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, Events, Entertainment, Sights and Attractions, Shopping, Restaurants, Pubs, Nightlife, Leisure, Education, and Meeting Venues.

W London Leicester Square
London > Hotels > Luxury Chain Hotel
10 Wardour Street, W1D
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Thistle Piccadilly Hotel London
London > Hotels > Mid-Range Chain Hotel
Coventry Street, W1D
The main attraction of this traditional Victorian hotel is that it has many of London's famous landmarks, including Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square, within minutes’ walking ... More

 

 

Sanctum Soho Hotel
London > Hotels > Luxury Chain Hotel
20 Warwick Street, W1B
The rock star glamour of this Soho hotel gives it a real buzz - with an underground cinema, black bathrooms, rooftop bar and open air Jacuzzi ... More

 

 

Hotels in Soho

 

Jonny Woo Gay Bingo
London > Events > Clubbing and Nightlife
Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, Soho, London W1D
Prepare for the campest, boldest and most outlandish bingo session you've ever experienced at the Jonny Woo Gay Bingo. Hosted by the Soho Theatre, these evenings ... More

 

 

The King's Speech
London > Events > Theatre
Wyndhams Theatre, Charing Cross Road, Soho, London WC2H
The King's Speech finally arrives in the West End after a successful stint at the Richmond Theatre and a nationwide tour. The stage version follows the ... More

 

 

Events in Soho

 

Criterion Theatre
London > Entertainment > Theatres
Piccadilly Circus, London, Soho, London W1J
The tiny entrance of the Criterion theatre is almost invisible among the massive advertisements, traffic and crowds of Piccadilly Circus. To ignore it, however, is to ... More

 

 

Comedy Store
London > Entertainment > Comedy Clubs
1a Oxendon Street, London, Soho, London SW1Y
The Comedy Store is the spiritual home of stand-up in the UK. Despite being the best large comedy venue in the country, the Store still succeeds ... More

 

 

Prince of Wales Theatre
London > Entertainment > Theatres
Coventry Street, London, Soho, London W1D
Theatres have stood on this spot since 1884, perfectly placed to draw the attention of the great crowds moving between Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square. The ... More

 

 

Entertainment in Soho

 

Piccadilly Circus
London > Attractions > Sights
Piccadilly Circus, London, Soho, London W1J
Right in the middle of the West End, Piccadilly Circus isn't a circus at all, but an enormous road junction where Piccadilly itself Regent Street, Shaftesbury ... More

 

 

Soho
London > Attractions > Other Attractions
, London, 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

 

 

Leicester Square
London > Attractions > Other Attractions
Leicester Square, London, Soho, London WC2H
With Trafalgar Square to the south, Piccadilly Circus to the west, China Town to the north and Covent Garden to the east, Leicester Square is right ... More

 

 

Sights and Attractions in Soho

 

Vintage Magazine Store
London > Shopping > Gifts and Luxuries
39-43 Brewer Street, London, Soho, London W1F
Packed with pictures of icons, stars and stylers, and not adverse to some greetings cards humour, this shop is a good option for cards for any ... More

 

 

Mrs Kibble's Olde Sweet Shoppe
London > Shopping > Food and Drink Shops
57a Brewer Street, London, Soho, London W1F
An old-fashioned, sugary-sweet, treat temptation in an area of London known for its more alternative delights, Mrs Kibble's Olde Sweet Shoppe in Soho offers pure, unadulterated, ... More

 

 

Gelupo
London > Shopping > Delicatessens
7 Archer Street, Soho, London, Soho, London W1D
From the team that bought you Bocca Di Lupo comes Gelupo, a traditional Italian gelateria, delicatessen and espresso bar in the heart of Soho. Gelupo is ... More

 

 

Shopping in Soho

 

Melati
London > Restaurants > South East Asian restaurants
21 Great Windmill Street, London, Soho, London W1D
Indonesian and Malaysian cuisine. Booking advised for dinner. Separate room for parties. ... More

 

 

Zilli Fish
London > Restaurants > Fish and Seafood
36-40 Brewer Street, Soho, London, Soho, London W1F
Aldo Zilli made his reputation with cookbooks that took the mystique out of Mediterranean fish cooking: simple, hearty dishes that anyone could ... More

 

 

Zilli Cafe
London > Restaurants > Cafes and Delis
42 Brewer Street, London, Soho, London W1F
... More

 

 

Restaurants in Soho

 

Waxy O'Connors
London > Nightlife > Pubs
14-16 Rupert Street, London, Soho, London W1D
Located where it is, Waxy’s is fairly predictable. It’s expensive, it’s busy and it’s got a fair smattering of tourists, but it also has that certain ... More

 

 

Endurance
London > Restaurants > Gastropub
90 Berwick Street,, London, Soho, London W1F
... More

 

 

Waxy's Little Sister
London > Nightlife > Pubs
20 Wardour Street, London, Soho, London W1D
If you're not up for the hectic atmosphere of Waxy O'Connors it might be worth slipping across the street to her infinitely more tranquil Little Sister. ... More

 

 

Pubs in Soho

 

Comedy Camp
London > Nightlife > Bars
3 Archer Street, London, Soho, London W1D
Excellent, intimate bar with a mainly gay crowd in the middle of Soho, boasting the usual combination of expensive but superior cocktails and finger food, ... More

 

 

Madame Jojo's
London > Nightlife > Nightclubs
8-10 Brewer Street, London, Soho, London W1F
This was once a sleazy Soho strip club, as the name suggests, and it really shows. Deep reds are the dominant colour, with mirrors, booths and velvet curtains creating ... More

 

 

Rumba
London > Nightlife > Nightclubs
36 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, Soho, London W1D
Concealed in a particularly squalid and touristy corner of Piccadilly Circus is Rumba, the bar that has kept the UK's Urban scene alive in the West ... More

 

 

Nightlife in Soho

 

Relax
London > Leisure > Health and Beauty
65 Brewer Street, London, Soho, London W1F
Mmmmm... over twenty different kinds of massage, holistic health and beauty products, and a superbly laidback cafe. Relax is the ultimate antidote to Central London. ... More

 

 

Urban Golf Soho
London > Leisure > Golf
33 Great Pulteney Street, London, 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

 

 

Bloww
London > Leisure > Health and Beauty
4 Regent Place, London, Soho, London W1B
Can't decide whether to have a facial, a manicure or a bouncy blow dry? No problem, at Bloww, you can have it all. This super stylish ... More

 

 

Leisure in Soho

 

Lamai Cookery School
London > Education > Cookery Courses
Venues across London, Soho, London WC2H
Thai food is the cuisine of the moment - green curries, red curries, satays, are everywhere. To the uninitiated,it's very difficult to recreate at home. But, ... More

 

 

Education in Soho

 

68 Dean Street
London > Business > Venue Hire
68 Dean Street, London, 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

 

 

Urban Golf Soho
London > Business > Venue Hire
33 Great Pulteney Street, Soho, London, 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

 

 

Meeting Venues in Soho