Forget Soho – this underrated neighbourhood is the most interesting place to visit in London

Home to an unbeatable food scene and plenty of galleries, Fitzrovia is having a major moment – and is perfect a long weekend break, says Gina Jackson

Apr 17, 2026 - 17:15

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Forget Soho – this underrated neighbourhood is the most interesting place to visit in London

Wedged between Soho and Marylebone, and just steps away from Oxford Circus, Fitzrovia is a pocket of central London that feels surprisingly tranquil despite its location.

Look beyond the student housing and media companies and you’ll discover pretty Georgian townhouses beside independent cafes and design studios, giving this neighbourhood a village-like feel.

The area has always had a bohemian streak, housing artists and immigrants through the 18th century, before the likes of George Orwell and Virginia Woolf descended upon Fitzroy Square, transforming the area into somewhat of a literary stomping ground.

After the Second World War, affordable rents attracted a new wave of students and creatives, before Fitzrovia gradually evolved into the creative hub it is today; now home to a mix of advertising agencies, film studios and major publishing houses, which continue to shape its identity.

Now it feels like one of London’s best-kept secrets, less frenetic than Soho and less polished than Marylebone, yet all the more appealing for it. There’s plenty to get stuck into, whether you’re browsing local galleries or settling in for lunch at one of the neighbourhood’s atlas-spanning coterie of standout restaurants; you’ll find everything from West African fine dining at Akoko to classical French cooking at 64 Goodge Street.

My personal recommendation is to make a weekend of it, and bed down at one of the area’s chic hotels, such as recently opened The Newman.

As a born and raised Londoner, who has spent many weekends in Fitzrovia, here’s how best to enjoy the area’s inspiring corners, including my favourite places to stay, eat and visit.

What to do

Fitzroy Square Gardens was the stomping ground of George Orwell and Virginia Woolf

Fitzroy Square Gardens was the stomping ground of George Orwell and Virginia Woolf (Getty/iStock)

There’s a surprising concentration of galleries and quiet cultural corners within this remarkably small pocket of the city. Step inside Fitzrovia Chapel for a moment of calm and you’ll be dazzled by its ornate, Byzantine-inspired interior. Visit the ever-evolving exhibitions at the Cartoon Museum, or simply exhale a little deeper among the greenery of Fitzroy Square Gardens.

Of course, part of Fitzrovia’s charm is how near it is to other pockets of London. From here, it’s an easy wander across the road into Soho, where the West End’s best theatres span out in every direction.

Continue a little farther and you’ll find some of London’s most famous sights – from the vast collections of the British Museum to the relentless energy of Piccadilly Circus – all within easy reach.

Where to eat and drink

Try the longhorn beef with jollof rice at Akoko

Try the longhorn beef with jollof rice at Akoko (John Carey)

Make a beeline for Akoko, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it spot located on Berners Street that’s one of only two West African restaurants in London to hold a Michelin star. Inside, the room is softly lit, allowing the spectacular tasting menu – which draws on the flavours of Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal – to take centre stage.

Dishes arrive layered with spice and precision: delicate sea bream and peppery sauce mopped up with cubes of moi moi (black-eyed bean pudding); guinea fowl blanketed in a gingery maitake crumble; and juicy cuts of beef paired with smokey, spicy jollof rice.

For something a little more laid-back – but equally as flavour-driven – head to Ottolenghi-owned restaurant ROVI, where much of the cooking happens over the open grill. The menu leans boldly vegetable-forward: think charred aubergine crowns rescued from Ottolenghi’s prep kitchens, celeriac shawarma folded into pillowy pita, or whole sea bass slicked with black garlic and scotch bonnet. Plates are bright with ferments and pickles, and designed for sharing across the table.

Just around the corner is shiny new Mexican joint Cometa (from the team behind Carousel – another Fitzrovia institution, and a space that hosts rotating restaurant pop-ups). Here, the focus is on contemporary Mexican cooking – expect a menu that moves from punchy ceviches to charcoal-grilled meats and seafood.

Head to 64 Goodge Street for elegant French dining

Head to 64 Goodge Street for elegant French dining (64 Goodge Street)

Meanwhile, for elegant French dining, slip into 64 Goodge Street, an intimate bistro where closely packed tables, flickering candles and a chalkboard menu set the scene for confident, classical cooking.

Or wander over to sister restaurant Clipstone a few streets away for dishes that draw on British-Mediterranean flavours, and champion the best of seasonal produce. In celebration of its tenth anniversary this year, the restaurant is serving a monthly-changing three-course menu priced at £20.16 per guest, featuring fan favourite dishes from years gone by.

Other wallet-friendly options include The George, where pints of Guinness are served alongside classic pub fare (including a slap-up Sunday roast), while Pahli Hill Bhandra Bai serves tingly, spice-led curries and a well-priced set lunch menu. Two courses come in at £25, and three costs £32.

Where to stay

This neighbourhood’s prime location means you’re often paying a premium for the convenience, though it does reward you with stylish places to bed down, elevated by impressive design and dining. The latest luxury pad to join central London’s chorus line is The Newman, which quietly opened its doors at the start of February this year.

Despite its somewhat discreet facade, inside, this boutique hotel (rooms from £695) is certainly no wallflower. Interiors by London-based studio Lind + Almond are Art Deco-inspired: think sculptural lines, with hints of polished stainless steel, dark timber, and a palette of olive and rust-coloured velvets. Across the hotel’s 81 bedrooms, floor-to-ceiling windows frame far-reaching views across the rooftops, while bathrooms come with curved showers, deep bathtubs and scallop-shaped marble sinks.

The Newman hotel is housed in a former office block

The Newman hotel is housed in a former office block (The Newman)

Downstairs, the hotel’s all-day restaurant Brasserie Angelica is already becoming a neighbourhood gathering place in its own right, while the surprisingly vast subterranean bar, The Gambit, is the perfect place to head for an after-dinner cocktail.

There’s also an impressive subterranean wellness offering, including a spacious 24-hour gym decked out with Technogym treadmills and Peloton bikes, plus a Himalayan salt room, hydrotherapy pool, ice lounge and sauna.

Wood-pannelled bedrooms lend the EDITION hotel a sultry feel

Wood-pannelled bedrooms lend the EDITION hotel a sultry feel (The London EDITION)

Elsewhere in Fitzrovia, The London EDITION (rooms from From £430) boasts a location that’s hard to beat. Suites are sultry, decked out in wood panels and hung with gilded portraits by Hendrik Kerstens. Its restaurant Berner’s Tavern is a local legend, run by Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur Jason Atherton. Be sure to grab a cocktail at the Punch Room bar to end the night.

Alternatively, neighbouring Marylebone offers a few more options including The Welbeck, luxury option Nobu, and historic hotels such as The Landmark London and The Langham. For something more purse-friendly, consider staying around a 20-minute walk away at Westbourne Park’s branch of lifestyle apart-hotel Mason & Fifth, which has rooms from £170.