It may have lost a lot of its sleazy charm in recent years, but there’s still a lot to love about Soho. You can escape the bustle of Oxford Street and slip into Bar Termini for a spritz, sip coffee until late at Bar Italia, and stock up on gourmet goodies at Lina Stores. If you’re after a sit-down meal, you can rely on Soho stalwarts like HIX, Gauthier, and Bocca di Lupo, but there’s also a bumper crop of new openings to try. Here are nine new restaurants and one bar to add to your To Do list.
Bonnie Gull – After the success of their Fitzrovia seafood shack, the Bonnie Gull team have opened a second restaurant in Soho. Expect seafood sharing plates like razor clams in vermouth butter, sea trout tartare, and squid toast.
Corazon – This new taqueria on Poland Street serves creative Mexican comfort food and killer cocktails. Pop in for carne asada or Baja fish tacos, crab tostadas, and a Margarita or two.
Hip Chips – We’ve already got a cereal café, so it was only a matter of time before London got its first crisps and dips bar. At Hip Chips, a variety of different spuds are freshly fried and then delivered by conveyor belt to be dunked into dips like Moroccan yoghurt, katsu curry, and smoky cheese fondue. There are sweet dips too, if you’re feeling adventurous.
Dum Biryani House – This Wardour Street newcomer serves authentic Hyderabadi biryanis with delicious side dishes and spice-infused cocktails. Try their fragrant lamb shank biryani and the stir-fried king prawns with red chilli and coconut.
Island Poké – Head to Kingly Street to try one of this year’s hottest dishes – poké (Hawaiian raw fish salad). We like the Yuzu Lomi Lomi – salmon with yuzu dressing, mango salsa, edamame and spring onions.
Pilau – Fresh Indian street food on Noel Street. Choose from a wrap, rice bowl or salad bowl, topped with their delicious butter chicken, paneer, and lamb and bone marrow curry.
Kiln – This one opened back in September but it’s proved such a hit that you might not have been able to get a table yet. It’s the second venture from Ben Chapman of Smoking Goat and it serves regional Thai dishes like clay pot baked glass noodles and Northern style pork curry soup.
Bar Swift – This friendly and unpretentious cocktail bar has just opened on Old Compton Street, where LAB Bar used to be. It’s a joint venture from the team behind Milk & Honey and NightJar, so it’s no surprise that the cocktails are on point and there are bar bites like Guinness Welsh rarebit and steak tartare to soak them up.
Coming Soon: Kricket, The Ivy Soho Brasserie, The Bun House, Tommi’s Burger Joint.
Where are your favourite places to eat and drink in Soho? Let us know in the comments.
