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You are here: Home / Events / London Sights / Soho Walking Tour with London from Scratch

Soho Walking Tour with London from Scratch

May 18, 2014 by Fiona Maclean 10 Comments

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Last Updated on September 21, 2018

Walking the Streets of Soho, London:

Soho Square Walking on the Grass

My first job in Marketing was based in Soho, working for a company that owned many of the restaurants in that part of town (and, for that matter, in London). At the time Kennedy Brookes owned an Italian group called Mario and Franco’s, Wheelers fish restaurants and oyster bars, Les Amis du Vin, Bertorelli and numerous other individual restaurants, a clutch of hotels and a catering and events management group. Of course I thought I knew Soho like the back of my hand. Later, working for an advertising agency just off the Strand I discovered new haunts, thanks to the drinking habits of the creative department who frequented some of the secret all night dens over shops and restaurants. When I started writing London Unattached my friend and occasional contributor The-Hedonist dragged me round Soho in the rain.

It’s changed a lot – nothing like the Soho you remember from when you worked there.

He told me.
And of course it has. To me China Town seems sanitised, there are a host of kitsch shops and bars all trying hard to pretend they’ve been there for years, the seedier areas of Soho with strip joints and massage parlours seems tamer. Or perhaps I’m just older?

Lima Soho 3
When Michelle from London from Scratch contacted me and asked if I’d like to join a walking tour of Soho, focussing on food, I was delighted. Another perspective on an area I love and one which I KNOW has some great new food offerings to complement the traditional Italian delis and Chinese supermarkets.

I arrived early at our meeting point in Soho Square and enjoyed myself trying to take arty photos. When Michelle and the others arrived she explained the schedule. This is quite a personal walking tour with no more than eight participants. At least on the occasion I took part some of the venues were changed to accommodate taste preferences so you will probably find yourself spending a little more time in China Town than we did.

Soho Square Flowers
I went just before a couple of trips overseas. And, my notes are truly appalling. So, I’m left with memories and photos. Of course food is quite evocative, at least for me. And Michelle was an impassioned  and knowledgeable guide, with a background as a professional chef and supper club host giving her an informed insight into this part of London. That was clear when she shared with us her own list of the five movers and shakers she believes have shaped the Soho of today.

The Passionate Michelle

Well actually six, because first on the list was Sam and Eddie Hart, the two brothers who opened Spanish restaurants Fino and Barrafina before taking over Quo Vadis in 2008 refurbishing it and reopening with Jeremy Lee as head chef. We stood outside, Michelle lamenting that the bakery wasn’t open.

Soho - Princi

Instead we went into Princi, and ogled the pastries and pizza there. I have to admit, I’ve never quite taken to Princi – and I have been before. That ultra-polished yet informal atmosphere doesn’t quite gel for me and the wall of water reminds me of a very posh hotel washroom.  But, that in no way diminishes my admiration for founder Alan Yau, second on Michelle’s list of Soho movers and shakers who was also responsible for Hakkasan and Yauatcha.

Yalla Yalla Baba Ganoush
We started eating in more seriousness at Yalla Yalla. Somewhere I’ve intended to pop into on numerous occasions, but never quite reached. The food on the menu is ‘Beirut Street Food’ – what I’d describe as Lebanese Meze, the interior hip, distressed and a little chaotic and the atmosphere informal and relaxed. We snacked on baba ganoush, on tiny spicy Lebanese sausages called sanjac and on braised chicken livers.

Yalla Yalla Chicken Livers and Sausages

While it’s not an Ottolenghi restaurant, it seems to me to pay a nod and a wink to the great chef and restaurateur who Michelle picked as her third mover and shaker in Soho.

Lima soho 2
While Russell Norman, number four on Michelle’s list, may hail from the US, his offering in the UK is largely Italian and I guess influenced by places like Lima, where we explored the shelves of Italian goodies and ended up eating olive bread and bresaola in the street.

Polenteria
Then across to the recently opened Polenteria, which I reviewed a few months ago. Is it authentic? Not really. Is it good? Of course – both as somewhere that provides an easy to eat menu of dishes and as one of the places to keep in your notebook for those times when you are really hungry and need to eat at a reasonable price.

Cay tre interior
Cay Tre is somewhere I hadn’t visited before, although I’ve walked past a million times. There’s a wealth of Asian restaurants in Soho and Vietnamese food is right on trend. A simple, clean and modern interior made this a welcoming place to stop for briefly. We only had the opportunity to taste one dish and I’ve now got every intention of visiting again and trying a few more of the spicy options on the menu.

Cay tre
The fifth contender on Michelle’s list was Jason Atherton. I’ve had the privilege both to meet him and to eat at Pollen Street Social. But, it’s not really in Soho. Of course his empire is growing rapidly and both Social Eating House and the Berners Tavern are. This particular walking trip didn’t take us into either – by now we’d moved on to what you might term the ‘dessert course’ – starting at Paul.A Young’s chocolate shop.

Paul A Young chocolates 1

and then moving on to Gelato Gelupo for (in my case) the richest chocolate gelato ever.

Gelato
We ended the morning at Imli – a friendly and reasonably priced contemporary Indian street food restaurant. Sitting at the bar sipping my hot rum karma and eating a rather wicked chocolate pataka I reflected on the excellent morning.

Imli street

I love exploring MY city and seeing it through someone else’s eyes. I love being introduced to new places. I can’t help but think this would be an excellent way to discover Soho for any visitor to London and eat pretty well along the way.  The London from Scratch Soho walking tours cost £59 per person, which includes visits to around 10 food destinations and all food and drink.  Tours are held on two or three mornings a week, usually including Saturdays and start at around 11am.

For more information check out the London from Scratch website

Filed Under: London Sights Tagged With: London tours, Soho

About Fiona Maclean

London based freelance writer and marketing consultant. I edit London-Unattached.com and write for a number of other publications. With a music degree and a background in marketing across many sectors, my passions include all types of music, food, restaurants, wine and travel

Comments

  1. Jess says

    May 20, 2014 at 1:27 pm

    I’ve never visited the area but it looks great, all the food looks delicious too! x

    Reply
  2. Jess @UsedYorkCity says

    May 19, 2014 at 6:12 pm

    On my next visit to your lovely city I definitely plan on contacting Scratch…I LOVE both food and walking tours, and this seems like such a fun way to explore Soho!

    Reply
  3. Gemma Button says

    May 19, 2014 at 4:31 pm

    This is such a helpful post, iv never been here before but after all your pictures I’d love to spend a day just exploring and all that yummy food, why wouldn’t I want to go? 😉
    X

    Reply
  4. Ren Behan says

    May 19, 2014 at 12:58 pm

    I do like the sound of these walking/food tours – must get into London to do one, soon. There used to be plenty in Marylebone when I lived there.

    Reply
    • Fiona Maclean says

      May 19, 2014 at 4:50 pm

      London from Scratch does a Marylebone one, it’s become a real foodie centre

      Reply
  5. Janie says

    May 19, 2014 at 9:20 am

    WOW! I’m green with envy! And I’m bookmarking this post for my London trip next month!
    Janie x

    Reply
  6. Choclette says

    May 19, 2014 at 7:35 am

    This sounds such fun. I’d love to do this. Strangely (or perhaps not 😉 I was in Soho last week and sat in Soho Square jawing away before visiting Paul A Young’s shop – chocolate heaven for me. I tried one of the passionfruit curd chocs you’ve pictured above and was impressed.

    Reply
  7. Jacqueline says

    May 19, 2014 at 12:31 am

    What great fun. I’d love to do this.

    Reply
  8. Stevie Wilson says

    May 18, 2014 at 11:51 pm

    That looks amazingly yummy. It sounds like such a fun tour.. and with 8 people that’s just the size of a dinner party. What fun!

    Reply
    • Fiona Maclean says

      May 19, 2014 at 7:32 am

      So you know what to do when you come to London;)

      Reply

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