Things To Do in Central London

Central London is where the city goes out. Soho, Covent Garden, the Strand, Leicester Square and Piccadilly are packed into a square mile or so, and between them they hold most of London's theatres, a huge number of its best restaurants and bars, and nightlife that runs well past midnight. This guide picks out the best things to do in central London for an adult night out, from historic dining rooms and cocktail bars to cabaret, members' clubs and the shops worth visiting first. For where to stay, see our guide to the best luxury hotels in central London.

Restaurants

Start with history. Rules on Maiden Lane, founded in 1798, bills itself as London's oldest restaurant and still serves traditional British food, with game a speciality in season. Round the corner, J Sheekey has fed theatre-goers since 1896, and its seafood bar is perfect for a pre-show plate of oysters. The Ivy on West Street, open since 1917, remains the classic theatreland dining room, famous for its shepherd's pie and diamond-paned windows. For a little more fun, Bob Bob Ricard in Soho has a “Press for Champagne” button at every booth, while Hawksmoor Seven Dials, in an old brewery, serves some of the best steak and cocktails in town. Brasserie Zédel, just off Piccadilly Circus, is a grand Art Deco Parisian brasserie at surprisingly modest prices.

Bars

Soho has some of the best cocktail bars in the world. Three Sheets on Manette Street, run by the brothers Max and Noel Venning, made the World's 50 Best Bars extended list in 2026, and its pre-bottled French 75 is a quick, perfect start. Bar Swift on Old Compton Street takes walk-ins upstairs and is known for its Irish Coffee, with a bookable basement below. Inside Brasserie Zédel, Bar Américain is an elegant American-style cocktail bar. And on the Strand, the American Bar at The Savoy is one of the most celebrated cocktail bars anywhere.

Nightlife, cabaret and theatre

For a big night, Cirque le Soir on Ganton Street is a circus-themed club where fire-breathers, contortionists and snake handlers work the room into the early hours. For something more intimate, the Crazy Coqs at Brasserie Zédel is a beautiful Art Deco room with live cabaret and jazz, and CellarDoor at Zero Aldwych, a converted Victorian public toilet, puts on cabaret, burlesque and drag every evening, with free entry. At the Playhouse Theatre near Charing Cross, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club has turned the whole building into a Berlin nightclub; the production won a record seven Olivier Awards. And Heaven, under the arches at Charing Cross, has been one of London's great clubs since 1979.

Members' clubs

Soho is the home of the creative members' club. The Groucho Club on Dean Street, founded in 1985 and named after Groucho Marx's line about not wanting to join any club that would have him, is the original. Soho House began at 40 Greek Street in 1995 and now also has a townhouse at 76 Dean Street with its own screening room. In Covent Garden, The Ivy Club, entered through a flower shop on West Street, sits above The Ivy with live music most nights, and The Conduit on Langley Street has a rooftop restaurant and terrace. All are for members and their guests.

Lingerie

Agent Provocateur opened its very first shop on Broadwick Street in Soho in 1994, and it is still there. In Covent Garden, the Australian label Honey Birdette opened its first UK store on Long Acre, with fittings by appointment and late opening hours.

High-end shopping

Liberty on Great Marlborough Street, founded in 1875, is housed in a Tudor Revival building made from the timbers of two old warships, and is one of the most beautiful department stores in the world. Seven Dials in Covent Garden, where seven streets meet around a sundial pillar, is full of independent boutiques, and Jermyn Street, on the St James's side of Piccadilly, is the home of the classic British shirtmakers, including Turnbull & Asser and Emma Willis. Comme des Garçons' Dover Street Market, now on Haymarket, fills six storeys with cutting-edge fashion.

Where to stay

The Savoy, Raffles at The OWO, Ham Yard and the rest are covered in our guide to the best luxury hotels in central London, and Mayfair, a few minutes' walk west, is in our Mayfair hotel guide. Our Central London escorts and Covent Garden escorts pages list girls who host incalls in the area.

Company for the evening

Dinner at Rules, a show at the Kit Kat Club and a nightcap in Soho is a classic London evening, and our high class London escorts are always good company for it. If you would rather book through a London escort agency, browse every London escort agency on LEG to see which agencies cover the West End, or explore the full London escorts gallery and the latest new London escorts.