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Shopping In Central London Ahead Of Latest Retail Figures

Where to Eat Near Oxford Street When Christmas Shopping Has Drained Your Soul

Close to the madding crowd, find steadying sandwiches, sustaining soups, and sublime sushi

by James Hansen Updated
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by James Hansen Updated

It’s a little known fact that T.S. Eliot’s “I never knew death had undone so many” in The Wasteland does not derive from Dante’s Inferno, but from the time T.S. Eliot walked the length of Oxford Street at the beginning of December to buy presents for his fellow Modernists. Unfortunately, it also applies on most weekends.

Seek edible solace in this blend of actually good grab-and-goers, a couple of queue-worthy restaurants, and pitstops for coffee or something stronger.

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BAO Fitzrovia

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One of the slickest dining options in the area, Bao’s second full restaurant takes bookings, offers a black cod bao that isn’t on the menu in Soho, and does a set menu that offers about as much pleasure that £15 can buy in this part of the city. A bao, a chicken chop, and a rice bowl make a stirring trio, while an early dinner when gifts are gotten should include the beef tendon nuggets and mushrooms with lovage.

31 Windmill St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 2JN, UK
020 3011 1632
020 3011 1632

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The Great Thai

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Per Eater London contributor Jonathan Nunn, “this isn’t going to compare to the boat noodles with pigs blood on a Bangkok side street, but it’s as good as it gets round the back of Oxford Circus.” Precisely in the spirit of this guide, “this” means not the entire restaurant, The Great Thai, but the boat noodles at The Great Thai, possibly the most restorative bowl out there in Fitzrovia, with enough white pepper to clear away shopping bag blindness. Slurp.

14 Riding House St, Fitzrovia, London W1W 7HR, UK
020 7637 8872
020 7637 8872

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Paul Rothe & Son

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For a sandwich, head to this storied shop, which might seem counterintuitive for a guide detailing places for post-shopping, given the lack of space to sit down. But: Paul Rothe is so profoundly steadying that a grin and the offer of lunch from one of the affable staff is all a weary shopper could need. And: Its dizzying array of fillings means that however wild, that strange sandwich dreamt up across queues is closer than a weary shopper might think. Soups and toasties too.

35 Marylebone Ln, Marylebone, London W1U 2NN, UK
020 7935 6783
020 7935 6783

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Laksamania

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Presumptuous prejudices about a restaurant called Laksamania aren’t unjustifiable, but skipping this Fitzrovia gem based on those prejudices is. The six laksas — five of them curry laksa, one assam, sour, with tamarind and mangosteen — are deeply satisfying at any time of year, but particularly so after a hard day’s shopping.

92 Newman St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3EZ, UK
020 7637 9888
020 7637 9888

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Hoppers St. Christopher's Place

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Hoppers’ winning mix of Sri Lankan Tamil and South Indian Tamil cooking might seem a bit bustling for a refuge from bustle, but the queue’s virtual and lunch is bookable in pairs, if deciding to eat pre-soul draining. It gets bandied about but the bone marrow varuval really is superb, so too the Jaffna-style lamb chops. Cocktails, particularly the “Arrack Attack,” will revive the most zombified corpse.

77 Wigmore St, Marylebone, London W1U 1QE, UK
020 3319 8110
020 3319 8110

Maroush

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Set menus play the hits for the tired and indecisive at the Marylebone outpost of London’s most venerated Lebanese restaurant group, with a sweeping range of grills, salads, and mezza if wishing to assemble the perfect “thank god that’s over” meal. Prices lean more treat than value, but a hefty lamb arayes and a salad crackling with sumac and chilli will see off any festive demons and keep wallets in line too.

4 Vere St, Marylebone, London W1G 0DH, UK
020 7493 5050
020 7493 5050

Sushiology by Atariya

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Some of the most heinous crimes in grab-and-go dining have been committed against sushi, so leave it to the experts if only nigiri, sashimi, and maki will sate after a schlep up and down the aisles. Atari-ya is one of the city’s best Japanese fishmongers and sushi bars, so give Wasabi and its siblings a wide berth and go here instead.

20 James St, Marylebone, London W1U 1EH, UK
020 7629 0173
020 7629 0173

The Brass Rail

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Before revolting at the directive to eat inside perhaps the most galling symbol of capitalism’s grip on London know that a visit to The Brass Rail will be rewarded with, honestly, what is still some of the best salt beef in the city. Ask for fat, if there’s any going — cuts tend to be scrimpingly lean — and browse the chocolate room after.

300 Oxford St, Marylebone, London W1A 1AB, UK

Quo Vadis

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White tablecloths; pies; chips; chops; salads; smoked eel sandwiches; martinis; profiteroles; class and comfort in spades, sans fuss. This is one to book as a sort of lodestar for the entire shopping process, knowing at the end of it all there will be a deep bowl of soup; something braised long with love, perhaps a partridge; and a pudding menu so good that it’s entirely reasonable to turn up — even unannounced — just to drown in custard and cream.

26-29 Dean St, Soho, London W1D 3LL, UK
020 7437 9585
020 7437 9585

Also featured in:

Koya Soho

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Serene, unadorned, and consistently superb, Koya’s paean to all things udon and soba induces a soporific reverie that not even several hours in Selfridges can blunt. If spirit has not been vanquished, consider the specials board, which might carry tempura prawn heads; if not wishing to think: kinoko atsu-atsu; tempura on the side; maybe an onsen egg. Bliss.

50 Frith St, Soho, London W1D 4SQ, UK
020 7434 4463
020 7434 4463

Also featured in:

Market Hall West End

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12 food stalls, 1000 seats, and food ranging through Gopal’s Corner’s superb roti, Yatai’s modish katsu sandos, and fresh pasta from Pastaio, this is where to come when eating all the brain says is “I need food.” Figure out the details after.

9 Holles St, Marylebone, London W1G 0DB, UK

Liu Xiaomian at The Jackalope

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A pared-back menu of Chongqing noodles, based on the heat and numbing qualities of chilli, ginger, garlic and Sichuan peppercorns, served with either minced pork, minced pork with chickpeas, beef, or vegetables. A quality addition to Marylebone’s dining options, and perfect for pre or post shopping either as a pump up meal or a corpse reviver.

43 Weymouth Mews, Marylebone, London W1G 7EQ, UK
020 3455 2871
020 3455 2871

Also featured in:

Omotesando Koffee

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Probably the best option for some restorative caffeine in the area alongside Kaffeine (detailed below) this minimalist outpost from Japan proffers expertly made filter coffee; silky milk drinks; and for those wanting to match cold with cold, perhaps the best iced coffee in the city.

8 Newman St, London W1T 1PB, UK

Also featured in:

Kaffeine

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Perfect for either a high-quality, rareified brew or a dessert-like milky drink and some generously buttered banana bread, Kaffeine is a perfect pit-stop. There’s also the original branch on Great Titchfield Street for those closer to the Oxford Circus tube.

15 Eastcastle St, London W1T 3AY, UK
020 7580 6755
020 7580 6755

Also featured in:

Gelupo

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And now the ultimate in cold vs cold: some of the finest gelato in the city, taken in a tub or a cone, ideal for a fortifying hit of sugar before things begin or a serene come-down after a surfeit of shopping.

7 Archer St, London W1D 7AU, UK
020 7287 5555
020 7287 5555

Also featured in:

Arcade Food Hall

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Reliable and with food to suit everybody, the best picks here are the smash burgers at Manna; the ceviche at Sonora; and a sit-down meal at Plaza Khao Gaeng on the top floor.

103-105 New Oxford St, London WC1A 1DB, UK

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BAO Fitzrovia

31 Windmill St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 2JN, UK

One of the slickest dining options in the area, Bao’s second full restaurant takes bookings, offers a black cod bao that isn’t on the menu in Soho, and does a set menu that offers about as much pleasure that £15 can buy in this part of the city. A bao, a chicken chop, and a rice bowl make a stirring trio, while an early dinner when gifts are gotten should include the beef tendon nuggets and mushrooms with lovage.

31 Windmill St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 2JN, UK
020 3011 1632
020 3011 1632

The Great Thai

14 Riding House St, Fitzrovia, London W1W 7HR, UK

Per Eater London contributor Jonathan Nunn, “this isn’t going to compare to the boat noodles with pigs blood on a Bangkok side street, but it’s as good as it gets round the back of Oxford Circus.” Precisely in the spirit of this guide, “this” means not the entire restaurant, The Great Thai, but the boat noodles at The Great Thai, possibly the most restorative bowl out there in Fitzrovia, with enough white pepper to clear away shopping bag blindness. Slurp.

14 Riding House St, Fitzrovia, London W1W 7HR, UK
020 7637 8872
020 7637 8872

Paul Rothe & Son

35 Marylebone Ln, Marylebone, London W1U 2NN, UK

For a sandwich, head to this storied shop, which might seem counterintuitive for a guide detailing places for post-shopping, given the lack of space to sit down. But: Paul Rothe is so profoundly steadying that a grin and the offer of lunch from one of the affable staff is all a weary shopper could need. And: Its dizzying array of fillings means that however wild, that strange sandwich dreamt up across queues is closer than a weary shopper might think. Soups and toasties too.

35 Marylebone Ln, Marylebone, London W1U 2NN, UK
020 7935 6783
020 7935 6783

Laksamania

92 Newman St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3EZ, UK

Presumptuous prejudices about a restaurant called Laksamania aren’t unjustifiable, but skipping this Fitzrovia gem based on those prejudices is. The six laksas — five of them curry laksa, one assam, sour, with tamarind and mangosteen — are deeply satisfying at any time of year, but particularly so after a hard day’s shopping.

92 Newman St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3EZ, UK
020 7637 9888
020 7637 9888

Hoppers St. Christopher's Place

77 Wigmore St, Marylebone, London W1U 1QE, UK

Hoppers’ winning mix of Sri Lankan Tamil and South Indian Tamil cooking might seem a bit bustling for a refuge from bustle, but the queue’s virtual and lunch is bookable in pairs, if deciding to eat pre-soul draining. It gets bandied about but the bone marrow varuval really is superb, so too the Jaffna-style lamb chops. Cocktails, particularly the “Arrack Attack,” will revive the most zombified corpse.

77 Wigmore St, Marylebone, London W1U 1QE, UK
020 3319 8110
020 3319 8110

Maroush

4 Vere St, Marylebone, London W1G 0DH, UK

Set menus play the hits for the tired and indecisive at the Marylebone outpost of London’s most venerated Lebanese restaurant group, with a sweeping range of grills, salads, and mezza if wishing to assemble the perfect “thank god that’s over” meal. Prices lean more treat than value, but a hefty lamb arayes and a salad crackling with sumac and chilli will see off any festive demons and keep wallets in line too.

4 Vere St, Marylebone, London W1G 0DH, UK
020 7493 5050
020 7493 5050

Sushiology by Atariya

20 James St, Marylebone, London W1U 1EH, UK

Some of the most heinous crimes in grab-and-go dining have been committed against sushi, so leave it to the experts if only nigiri, sashimi, and maki will sate after a schlep up and down the aisles. Atari-ya is one of the city’s best Japanese fishmongers and sushi bars, so give Wasabi and its siblings a wide berth and go here instead.

20 James St, Marylebone, London W1U 1EH, UK
020 7629 0173
020 7629 0173

The Brass Rail

300 Oxford St, Marylebone, London W1A 1AB, UK

Before revolting at the directive to eat inside perhaps the most galling symbol of capitalism’s grip on London know that a visit to The Brass Rail will be rewarded with, honestly, what is still some of the best salt beef in the city. Ask for fat, if there’s any going — cuts tend to be scrimpingly lean — and browse the chocolate room after.

300 Oxford St, Marylebone, London W1A 1AB, UK

Quo Vadis

26-29 Dean St, Soho, London W1D 3LL, UK

White tablecloths; pies; chips; chops; salads; smoked eel sandwiches; martinis; profiteroles; class and comfort in spades, sans fuss. This is one to book as a sort of lodestar for the entire shopping process, knowing at the end of it all there will be a deep bowl of soup; something braised long with love, perhaps a partridge; and a pudding menu so good that it’s entirely reasonable to turn up — even unannounced — just to drown in custard and cream.

26-29 Dean St, Soho, London W1D 3LL, UK
020 7437 9585
020 7437 9585

Koya Soho

50 Frith St, Soho, London W1D 4SQ, UK

Serene, unadorned, and consistently superb, Koya’s paean to all things udon and soba induces a soporific reverie that not even several hours in Selfridges can blunt. If spirit has not been vanquished, consider the specials board, which might carry tempura prawn heads; if not wishing to think: kinoko atsu-atsu; tempura on the side; maybe an onsen egg. Bliss.

50 Frith St, Soho, London W1D 4SQ, UK
020 7434 4463
020 7434 4463

Market Hall West End

9 Holles St, Marylebone, London W1G 0DB, UK

12 food stalls, 1000 seats, and food ranging through Gopal’s Corner’s superb roti, Yatai’s modish katsu sandos, and fresh pasta from Pastaio, this is where to come when eating all the brain says is “I need food.” Figure out the details after.

9 Holles St, Marylebone, London W1G 0DB, UK

Liu Xiaomian at The Jackalope

43 Weymouth Mews, Marylebone, London W1G 7EQ, UK

A pared-back menu of Chongqing noodles, based on the heat and numbing qualities of chilli, ginger, garlic and Sichuan peppercorns, served with either minced pork, minced pork with chickpeas, beef, or vegetables. A quality addition to Marylebone’s dining options, and perfect for pre or post shopping either as a pump up meal or a corpse reviver.

43 Weymouth Mews, Marylebone, London W1G 7EQ, UK
020 3455 2871
020 3455 2871

Omotesando Koffee

8 Newman St, London W1T 1PB, UK

Probably the best option for some restorative caffeine in the area alongside Kaffeine (detailed below) this minimalist outpost from Japan proffers expertly made filter coffee; silky milk drinks; and for those wanting to match cold with cold, perhaps the best iced coffee in the city.

8 Newman St, London W1T 1PB, UK

Kaffeine

15 Eastcastle St, London W1T 3AY, UK

Perfect for either a high-quality, rareified brew or a dessert-like milky drink and some generously buttered banana bread, Kaffeine is a perfect pit-stop. There’s also the original branch on Great Titchfield Street for those closer to the Oxford Circus tube.

15 Eastcastle St, London W1T 3AY, UK
020 7580 6755
020 7580 6755

Gelupo

7 Archer St, London W1D 7AU, UK

And now the ultimate in cold vs cold: some of the finest gelato in the city, taken in a tub or a cone, ideal for a fortifying hit of sugar before things begin or a serene come-down after a surfeit of shopping.

7 Archer St, London W1D 7AU, UK
020 7287 5555
020 7287 5555

Arcade Food Hall

103-105 New Oxford St, London WC1A 1DB, UK

Reliable and with food to suit everybody, the best picks here are the smash burgers at Manna; the ceviche at Sonora; and a sit-down meal at Plaza Khao Gaeng on the top floor.

103-105 New Oxford St, London WC1A 1DB, UK