'''Soho''' is a region of central London, part of the West End, generally considered to be enclosed by Piccadilly Circus, Shaftesbury Avenue and Cambridge Circus to the south, Charing Cross Road to the east, Oxford Street to the north, and Regent Street to the west.

Soho has the densest concentration of restaurants, cafes, clubs and bars in central London, and represents the vibrant, bustling heart of the city. Although true of much of Soho, and some districts immediately surrounding it (such as Covent Garden), the area immediately surrounding '''Old Compton Street''' in the southern part of Soho is widely recognised as London's premier '''gay village'''.

Soho is also the hub of London's media world with multiple advertising agencies, television and radio studios and post-production companies choosing Soho as their base of operations. Soho is also frequently featured in film and song with the Pogues, Kirsty MacColl and others having made Soho their choice of inspiration.

Soho is sometimes considered to include London's Chinatown. Chinatown, however, lies south of Shaftesbury Avenue and, having a culture distinctly different from the rest of the West End, must be considered a unique district within itself, adjoining - but not really part of - Soho.

Get in

By tube

An Underground station serves each of the four approximate corners of Soho: Tottenham Court Road to the north-east, Oxford Circus to the north-west, Leicester Square to the south-east, and Piccadilly Circus to the south-west.

By train

The most convenient mainline rail station is Charing Cross, located ten to fifteen minutes walk to the south-east.

By car

Access to Soho by car is not recommended, owing to traffic congestion and stringent parking restrictions, and the __8 congestion charge. There is, however, a Masterpark parking station on Poland Street.

By rickshaw

More entertainment than transportation really, rickshaws run in Soho and the surrounding areas. They are much more expensive than a black cab, and may seem a lot less safe, but they are a lot of fun and can often be the fastest way to get around in the West End.

Do

Explore

Soho is best discovered by simply wandering its streets. Take the less trodden paths and you'll be amazed by the rabbit warren of streets and the seemingly endless number of cafes, bars, shops and more. Some highlights are:

  • '''Old Compton Street''', Soho's unofficial high-street is full of bars, cafes, clubs and shops. It's a great place to grab a coffee and watch Soho go by.
  • '''Soho Square''', A centuries-old small park that becomes packed on warm sunny days.
  • Have tea and cakes in one of Soho's great '''patisseries''': the slightly tatty but utterly french Maison Bertaux (28 Greek Street W1D 5DD, since 1871) or Patisserie Valerie (44 Old Compton Street W1D 5JX).
  • Listen

  • '''Ronnie Scott's''' world-famous '''Jazz Bar''' [http://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/], ''47 Frith Street, tel 020 7439 0747, fax 020 7437 5081, enquiries & reservations mailto:ronniescotts@ronniescotts.co.uk, open Mo-Sa 8.30pm-3am including Bank holidays (closed Xmas Eve, Xmas day & Boxing Day), live music 9.45pm-2am, non-members admission __20 Mo-Th, __25 Fr-Sa, members admission __5/__10 (ordinary membership __60 per annum)''
  • [http://www.soundmap.co.uk/soho.aspx '''Soho Audio Tour'''], ''explore Soho's hidden secrets with Irma Kurtz, a long time Soho resident and local celebrity.'' Download the audio tour from '''www.soundmap.co.uk'''
  • Watch

  • '''Curzon Soho Cinema''' [http://www.curzoncinemas.com/], ''99 Shaftesbury Avenue'' - voted London's Number 1 Cinema by '''Time Out''' readers, great bar and a fantastic art-house program
  • Mary Poppins. rince Edward Theatre, Old Compton Street. ttp://www.marypoppinsthemusical.com/. Award-winning production based on the book and Disney film.

    Eat

  • '''Andrew Edmunds''', Top quality restaurant, great romantic spot. Bookings recommended.
  • '''Busaba Eathai''', 106-110 Wardour Street (''about 10 minutes walk from Piccadilly Circus''), tel. 020 7255 8686. One of the best choices on a street with any number of fantastic restaurants. You'll find a laid back atmosphere with big low wooden tables (expect to share if your party is small). The menu features among other dishes a fine butternut squash curry. Average meal £14-20. Open daily 12:00-23:00.
  • '''Boardwalk''', 18 Greek Street (''runs parallel to Charing Cross Road from Soho Square to Shaftesbury Ave''). A club, bar, and restaurant. The Montague Pyke (a Lloyds No.1 bar) next door exits onto both Greek Street and Charing Cross Road and offers real ales and two-for-one offers on a variety of meals. Two good choices if you're strapped for cash.
  • '''Chowki''', 2-3 Denman Street (''off Piccadilly Circus'') [http://www.chowki.com]. In a city which was once the capital of India it makes sense that one can find a decent to good Indian restaurant on just about every corner. Once in a while you find one though that does things in an interesting enought way to be worth talking about. Chowki is like that, with dishes from around India that do not conform to the standard Bengali / Kashmiri / Punjabi fare, but surprise and please the pallet with unexpected overtones of Africa, or Italy, or Greece. Set menus for __14.50 (''__12.50 vegetarian''). Open daily until midnight.
  • '''Ma'oz''', 43 Old Compton Street. The best place for a light fast-food style vegetarian/vegan meal, one of the few places in Soho where a fiver can get get you fed. Open 10:00 until late.
  • '''Piccolo diavolo''', 8 Old Compton Street. A little corner of great Italian hospitality in the heart of Soho. A good variety of Italian quality food served with passion by friendly waiters. Main courses and pizza generally around __7. Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 12.00-23.30.
  • '''Pulcinella''', 27 Old Compton Street. Arguably the best Italian pizzeria in Soho with a good variety of pizzas prepared with a thin and crustry dough spun in the air and other traditional Italian dishes. Good value for money. Opening Hours: Mon-Wed 12:00-00:00; Thu-Sat 12:00-01:00; Sun 12:00-00:00.
  • '''St Moritz''', Wardour Street - a slice of the Swiss Alps in central London, offering Fondue, Raclette and other winter comfort foods amongst giant alpine horns and cowbells.
  • '''Spoon''', 50 Berners Street. [http://www.sandersonlondon.com/sanderson_hotel_spoon.asp]. Jeffrey Chodorow_fs restaurant inside the uber-trendy Sanderson Hotel features an eclectic menu courtesy of acclaimed chef Alain Ducasse. Diners can expect a diverse jumble of foods, from health-inspired selections to traditional, gourmet cuisine.
  • '''Stockpot''', 18 Old Compton Street; tel 020 7287 1066. Good dependable 'British' cuisine, mains average £5-10 without drinks. Open Mon-Sat 11:30-00:00, Sun 11:30-23.30.
  • '''Taro''', Brewer St - noodles, sushi, bento boxes and assorted other Japanese goodies. Good cheap eats and reliable quality in central London.
  • '''TAI''', 10 Greek Street (just off Soho Square, parallel to Charing Cross Road) - an oriental vegetarian / vegan restaurant that offers a cheap buffet and a variety of spicy dishes.
  • '''Thai Cottage''', D'Arblay Street (runs between Wardour and Poland Street)- a slightly rough around the edges Thai restaurant which is always busy, thanks to the excellent value food which speaks for itself.
  • Wagamama. 0a Lexington Street. ttp://www.wagamama.com/. pen Mon-Sat until 23:00, Sun until 22:00. ain courses generally around £5 to £8. Generally good quality Japanese food at a reasonable price. Service is swift, and although queues can often be quite long, they clear rapidly. Diners are seated on benches opposite each other, so not a good place for an intimate meal. See detailed review in Chains reviews section of

    Splurge

  • '''The Sanderson''', 50 Berners Street. ''+44'' (0) 20 7300 1400 (US 800-697-1791). [http://www.sandersonlondon.com/]. The second of Ian Schrager's London hotels (the first being [http://www.stmartinslane.com St Martins Lane London Hotel]), The Sanderson is oft described as an _eurban spa,_f a modish retreat in SoHo that features plush amenities, world-class restaurants and spa. Phillipe Starck redesigned this landmark _e50s building into a sexy hub that is walking distance to nightlife, restaurants, shopping, museums, Leicester Square, Covent Garden, the business district and the fashion district. The hotel boats 150 Rooms, garden terrace rooms, suites, lofts and penthouse apartments with private lifts. Highlights, besides indoor/outdoor lobby with a lush courtyard garden open to the sky, includes Spoon, an acclaimed restaurant by Jeffrey Chodorow and chefs Alain Ducasse, the Long Bar and Purple Bar and the 10,000 square-foot Agua Bathhouse.
  • Buy

    Soho has a diverse range of shops, tending towards the arty, "boutique" and independent style of outlet.

    Unsurprisingly, Soho has a number of gay-related outlets - some of the best known are:

  • '''Prowler'''
  • '''Clone Zone''', Old Compton Street