A Perfect Day Out in Soho: A Walking Itinerary

A day out in Soho works best on foot. This compact corner of W1, bordered by Oxford Street, Regent Street, Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road, packs record shops, markets, historic coffee bars, theatres and some of London’s best eating into a few short streets. Here is a walking itinerary that takes you from a relaxed morning coffee to an evening show or jazz club, with everything within a ten-minute stroll.

Brewer Street in Soho, W1, with its mix of shops, bars and Georgian buildings

Brewer Street, Soho. Photo: Derek Harper (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

Morning: coffee and Soho Square

Start on Frith Street at Bar Italia, the tiny Italian coffee bar that has been serving espresso since 1949 and is as much a Soho institution as anything with a blue plaque. From there it is a short walk to Soho Square, the leafy green heart of the district with its mock-Tudor gardener’s hut, a good spot to sit and plan the day. This is the quietest Soho gets, so it is the time to enjoy the streets before the crowds build.

Late morning: markets and record shops

Head to Berwick Street, long famous for its street market and its cluster of independent record shops, one of the best places in London to dig through vinyl. The market stalls sell fruit, flowers and street food from late morning. Wander the narrow lanes around Broadwick Street and Marshall Street, where you will pass the John Snow pump, the site linked to the doctor who traced a cholera outbreak to a water pump here in 1854.

Lunch and Carnaby Street

For lunch, Soho has more choice per square metre than almost anywhere in London, from Chinatown’s restaurants on Gerrard Street, just to the south, to the small plates and cafes around Kingly Court, a three-storey courtyard of restaurants tucked off Carnaby Street. Carnaby Street itself, the centre of Swinging Sixties London, is now a pedestrianised run of shops well worth a slow walk.

  • Bar Italia, Frith Street: a classic Soho espresso stop since 1949.
  • Berwick Street: street market and independent record shops.
  • Kingly Court: a courtyard of restaurants off Carnaby Street.
  • Old Compton Street: the lively centre of Soho’s bar and cafe life.

Afternoon: galleries and browsing

In the afternoon, drop into The Photographers’ Gallery on Ramillies Street, near Oxford Circus, one of the best free-to-browse photography spaces in the city. Then let yourself get lost among Soho’s bookshops, vintage clothing and delis along Old Compton Street, the street that has been the social centre of the district for decades.

Evening: dinner, theatre and jazz

Soho comes alive after dark. Have an early dinner, then choose between a West End show on nearby Shaftesbury Avenue or a set at Ronnie Scott’s on Frith Street, the legendary jazz club open since 1959. If you would rather keep it low-key, the pubs and wine bars around Old Compton Street and Dean Street round off the day nicely. For more of the area, see our Mayfair area guide and the best museums near Oxford Circus.

Frequently asked questions

How long do you need for a day out in Soho?

A full day is ideal but not essential. Soho is small enough to see the highlights in three or four hours, and its density of cafes, shops and restaurants means you can happily fill a morning, an afternoon and an evening without repeating yourself.

What is the best way to get to Soho?

Soho sits between several Underground stations: Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square all border it. From any of them you are a few minutes’ walk into the heart of the district.

Is Soho walkable?

Very. Soho is one of the most walkable parts of central London, with narrow, largely pedestrian-friendly streets and everything within a ten-minute stroll, which is why a walking itinerary works so well here.

What is Soho famous for?

Soho is known for its nightlife, restaurants and bars, its history in music and film, Berwick Street’s record shops and market, Carnaby Street, and institutions like Ronnie Scott’s jazz club and Bar Italia.

Is Soho good for families?

Daytime Soho is fine for families, with the square, market and shops to enjoy, though it becomes more of an adult nightlife district in the evening. A morning and afternoon visit suits families best.