Best of Soho

The neighbourhood of Soho, also referred to as London’ s West End with neighbouring Covent Garden is by far the most exciting place in the capital.  It  is home to world class theatres, galleries and Movies premieres, not to mention the numerous locations to grab a pint or go for a nice meal.  This entertainment district, part of the City of Westminster include the famous Chinatown, Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square.  It is also home to London’s famous intersection, Piccadilly Circus, joining  Piccadilly, Regent’s street and Shaftesbury Avenue.
Since the later part of the 20th century, Soho gained a bit of a naughty image, with its various sex shops as well as night life and is considered by some as London’s red light district.

Soho Topics

1. Introduction
2. Soho Map
3. Soho Top Attractions
4. Soho Top Hotels
5. Soho Top Shops
6. Soho Top Bars, Cafe and Restaurants
7. Soho Top Theatres

Soho Maps

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Soho Top Attractions

Soho is blessed with many of central London’s best attractions from famous squares to world class art galleries passing by well known streets and small boutiques.  Soho has definitely something for everyone.  Some of the top sights include:

1. Trafalgar Square
2. National Gallery
3. National Portrait Gallery
4. Piccadilly Circus
5. Leicester Square
6. Chinatown
7. Soho Square
8. Carnaby Street
9. Shaftesbury Avenue
10. St Martin-in-the-Fields
11. Charing Cross Road
12. Old Compton Street
13. Regent’s Street
14. Oxford Circus

Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square situated  at the end of Whitehall and at the beginning of Soho is one of the most famous squares in the world. It is perhaps one of London’s most visited attractions,  popular with both tourists as well as locals for various celebrations and rallies.  At its centre is the Nelson’s Column, guarded by four massive lion statues at its base, built in the memory of a famous sea lord who died at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

National Gallery

The National Gallery, that look out over Trafalgar Square is London’s most popular gallery.  It was founded in 1824 and houses a rich collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. Its collection belongs to the public of the United Kingdom and entry to the main collection (though not some special exhibitions) is free of charge.  Some of its most prestigious paintings include Van Gogh’s Sunflower and Monet’s Water-Lily Pond.

Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus is considered Europe’s time Square with its numerous illuminated advertising billboards. It is situated at the  junction of three of London’s Street including Piccadilly to the west, Regent’s street to the north and Shaftesbury Avenue to the North-East.  At its heart is the black statue of Eros, in memory of Earl of Shaftesbury.  It is now a famous rendez vous point, considered a good starting location for tourist as many of London’s top attraction are close by.  Piccadilly Circus is also the name of the Underground Station at the same location.

National Portrait Gallery

The National Portrait Gallery is sometimes considered an extension of the National Gallery but as its name suggest its focus is on paintings and photographs of British greatest.  It includes portrait the goes back to Henry VII and more recent as the caricature of Margaret Thatcher.

Leicester Square

Leicester Square is a pedestrianised square in the West End and  is within the City of Westminster, and about equal distances north of Trafalgar Square, east of Piccadilly Circus, west of Covent Garden, and south of Cambridge Circus.  It is home to one of the most prestigious Movie premieres, with a wide array of celebrities heading on the red carpet.  There are two statues at its heart including of one motion pictures greatest start, London born Charlie Chaplin.
Next to Leicester Square on Coventry Street , is the home of the famous Guinness World Record.

Chinatown

London’s Chinatown is located just north of Leicester Square and is an ideal place to discover  a bit of China with plenty of Asian restaurants and various shops.  It is especially exciting during the Chinese New year in late January/early  February when the Chinese community celebrate with grandiose fireworks.

Soho Square

The Soho Square situated at the end Firth and Greek street is a beautiful oasis in the heart of Soho.  What was once the most fashionable address in town,  is now popular location with locals on sunny days.

Carnaby Street

The Carnaby Street parallel to Regents street to the east was once home to swinging London.  It is today a nice pedestrian street full of various fashion boutiques, especially popular with a younger crowd.

Shaftesbury Avenue

Shaftesbury Avenue is perhaps mostly known as a Theatre streets.  It runs from Piccadilly Circus to the West to New Oxford in the North East and offers many of Soho’s top venues including  the Lyric, Apollo, Gielgud, Queen’s, Palace and the Palace Theatre. 
Click here for the list of all Soho theatres.

St Martin-in-the-Fields

St Martin-in-the-Fields is a small church next to Trafalgar Square completed  in 1726 by James Gibbs in a US colonial style.

Charing Cross Road

Charing Cross is the Road to the East separating Soho from Covent Garden.  It is a paradise for booklovers with plenty of book shops to choose from (although many have disappeared in the last years).

Old Compton Street

Old Compton Street is another famous pedestrian street in the heart of Soho, home to various artists and musicians. Located north of Shaftesbury Avenue it has plenty of various pubs and coffee shops to be enjoyed, including the famous Ronnie Scott’s jazz venue, Bar Italia coffee shop, Patisserie Valerie French cafe and Wheelers and The Coach and Horses pubs.

Regent’s Street

Regent’s Street, which end Soho to the West is famous for various design boutiques as well as well as known shops such as the famous toy store Hamleys and Apple Store.

Oxford Circus

At the junction of Oxford. one of the biggest shopping Street in Europe and Regent’s Street famous for chic boutiques,  is the world known junction Oxford Circus.  It makes the north west border of Soho.

Soho Top Hotels

Soho is more an entertainment district then a hotel one, however it still offers a few interesting accommodations including:

1. Courthouse Doubletree Hotel
2. Thisle Piccadilly Hotel
3. Best Western Premiere Shaftesbury
4. Royal Trafalgar A Thistle Hotel
5. Radisson Edwardian Leicester Square
6. Radisson Edwardian Hampshire Hotel

Courthouse Doubletree Hotel

The Courthouse Doubletree Hotel is an Old-England style luxury hotel situated in the heart of Soho near the Royal Opera House (21 Great Marlborough Street).  It offers world-class rooms with a friendly reception, in  a mix of contemporary design combined in a historic landmark.   It is also known for having the largest private cinemas in London.
Book a room at the Courthouse Doubletree Hotel, best prices guarantee.

Thisle Piccadilly Hotel

The Thisle Piccadilly Hotel, traditional Victorian hotel situated in the heart of Theatreland is your ideal stay in the centre of London.
Book a room at the Thisle Piccadilly Hotel, best prices guarantee.

Best Western Premiere Shaftesbury

Best Western Premiere Shaftesbury is a recently refurbished boutique hotel on Shaftesbury Avenue in the heart of Soho.  It offers comfortable, a lounge and bar and it ideal for business as well as leisure travellers.
Book a room at the Best Western Premiere Shaftesbury, best prices guarantee.

Royal Trafalgar A Thistle Hotel

The Royal Trafalgar is a upscale classic English hotel perfectly situated next to central London’s most popular attraction Trafalgar Square. It offers beautifully furnished rooms as well as dining and drinking facilities.  
Book a room at the Royal Trafalgar A Thistle Hotel, best prices guarantee.

Radisson Edwardian Leicester Square

The Radisson Edwardian is a unique 4-star boutique hotel in the heart of Central London’s Leicester Square.  It offers many facilities including 3 meeting rooms fully-equipped with Wi-Fi internet access and the latest in audio-visual technology.
Book a room at the Radisson Edwardian Leicester Square Hotel, best prices guarantee.

Radisson Edwardian Hampshire Hotel

The Radisson Edwardian Hampshire Hotel in a luxurious world-class hotel in the heart of Leicester Square.  It offers stunning views of the city in the beautifully decorated rooms.
Book a room at the Radisson Edwardian Hampshire Hotel, best prices guarantee.

Top Shops

Soho has some of the best shopping streets in London. To the north it has Oxford, considered to be the biggest shopping Street in Europe, to the West the famous Regent’s street, home to London’s finest boutiques and finally Carnaby street home to old school fashion boutiques.  Soho is also the location of the Berwick Street market offering all sorts of products from fruits and vegetables to succulent cakes.
Soho is also famous for its small shops and boutiques offering a wide array of goods from toys, records and guitars to more sexy lingerie.  Those include:

1. Agent Provocateur, lingerie boutique
2. Ann Summers, sex shop
3. Apple Store, computers
4. Foyles, bookstore
5. Hamleys, toys store
6. Harold Moores, record shop
7. Liberty, department store
8. Merc, fashion store
9. Reckless Records, record shop
10. Sister Ray, record shop
11. Tatty Divine, jewelleries shop

Agent Provocateur

The Agent Provocateur shop in the heart of Soho (6 Broadwick Street) is a designer lingerie boutique offering a variety of luxurious bras, knickers, stockings, thongs, suspenders and much more.

Ann Summers

Ann Summers is a famous sex shop in the heat of Soho offering some pretty risqué products.

Apple Store

The Regent street Apple Store (235 Regent Street)situated in a two storey open space building is the best place in London to test-drive and explore the latest Apple products.

Foyles

Foyles situated in the heart of Charing Cross Road (113 Charing Cross Road) is one of London’s most famous book store.  It was recently re-developed and is an ideal place to purchase out-of-print books. 

Hamleys

Hamleys store on Regent street (188  Regent St) has one the finest toys in the world and is especially worth visiting during the Christmas season. 

Harold Moores Record

Harold Moores Record in the heart of Soho (2 Great Marlborough Street) is one of London’s best classical music and Jazz store, offering a wide variety of Classical CD’s & LP’s Jazz CD’s.

Liberty

Liberty situated on Great Marlborough St (2 Great Marlborough Street),  is a classy shop that looks much like an art gallery from the inside, with a beautiful mock-Tudor  style on the outside.

Merc

Merc is a fashion store in the heart of the famous Carnaby street.  It offers classic fashion items with a 60s touch.

Reckless Records

Reckless Records is a second-hand record shop based in Berwick Street (30 Berwick St) in the heart of Soho just off Oxford Street.

Sister Ray

Sister Ray is a music store in the heart of Soho (35 Berwick Street) with over 24000 items available .

Tatty Divine

Tatty Divine is a small boutique in Soho (57B Brewer Street) offering a wide Collection of jewelleries for various occasions. 

Soho Top Bars, Cafe and Restaurants

Soho,  as London’s primary entertainment district offers plenty of great locations to enjoy yourself with many great pubs for a nice pint, as well as some jazz venue and nightclubs for a night out with friends.  It is also the perfect place to go out for dinner as it has plenty of various restaurants to choose from with almost any type of cuisine you would wish.

1. Andrew Edmunds, restaurant
2. Arbutus, restaurant
3. Blue Post, Pub
4. Cafe de Hong Kong, Chinese restaurant
5. Haozhan, Chinese restaurant
6. Maison Bertaux, French patisserie
7. Mildred’s, vegetarian restaurant
8. Myung Ga, Korean restaurant
9. Red Fort, Indian restaurant
10. Yauatcha, dim sum teahouse
11. Ronnie Scott’s,  jazz club
12. Valerie,  French Patisserie

Andrew Edmunds

The Andrew Edmunds on Lexington (46 Lexington St) is regarded by some as the most romantic restaurant in London. 

Arbutus

Arbutus (64 Frith Street) is an excellent value for money restaurant that won a Michelin star in January 2007.

Haozhan

Haozhan is a restaurant located in the heart of London’s China Town (8 Gerrard St) offering exquisite oriental food, combining finest ingredients with modern culinary techniques.

The blue post

The blue post on Rupert Street (32 Rupert Street) is one of the oldest pub in Soho dating back from the 18th century.

Cafe de Hong Kong, Chinese restaurant

Cafe de Hong Kong is a Chinese restaurant on Charring Cross Road.

Maison Bertaux

The maison Bertaux (28 Greek St) is London’s oldest and best patisserie.  It has become a Soho legend that bakes daily goodies on the premises.

Mildred’s

Mildred’s is an excellent vegetarian restaurant in the heart of Soho (45 Lexington St).

Myung Ga

Myung Ga is an authentic Korean restaurant in London Soho (1 Kingly St),  specialising in BBQ (on your table) and other renowned Korean foods, such as Kimchi, Bulgogi and Bibimbop. 

Patisserie Valerie

Patisserie Valerie is home to London’s finest cakes and gateaux. They are known for creative wedding, birthday and various other special occasions. 

Red Fort

Located in the heart of Soho (77 Dean St), the Red Fort is an excellent Indian restaurant it is named after Lal Quila, The Red Fort in Delhi.

Yauatcha

The Yauatcha restaurant (17 Broadwick Street) is a contemporary dim sum teahouse offering an all-day grazing experience, specialising in modern authentic dim sum as well as wok-friendly dishes and other small eats.

Ronnie Scott’s

Ronnie Scott’s situated on Firth Street is perhaps the most known of London’s jazz club,  offering many of the greatest names.  Ideal place to enjoy a drink and listen to music in a laid back atmosphere.

Top Theatres and Cinemas

Soho as part of Westminster’s Theatreland has many of the best shows in town. Those theatres venues are most located on Shaftesbury Avenue and Charring Cross Road.  Some last minute tickets sometime up to half price can be bought in the TKTS Booth located in the heart of Leicester Square.

1. London Palladium, home of the Wizard of Oz
2. Prince Edward Theatre, home to the Jersey Boys
3. Piccadilly Theatre, home to Grease
4. Dominion Theatre, home to We Will Rock You
5. Phoenix Theatre, home to Blood Brothers
6. Wyndhams Theatre, home to Clybourne Park
7. Lyric Theatre, home to Thriller – Live
8. Apollo Theatre, home to Wicked
9. Gielgud Theatre, home to The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
10. Queen’s Theatre, home to Les Misérables
11. Palace Theatre, home to Priscilla Queen of The Desert
12. Criterion Theatre, home to The 39 Steps
13. Prince of Wales Theatre, home to Mamma Mia!
14. Comedy Theatre, home to The Children’s Hour
15. Haymarket Theatre
16. Her Majesty’s Theatre, home to The Phantom of the Opera
17. Trafalgar Studios Theatre, home to End of the Rainbow

Cinemas

Soho and especially the Leicester Square area is home to great Cinemas including:

1. Odeon Leicester Square Cinema, home to London’s Movie Premieres 51.510612,-0.129508
2. Odeon Cinema
3. Vue Cinema West End
4. Prince Charles Cinema
5. Empire Cinema
6. Curzon Soho Cinema