With over 20,000 restaurants in London, knowing where to eat can be tricky for the most seasoned foodie.
And even if you know which neighborhood you want to dine in, you’ll be spoiled for choice.
With 527 Soho restaurants on TripAdvisor, the area is brimming with delicious eateries.
READ MORE: Clapham and Battersea’s 7 Best Restaurants According to TripAdvisor, and One Might Surprise You
To help you find the best food in Soho, we’ve rounded up the top picks from real Londoners – the MyLondon team – to help you navigate the Soho food scene.
duck and rice
(Image: duck and rice)
This self-proclaimed “eclectic Soho pub” serves up amazing Chinese food alongside their drinks.
Downstairs is a classic dog-friendly pub with British ales, pilsners, and cocktails.
Upstairs is their luxurious dining room serving all kinds of Chinese delicacies.
A long list of Dim Sum, Cantonese Roast Duck and several types of Chop Suey sit alongside desserts like Truffle Profiterole Pie and Dark Coconut Ice Cream.
And the £12 gin sour is just one of many delicious cocktails on the menu.
Find it Duck and Rice at 90 Berwick Street, London W1F 0QB.
Din Tai Fung
The story of this dumpling restaurant is simply inspiring.
London has it all – the best nightlife, food, drink, events, markets, everything!
But how do you stay on top? Our weekly What’s On, Going Out Out newsletter explains how.
You’ll receive a fully curated newsletter with the most exciting stories, reviews, previews and more – including original content – every week.
And the best piece? It’s totally FREE.
All you have to do is sign up for Going Out Out here.
Din Tai Fung’s founder, Mr. Bing-Yi Yang, was born in China in 1927 and moved to Taiwan when he was young.
After working for a cooking oil company that closed, he opened his own and named it Din Tai Fung after his former employer.
And when business got tough, he and his wife started making steamed pork dumplings.
Today, the Soho Restaurant is one of 161 restaurants worldwide serving what Forbes has called “the world’s greatest dumplings.”
Find Din Tai Fung at 5-6 Henrietta Street, London WC2E 8PS.
Barbarism
(Image: Barbary)
Inspired by the Barbary Coast, this restaurant in Neal’s Yard serves up all things Mediterranean.
Their bread is baked in a traditional clay oven so they can “start each day with the kindling of the wood and the day ends with the glowing and dying embers”.
The main menu is divided into ‘land’, ‘sea’ and ‘land’ categories and includes harissa lamb chops and black salmon dukkah.
Baklawa sits at the top of the dessert menu, cleverly titled “paradise” to match the theme.
And Barbary Next Door is Barbary’s casual sister restaurant conveniently located, as the name suggests, right next door.
Barbarism is located at 16 Neal’s Yard, London WC2H 9DP.
bench
At Bancone, it’s all about watching the chefs at work while you sit at the bar.
With pasta so good it’s featured in the Michelin Guide, critics rave about the “silk handkerchiefs”; strips of pasta covered in nut butter and a candied egg yolk.
And with entrees ranging from £9 to £24 for pasta with winter truffles, you’ll have plenty left over for the extensive wine list.
Find bench at 39 William IV Street, London WC2N 4DD.
Flesh and buns
This Japanese restaurant is located in a modern basement in Covent Garden.
Flesh and Buns is based on the Japanese Izakaya concept, a laid-back setting reminiscent of a pub.
But the food is anything but pub grub: the freshest sushi sits alongside all kinds of meats accompanied by steamed buns.
Choose between lamb shank, crispy duck leg and more and wash it down with one of their signature cocktails.
Flesh and buns is located at 41 Earlham Street, London WC2H 9LX.
Pastor
(Image: Jason Lowe/El Pastor)
This Soho taqueria aims to bring the “fiesta spirit” to the West End.
Everything is based on the time spent by its founders in Mexico and is as authentic as possible.
They even have their own tortilleria where they make fresh tortillas daily.
The menu includes a wide selection of tacos, including the classic taco al pastor.
And for dessert, the chocolate and mole tart is particularly inviting.
There’s even a mezcaleria in the basement with plenty of mezcals and other drinks to choose from.
Find Pastor at 66-70 Brewer St, London W1F 9UP.
SohoJoe
(Photo: Soho Joe/Instagram)
Soho Joe offers both brunch and pizza, making it the perfect Soho restaurant.
All kinds of pancakes and eggs plus the classic full English breakfast are all available.
And when they switch to pizza, the list is just as long.
Their special pizza contains red peppers, grilled eggplant, artichokes, mozzarella, tomato sauce and Italian Parma ham, all cooked in a pizza oven.
SohoJoe is located at 34 D’Arblay St, London W1F 8EY.
Rudy’s Pizza
(Picture: Rudy’s Pizza)
For classic Neapolitan pizza, head to the Soho branch of Rudy’s.
Their pizzas are all under a dozen and include classics like the margherita and the more expensive ‘carni’ – fior di latte, parmesan and three types of salami.
And true to tradition, Rudy’s dough is fermented for 20 hours and baked for just one minute.
Find Rudy’s Pizza at 80 Wardour Street, London W1F 0TF.
Did your favorite restaurant make the list? Let us know in the comments!
