Foodie Itinerary in London: Snacking Around Piccadilly & Soho's Hidden Gems

foodie itinerary in london - themed london itinerary - foodie things to do in london on a budget - central london itinerary - unusual things to do in london - best places to eat in london - best cafes in central london - best bakeries in london - piccadilly - shaftesbury avenue - soho - chinatown

There may be affiliate links throughout the content you're about to read. When you purchase from my links, I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) which helps me provide even more awesome content for you :)

A straight-to-the-point foodie itinerary in London to snack on great food around Piccadilly, Shaftesbury Avenue, Chinatown and Soho!

Food is of much interest to me.

Or rather, there’s not much I’m not willing to try out, and I guess that’s a valid way of seeing life, especially when you live in London and similar cities, so full of incredible cultures.

After writing so many themed London itineraries, I felt like it was high time to take you on a foodie tour.

Others will come; like my recently-published foodie itinerary of Covent Garden, but today, I am taking you to Piccadilly, Shaftesbury Avenue, Chinatown, and finally, Soho.

Foodie Itinerary in London: Snacking Around Piccadilly & Soho’s Hidden Gems

We will be starting our foodie walk near Green Park Tube station, on the Jubilee Line, one of my favorites because it goes all the way to West Hampstead in the west, and Canary Wharf in the east.

This itinerary is one you can follow in one day (but good luck with stomach space), or you can pick out the spots that have caught your attention and create your own itinerary.

And for those who feel artsy and all, you can obviously mix this foodie tour of Piccadilly and Soho with other places, like Dark Academia spots, or incorporate them in a Fashion Itinerary, for instance.

It’s really up to you, but for now, let’s get on and discover some really gorgeous places to eat in Central London, food shops, and of course, hidden gems to unravel along the way!

Foodie Itinerary in London: Walking Down Piccadilly

As we’re arriving from Green Park Station to the Ritz, admire the gorgeous heads sculpted on top of the Ritz Restaurant.

The arches and the pathway, showing the Rivoli Bar on the right, are especially gorgeous during winter.

However, it is only by crossing the road that you’ll really see all the details of the heads sculpted on the beautiful Neoclassical building.

We could start with breakfast at The Ritz, but I’ve decided to mostly share cafes, cheap eats, bakeries and must-visit grocery shops in this foodie itinerary, so you can get more bang for your buck.

A Breakfast in Piccadilly

Keep walking down Piccadilly, and we’re going to have breakfast in one of two places:

The Gentlemen Baristas, a beautiful and trendy coffee shop housed in a building topped by gorgeous sculptures
Dunya Kahvesi, branches I’ve which I’ve seen a lot while looking for cafes in Istanbul

Dunya Kahvesi would definitely be my pick if you’re looking to try something new – just get a coffee to go so we can keep going at the earliest, or sit down and take the time to properly wake up.

Then, up we go – down, further down towards Piccadilly Circus.

At some point on the left, you will spot Old Bond Street, with its elegant shops like Tod’s and Mappin & Webb.

We’re not going to go there just now, but since this foodie itinerary is pretty short, you definitely have the option of popping by in the afternoon if you’re looking for British shops and the like.

However, take a minute to admire Bentley & Skinner on Piccadilly – this is one of the poshest jewelry shops you’ll ever come across in London.

As you keep walking, you will see Burlington Arcade on the left, as well as Burlington House with its carved arches (they make for the ultimate photo spot!).

Read: Paris in London: An Unusual Itinerary to French Places in London

A few seconds away, you’ll start making out in the distance, on the right, the department store Fortnum & Mason, perfect to pick up a couple of makeup products and high-end perfume, but also great for delicious macarons and foodie gifts.

On top of Fortnum & Mason, spot the clocks at the entrance, and another hidden gem you can’t miss out – a couple of geometric sculptures from Lynn Chadwick, of the kind you can also find in the art trail in Canary Wharf.

A few things to see in Piccadilly

Fortnum & Mason is particularly amazing to check out Christmas decorations (and have afternoon tea!), and as we pass by, we’ll also see Hatchards, the oldest bookshop in London.

Piccadilly is filled with shops which blend sophistication and quirkiness.

For instance, when you keep walking for about 30 seconds, you arrive at Maison Assouline, a secret and beautiful bookstore perfect to pick up coffee table books of any kind.

We haven’t walked much, but if you feel like a treat, stop by L’Eto for a beautiful pastry, and then enter Waterstones, yet another bookshop, but kind of one of the only places in which you can buy Jellycat plushies in London, books, and utterly stunning notebooks.

The excitement is growing as we’re starting to spot the Eros statue in the middle of Piccadilly Circus, with bright screens on the left, and right across, the Lillywhites department store.

If you take a right, you will encounter on St James’s Street one of the biggest Tesco shops in London – for a super cheap meal deal, it’s great to pop by and then keep walking. Down the road, you also reach St James’s Park, particularly great if you’re spending spring or summer in London.

Look on the left of the Piccadilly Circus screens and look up: you’ll see Medici-style vases and a huge rotunda, as well as sculptures which could very much be part of an Italian itinerary.

Read: Morocco in London: An Unusual Itinerary to Moroccan Places

Foodie Itinerary in London: Leicester Square and Shaftesbury Avenue

Now, you have two choices – go straight to Shaftesbury Avenue, or take a right on Piccadilly Circus to Leicester Square.

Or yet another option, pop by the Boots store, one of the biggest in London, and pick up a couple of drugstore makeup products!

If you go to Leicester Square, walking around the square will show you different statues of the cinema culture, including Harry Potter, Batman, Paddington, Mr Bean, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Poppins, and a quirky Swiss clock (pictured above).

There, you’ll be able to try one of the cheapest eats in London: Greggs, with its caramel and jam doughnuts I swear by when I live in London, and pay a visit to the Twinings tea shop is great to admire rows upon rows of tea recipes.

If you do not want to go to Leicester Square, we’re going to take Shaftesbury Avenue: for a quick snack, this avenue has it all, including Chinatown on the right, and Soho on the left.

Read: A Local’s Fashion in London Itinerary from Museums to Shops

A little about Shaftesbury Avenue

Shaftesbury Avenue, in my opinion, is one of the prettiest streets in Central London.

St James Tavern, with its frescoes, turrets and vintage lamps, the Central Cinema, and Great Windmill Street, which leads right in the heart of Soho, are all great photo spots.

Let’s keep going down Shaftesbury Avenue to get:

A cake from Japanese patisserie Sakurado
Or a coffee from Flocafe to give you some more energy
Or a decadent filled doughnut from Doughnut Time, with their bright colors and quirky names

You’ll see that Shaftesbury Avenue is lined with theaters; we’re in the heart of the West End, and from Les Miserables to plays like 2:22, they’re a must-visit at least once in your life.

For lunch, Macellaio is one of my favorite places, complete with costata and other rich cuts of meat – this is one of the best Italian restaurants in London.

If you’d rather eat something Asian-style, Pho & Bun on the avenue is a place I particularly love for rice burgers and Vietnamese pho.

Read: A Quirky Bookish Itinerary in London

Foodie Itinerary in London: Gerrard Street and Chinatown

As you walk down, you’ll spot Gerrard Street on the right: it is one of the limits of the Chinatown area, and a street you won’t miss because of the colorful dragons and Chinese lanters.

You can take a right there and check out the vibe and restaurants:

Chinatown Bakery is a place I swear by for inexpensive cakes, curry puffs and other chicken specialties
Chinese Tapas House, with their rice buns filled with veggies or chicken, is another place I recommend oh so very much
Mamasons, a Filipino ice cream shop, can be found closer to Charing Cross Road, and perfect for purple ube ice cream

If you choose not to enter Chinatown and would rather see Soho, at the crossroads between Shaftesbury Avenue and Gerrard Street, we’re going to take a left.

Read: The Old London: A Historic Itinerary in the City of London

Foodie Itinerary in London: Soho

On the left, Gerrard Street becomes Wardour Street, one of the liveliest streets of Soho.

On the right, after the telephone box, you will spot a small garden no one really talks about or pays attention to.

It’s not always open, but there’s a church there, St Anne’s Church, and it’s a great place for a picnic, quiet despite being established right in the heart of Soho.

Walk down the street, and on the left, you’ll see Ann Summers: this is one of the London lingerie shops where the models are especially beautiful, and a really cool treat as you’re walking around.

Read: How to Spend 3 Days in London: A Fun Itinerary

About five minutes away from Shaftesbury Avenue, when walking down Wardour Street, if you take a left on Brewer Street, you will reach Cutter & Squidge.

This incredible bakery bakes delicious vegan cakes, so good that you wouldn’t think they’re vegan. Plus, downstairs, Cutter & Squidge has a Harry Potter themed room in which you can get a Potions Room afternoon tea.

I tried it a few months ago and absolutely loved it.

Eating in Old Compton Street

If you’re not going to Brewer Street just yet, then Wardour Street becomes at some point on the right Old Compton Street.

Bagel Bakery Bar, which makes the corner, awaits us and is a really great place to get bagels, fresh and super tasty.

If you’re hungry, these are some places to try on Old Compton Street for a sweet treat or a full meal:

Poppies Fish & Chips
Dipd for baked ice cream sandwiches
Orée, a French patisserie with perfect breakfast options

As we’re walking down Old Compton Street, one store you shouldn’t miss if you like tea or coffee is the Algerian Coffee Stores – if you’re looking for things to buy in London and bring back home, you can make your own little sets there.

A few minutes down Old Compton Street brings us at the crossroads with Dean Street, another one of the most famous streets in Central London, and one where you’ll find a myriad of colorful shop windows.

Keep walking down the street, and check out Cafe de Nata for amazing pastel de nata: original recipes and quirky twists with apple and cinnamon, raspberry, and other fruits are available.

When you go out of Cafe de Nata, you will face Frith Street – our next spot is already visible: the historic and all-neon-clad Bar Italia, established in 1949, is open deep into the night and one of the oldest Italian cafes in London.

Sit there with a strong espresso at one of the few tables outside, or take it to go, and let’s keep walking!

Do keep in mind that, if you’d like to pop by Bar Italia in the evening, a great date idea would be to spend some time at the Ronnie Scott jazz club, which faces Bar Italia.

Read: How to Spend 24 Hours in London: A Full Itinerary

Keep walking down Old Compton Street, and you will reach Greek Street, in which there are a few places to see:

The Three Greyhounds, one of London’s prettiest pubs
Cafe Boheme, a French cafe with live music and Parisian-style tables, makes the corner
Wands & Wizard Exploratorium for Harry Potter fans
Maison Bertaux, a French patisserie established in 1871

Read: The Curious Traveler’s Guide to Covent Garden, Central London

Foodie Itinerary in London: Greek Street

If we take Greek Street on the left, we encounter dark buildings that really feel like London; it’s one of the neighborhoods that is lieveliest and with properly Georgian architecture – gorgeous.

Keep going, and you’ll see two amazing restaurants:

Montagu Pyke on the right, where I ate my first ever fish and chips, is a proper pub which has another door on Charing Cross Road
Posh French restaurant L’Escargot on the left, with all sorts of traditional French dishes

Down the street, you will spot Lina Stores on the left: this is an Italian deli which also has restaurants around London, and another branch closer to Cutter & Squidge, also in Soho – perfect to create your own Italian dishes.

Do not miss out on the Simmons bar on the right then: with timber-style architecture, it echoes that of the Three Greyhounds pub we’ve just seen.

After the Simmons bar, you’ll see Manette Street on the right and its colorful Soho mural: yet another great photo spot!

Read: The Curious Traveler’s Guide to London’s Street Art Neighborhoods

The End of Our Foodie Itinerary in London

At the end of the street, we’re arriving in a very pretty square, Soho Square, surrounded with Georgian buildings, its timber house in the middle, and tiny sculptures of colorful pigeons on lampposts around the square.

Soho Square is a place where you often have crazy art installations, and where Londoners love to spend some time to catch up with friends.

If you have indeed gotten a pastel de nata at Cafe de Nata, you could very well take a few minutes to enjoy each bite while sitting on a bench here.

On the right of the square, you can spot a small church, St Patrick’s church, so small it feels secret.

If you take the street passing by the church, you will reach Charing Cross Road, with the Outernet at the Now Building, and on the left, Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street.

Read: The Curious Traveler’s Guide to London’s Secret and Free Museums

If we take a right on Charing Cross Road, and walk about 5/10 minutes, we will soon reach one of the cutest patisseries in London: Donutelier.

With its filled doughnuts shaped like pastries, and a myriad of cookies and cakes on the menu, it is where our foodie itinerary ends, and by now, you will hopefully have enjoyed more goodness than you thought possible.

Read: The Curious Traveler’s Guide to Multicolor Places in London

Foodie Itinerary in London: Snacking Around Piccadilly & Soho’s Hidden Gems

Snacking around Piccadilly, Soho, and Chinatown is something I do all the time when I live in London.

I currently spend half of the year in other cities, like Rome, Paris and Barcelona, but there’s something about London’s restaurants and cafes that keeps me hooked.

In the hopes that this foodie itinerary has helped you understand a bit more about Central London’s all-inclusive culture…

Until next time!

Other London Food

Other London Cafes

Other London Bakeries

Other London Halal Food

PIN IT FOR LATER

The Working Line

Website | + posts

Sam is a certified fashion makeup artist, a freelance writer, a blogger and a digital nomad. Since 2019, she roams around the world, from London to Rome and shares her knowledge about makeup, scented candles, travel, blogging and the digital nomad lifestyle.