzor spin Latin and house, plus Tribo performs live....More Diamond Noir Clubbing and Nightlife | Until 26th May 2012 Tamarai 1 minutes walk from The Poetry Cafe Resident DJs spin R&B, 1990s soul, hip hop, funky house and club classics....More ![]() War Horse Theatre | Until 20th December 2012 New London Theatre 1 minutes walk from The Poetry Cafe This moving adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's World War I epic War Horse gets a West End transfer to the New ...More Making Noise Quietly (Being Friends/Lost/Making Noise Quietly) Theatre | Until 26th May 2012 The Donmar Warehouse 3 minutes walk from The Poetry Cafe Sara Kestelman features in Peter Gill's production of Robert Holman's triptych of dramas, each looking at the effects of war ...More ![]() Ballo Della Regina / La Sylphide Concerts | Until 15th June 2012 Royal Opera House 3 minutes walk from The Poetry Cafe The operatic double bill of Balle Della Regina / La Sylphide is set to wow London crowds in the summer ...More SUM Concerts | Until 2nd June 2012 Royal Opera House 3 minutes walk from The Poetry Cafe German composer Max Richter debuts a new chamber opera at the Royal Opera House, entitled SUM, based on a best-selling book and ...More Sum Concerts | Until 2nd June 2012 Linbury Studio Theatre 3 minutes walk from The Poetry Cafe Max Richter and Wayne McGregor's chamber opera concerning the afterlife, inspired by a cult book of short stories by American ...More The Royal Ballet: Ballo Della Regina & La Sylphide Dance | Until 15th June 2012 Royal Opera House 3 minutes walk from The Poetry Cafe The performance of George Balanchine's Ballo Della Regina marks the company's homage to the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, and is performed ...More Falstaff Theatre | Until 30th May 2012 Royal Opera House 3 minutes walk from The Poetry Cafe Verdi's final masterpiece returns to Covent Garden after a ten year gap, this time under the direction of Robert Carson, ...More ![]() Rock Of Ages Theatre | Until 21st October 2012 Shaftesbury Theatre 3 minutes walk from The Poetry Cafe A girl meets a city rocker in a famous Los Angeles rock club, and they fall in love to classic ...More
Hotels near The Poetry Cafe
From cheap budget accommodation to luxury 5 star hotels see our discounts for The Poetry Cafe hotels, including Club Quarters Lincoln's Inn Fields from 59% off. |













