A neighbourhood guide to Soho

Enjoy the nightlife of one of London's most bohemian districts, including the theatres of Shaftesbury Avenue.

Soho isn’t easy to define. There are no official parameters and no Tube station of the name (Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Circus, and Piccadilly Circus will drop you off nearby). It isn’t known for museums or famous shops. You could say it’s more of a state of mind!

Originally farmland, the area became a parish in the late 17th century, with the arrival of new homes built by the aristocracy. It’s thought that the name originates from a former hunting cry.

By the 19th century, the upper classes had moved out, and the area suffered further following an outbreak of cholera. “Hear them down in Soho Square, dropping aitches everywhere,” observes the snobbish Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady.

In the 20th century, the neighbourhood gained a reputation as “seedy Soho” (the down-at-heel reputation was a boon to bohemianism). However, nearby Shaftesbury Avenue has been the epicentre of the West End theatre scene since the 1880s, and many film companies set up shop there too.

The area has long been a hub for leisure, including some of London's most notable pubs, and LGBT+ culture. Read our guide to this colourful area and all the entertainments it has to offer.

Theatres in Soho

Soho Place

The first purpose-built theatre to be built in the West End in 40 years, Soho Place (styled as @sohoplace) is a fully accessible, state-of-the-art venue that has slotted in brilliantly since its opening in 2022 and provides central London with a much-needed intimate, flexible space.

This autumn, the venue hosts experimental drama White Rabbit Red Rabbit (no director, no rehearsal, and a different well-known actor performing every night with a script in hand!) and pantomime Sensory Cinders, designed for audiences with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD).

Palace Theatre

At the top of Shaftesbury Avenue, at the junction with Charing Cross Road, stands the majestic Palace Theatre, with one of the most iconic frontages in London. The Palace opened in 1891 as an opera venue but soon after became a music hall. In the 20th century, it hosted the original London runs of The Sound of Music and Jesus Christ Superstar. West End mega-hit Les Misérables played here for 19 years before its move to the Queen’s Theatre (now the Sondheim).

The theatre subsequently hosted The Woman in White, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and Singin’ in the Rain. Epic two-parter Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has been casting its spell since 2016.

Prince Edward Theatre

Slightly tucked away on Old Compton Street, this large 1930 venue became a cinema five years after opening, before returning to its theatrical origins in the 1970s. The original production of Evita played for over a decade. Mamma Mia! (now at the Novello Theatre) played here for five years, and Jersey Boys for seven.

Disney took up residence with the original 2004 production of Mary Poppins as well as its 2019 revival, and Aladdin entertained audiences for three years. MJ The Musical has proven a real thriller since its opening in spring 2024.

Sondheim Theatre

The first of the cluster of theatres as you head down Shaftesbury Avenue towards Piccadilly. Originally the Queen’s Theatre, the venue was built in 1907 as a venue for plays and closed after suffering bomb damage in 1940 before reopening in 1959.

Les Misérables transferred here from the Palace Theatre in 2004. The theatre was refurbished in 2019, after which the 2009 touring staging of the show was implemented in the venue. The theatre was renamed in honour of the composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim to mark this new lease of life.

Gielgud Theatre

A pair with the Sondheim Theatre, the Gielgud opened in 1906 as the Hicks Theatre, staging plays and musicals. Its name was later changed to the Globe and then again in 1994, to avoid confusion with the in-progress Shakespeare’s Globe and to honour legendary actor Sir John Gielgud.

Recent productions at the Gielgud include Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends and Rufus Wainwright’s Opening Night. A limited run of Juno and the Paycock starring Mark Rylance opens shortly, and then Matthew Bourne’s new production of perennial favourite Oliver! arrives from Chichester in time for Christmas.

Apollo Theatre

Following the long reign of Queen Victoria, the Apollo was the first new London theatre to open during the Edwardian era and designed specifically for musical comedy, but musicals, dramas and comedies have all featured at this versatile playhouse.

More recently, the London debut of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie played at the Apollo, as did the original production of Jez Butterworth’s Jerusalem and its revival, both starring Mark Rylance. Audiences are currently rolling in aisles thanks to the stage adaptation of Fawlty Towers.

Lyric Theatre

The fourth of the cluster, the Lyric is one of the surviving theatres of the Shaftesbury Avenue building boom of the 1880s, originally specialising in comic operas. As with all Shaftesbury Avenue theatres, it’s presented an eclectic array of work over the years.

Despite mixed reviews, Michael Jackson tribute show Thriller – Live played for more than a decade at the Lyric. Currently, audiences have really taken Anais Mitchell’s mythological arthouse musical Hadestown to their hearts since its opening earlier in 2024.

Pubs and bars in Soho

Coach & Horses

Soho’s journalists’ pub, immortalised in Jeffrey Bernard’s Private Eye columns and recreated onstage in Keith Waterhouse’s play Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell. Other notable customers included Francis Bacon, The Beatles, and John Hurt. “London’s rudest landlord” Norman Balon was in charge for 60 years and became a cult figure. The service is much friendlier now!

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The French House

The former York Minster was renamed in honour of Charles de Gaulle, who allegedly penned his speech "À tous les Français" in the pub while in London during World War II. Other famous regulars included Augustus John, Dylan Thomas, and Lucian Freud. As per a certain quirk, the pub only serves beer in half-pints, except on 1 April, when the first pint of the day is served by the musician Suggs.

££

Dog & Duck

Another literary pub, with a dining room named after former patron George Orwell (who knew a thing or two about the seedier side of Soho). Madonna and the Prince and Princess of Wales (William and Kate) have also been known to drop in for a drink.

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Admiral Duncan

Renowned as one of London most prominent gay pubs since the 1980s, the Admiral Duncan has existed since the 1830s. After a homophobic bombing took place in the pub in 1999, the tragedy marked a turning point for the often-fraught relationship between the LGBT community and the Metropolitan Police.

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Ronnie Scott’s

The world-famous jazz club and bar is now in its 65th year and continues to showcase exciting talent, accompanied by excellent cocktails and food. Every music lover ought to visit at least once!

££

Restaurants in Soho

Chinatown

Not one restaurant but dozens. London’s Chinatown, as we know it, was established in the 1970s. Regional Chinese cookery is highly eclectic with around 20 different cuisines available. Dim sum is always a favourite. Chinatown always looks wonderful and fizzles with energy, especially around Chinese New Year.

£-££

Brasserie Zédel

A beautiful and genuine Art Deco restaurant serving French cuisine. You’ll feel like you’re in an Astaire and Rogers movie – and it’s quite reasonably priced. Enjoy a show in the Crazy Coqs cabaret room before or afterwards (the space is a great favourite of many renowned artists).

££

Rita’s

An American fusion restaurant, Rita’s has been operating since 2012 with its commitment to sourcing ethically and sustainably sourced produce. All dishes are cooked biodynamically and most often without any chemical intervention at all.

£££

Quo Vardis

In business since 1926, Quo Vadis, with its members’ club attached, is a real Soho institution located in a former home of Karl Marx. Serving seasonal British dishes, Gordon Ramsey has called it his favourite London restaurant.

£££

Fun Soho-related theatre facts:

• The Windmill Theatre, a former variety venue, was famous for its nude tableaux vivants and remained open throughout the Blitz. The film and musical Mrs Henderson Presents told the story of eccentric proprietress Laura Henderson.
• The Apollo Theatre hosted the London premiere of Harold Brighouse’s curriculum staple Hobson’s Choice in 1916 (the world premiere of the Lancashire-set play actually took place at New York’s Princess Theatre).
• The rear of the Lyric Theatre features an original 1767 house front from the former house and museum of physician and collector Sir William Hunter (namesake of the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery in Glasgow).
• Jessie Matthews, actress, dancer, singer, and one of the biggest stage and screen stars of the 1920s and 1930s, was born on Berwick Street. A green plaque was unveiled by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ruthie Henshall in 1995.