Trying to narrow down what to put in a Covent Garden guide is no mean feat. One of London's most central and most vibrant areas, there's so much to do, eat and drink (oh, and take photos of!).
Concentrated around the tourist-heavy Piazza, it spans from Seven Dials, home of small boutiques, great restaurants, and colourful Neal's Yard, down to Shaftsbury avenue, and on the other side offers plenty of foodie options around the backstreets of the Piazza up til The Strand.
You'll always find crowds, thanks to the concentration of theatres, the Opera House, and the street performers that entice hoards of tourists. But there's more to it than than snapping a picture with a lady spray painted head-to-toe gold for spare change - head off the beaten track for secret cocktail bars, droolworthy dim sum, and some really great brunches.
Start your day
Avobar
This one's a bit of a no brainer really. Avobar in Covent Garden has a brunch menu entirely dedicated to the millennial's favourite, the humble avocado. There's avocado on toast, obviously, but also tacos, substantial dinner plates, and even an avocado panna cotta if you're feeling adventurous. With grammable green tiled walls and picture perfect plates, it's ticking all the boxes.
Avobar
24 Henrietta St
WC2E 8ND
Dishoom
Will every London guide I put up feature a local Dishoom? Probably. Everybody's favourite Indian needs little introduction, and is worth a mention in the brunch section for it's much hyped bacon naan roll, which I finally tried at the Covent Garden branch. Did it live up to the hype? Yes. Do I regret not going for double bacon? Absolutely. Learn from my mistakes.
They do plenty of other fusion breakfast dishes, including a 'Big Bombay' (their version of a Full English), and eggs all sorts of ways. We went for the Kejriwal, which comprises of two fried eggs on chilli cheese toast. They don't skimp on the cheese, and it's far more flavoursome than the bog standard cheese on toast thanks to the spicy kick. A great way to start the day!
Dishoom Covent Garden
12 Upper St Martin's Ln
WC2H 9FB
Get the Gram
Covent Garden is awash with beautiful photo ops, including plenty of gram-friendly floral displays such as their Early Hours floral benches. Located in the Piazza, they're an Instagram stalwart but be warned, it can get very busy with queues of tourists waiting to snap their holiday memories. Mere minutes away from the Piazza is a row of classic London phone booths on Broad Court, and colourful Neil's Yard is another fun photo op (though quite hard to snap as it also gets very busy!).
Snack O'clock
The Lebanese Bakery
Lebanon is up there on my bucket list but until flights get more affordable, I'll have to make do with the best of Lebanon in London. Luckily, Beirut-based spot The Lebanese Bakery has opened up a London outpost in Covent Garden, serving up fresh sweet and savoury flatbreads (manousheh) in a casual dining setting. When I visited the bakery was filled with Lebanese looking for a taste of home - always a promising sign that a meal is going to be authentic!
I tried the Baked Eggs and Awarma (lamb confit) manousheh, which is one of their all day breakfast offerings, followed by the halva and strawberry sweet manousheh. Both dishes were simple yet flavoursome, relying on the strength of the ingredients (and a healthy helping of za'atar). The ingredients are majority sourced from Lebanese farmers, and they offer a range of spices and preserves to take home. It's no frills, easy dining if you're looking to try something a little different.
Drury House
Russell Street
WC2B 5HA
Hit The Shops
Though it may not have the clout of nearby Oxford Street, Covent Garden is a great area for shopping, with a solid mix of high street brands (you'll find Zara, & Other Stories and many others on Long Acre) and independent brands and boutiques along Neal Street and around Seven Dials. Head to bohemian favourite Free People on Floral Street for flowy dresses, Olivia Burton in the Piazza for delicate watches and jewellery, and Stanfords for all things travel.
Grab a Pint
If you're looking for an authentic London experience, you've got to stop for a pint at one of the city's old school boozers. Covent Garden is chock-a-block with pubs, but one of my favourites is possibly Cross Keys on Endell Street, a cozy (read: small, especially when packed out with the after work crowd!) spot filled with bric-a-brac including brass instruments and musical memorabilia. A couple of other good spots are Porterhouse on Maiden Lane, sprawling over several floors with live music and food, and The Harp on Chandos Place, a popular no frills spot with the atmosphere of a real London pub.
Cross Keys
31 Endell Street
WC2H 9BA
Time for a bite
RedFarm London
Originally hailing from New York, the Covent Garden outpost of Asian restaurant RedFarm is a far cry from your usual no frills greasy Chinese takeout. It's a stylish spot, with white brick walls and red gingham sofas, and the menu is a mix of classic dim sum and China meets NYC fusion dishes, like the pastrami egg roll and cheeseburger spring rolls.
The portion sizes are varied - there's a selection of starters, a dim sum menu, as well as a range of main dishes. The server recommended a mix of all three - a tad greedy perhaps, but I won't say no to trying as much as possible!
The dessert menu keeps it simple - it's either the custard bao, or a fruit plate. The fruit plate was standard, the custard bao not quite as decadently stuffed with custard as I might have liked. But honestly, if you've got room for dessert, you're probably doing it wrong.
It's not the cheapest spot (mains average around the £20, and with dim sum it adds up), but if you're looking for high quality, inventive Chinese cuisine, it's a must-try.
9 Russell Street
Covent Garden
WC2B 5HZ
We tucked into a selection of the small dishes and dim sum, as well as a couple of mains to share. I started things off with the spicy crispy beef - one of my favourite Chinese dishes, it was a no brainer. The portion was technically a starter but it was plentiful, and perfectly crispy whilst lacking the grease of a cheap takeout version.
Other standout dishes included a special of shrimp and spinach dumplings with seared scallop and caviar - decadent, but beautifully presented and flavoured - and the "Dingley Dell" pork belly, which was slightly sweet and tender. For our main we chose the Korean rice cake with jumbo king prawns. An unusual dish - the rice cake was a strange texture, but it was tasty and the prawns were juicy and well cooked. If you're looking to get that perfect food flatlay, order their playful pac man shrimp dumplings.
Sushi Samba
This one could have gone just as easily in the Instagram section of this guide, because full disclosure, I've never actually eaten at Sushi Samba. However the popular Heron Tower restaurant opened a second London branch in Covent Garden Piazza to much fanfare, and has been all over social media as much for the interiors as for the food.
I popped in to snap a few pictures, and honestly, it's even prettier in real life, decked out in foliage with plush coloured booths and fish-themed decor lining the walls. It's definitely on my London must-try list, as it's meant to be one of the top sushi spots in the city. Let me know if you go!
35 The Market Building
Covent Garden
WC2E 8RF
To the Theatre
Covent Garden and Leicester Square combined make up the heart of London's theatre district, with many of the city's best plays and musicals being performed in the vicinity. Check Time Out's listings in advance to see what's on and book tickets - particularly in demand shows can sell out months in advance.
Being a big murder mystery fan, one of my personal favourites is The Mousetrap at St Martin's Theatre, which has been playing continuously for 66 years and is the longest running West End show (must be pretty good then, huh?). Written by British novelist Agatha Christie, it's a classic whodunnit with a twist.
St Martin's Theatre
West Street
WC2H 9NZ
Cocktail O'clock
Mr Fogg's Society of Exploration, Tavern and Gin Parlour
Yep that's right, there's not one, not two, but THREE Mr Fogg's venues in the Covent Garden area - aren't you spoilt? If you're not aware of the Mr Fogg's collection of bars (if you follow me on Instagram that seems surprising, it's one of my favourites!), they have a number of uniquely themed locations around London, each inspired by different aspects of the adventures of Phileas Fogg from the novel Around the World in 80 Days.
Tucked away on Bedford Street just off The Strand you'll find The Society of Exploration, which is influenced by all things travel. Try unique drinks featuring spirits and botanicals from around the world, in a quirky underground space decorated with chintz chairs, unusual ornaments, and even a train carriage.
On St.Martins Lane lives The Tavern, a Mr Fogg's interpretation of the classic British pub. It's usually bedecked in flowers on the outside (and a popular gram spot!), whilst on the inside you'll find bunting, beers, and classic pub grub.
Just above The Tavern on New Row is the Gin Parlour, a cosy, eclectic space done up like your Granny's living room (but with more flair!). Surprisingly enough, they do gins, with a wide selection from around the world as well as tastings and afternoon teas.
Various Venues
Covent Garden
WC2N / WC2E
Blame Gloria
The newest venue of the Adventure Bar empire, Blame Gloria is a fun basement bar (and former public convenience!) with wacky psychedelic wallpaper, unashamedly cheesy music, and kitschy decor that have made it a popular nighttime spot in an area not known for it's nightlife. It's tacky, unpretentiously naff, but good fun with a group of friends for a Britney singalong.
Admittedly, the cocktails are hit and miss - I had a Sink The Pink (vodka, lychee liquor, and grapefruit soda) which was delicious, but the Strawberry Fields (vodka, strawberries, mint and prosecco) was mushy and didn't taste particularly alcoholic. If you're looking for bartendering mastery, this is not the place. That said, you can sign up to their newsletter online for a free drink!
Blame Gloria
20 Bedford St
WC2E 9HP
