Soho eat & drink United Kingdom England London

If you had to choose one London neighbourhood for a night out, it would have to be Soho, whose array of restaurants, bars, pubs and clubs is second to none. Historically a district of French, Italian and Chinese immigrants, all of whom brought their food and their traditions with them, Soho bursts with coffee bars, cafés and ethnic restaurants, and is also home to some of the finest high-end food hotspots in London. Restaurateurs of the moment Russell Norman and Fergus Henderson have strong presences – Norman with his funky destination restaurants Polpo, Polpetto and Spuntino, and Henderson with the West End outpost of his classic English restaurant St John – and there’s a great selection of classy independent restaurants ranging from Japanese noodle bars to Lebanese canteens. Whether you want a quick, strong shot of Italian espresso, a dim sum feast, or an elegant selection of sharing plates, you’ll find somewhere to fit the bill. And as for pubs, few neighbourhoods in London have a better choice of places to drink. With its well-earned bohemian reputation and its famously sozzled habitués, Soho has all the boozing bases covered, with cosy historic pubs, rowdy gay bars, sleek cocktail joints and cheery gastro-pubs.