The theatres, the shops, the bars, the music venues…Soho is packed full of so many temptations, you could easily spend your entire holiday in London without even venturing outside of the West End…if you have the money to do, that is.
So if you’re itching to explore Soho in all its glitz and glory, don’t let those sky-high theatre tickets or club entry costs deter you. Here are some of the many ways you can explore Soho in one single day and on a very strict budget: (Yes, it really is possible).
Do all your sightseeing in the morning
If you really want to make the most out of your time in Soho, you might as well get all the famous spots over and done with right away. You could go on a free walking tour around the area (there’s even Soho music tours and Harry Potter tours, if that tickles your fancy), but if you feel like exploring Soho without the help of a guide, you could pose underneath the Piccadilly Lights, walk up and down Carnaby Street, or watch Covent Garden’s street performers for literally no cost at all.
Have lunch in Chinatown
With so many budget restaurants in Soho’s Chinatown, not trying at least one of their dishes during your trip to London would be a true crime. The general rule of thumb is to wander up and down Gerrard Street and choose the restaurant that speaks to you the most (there are normally menus posted outside); but if you’re looking for something more specific, Le Hanoi (4 Macclesfield St) has a £6.50 lunch special, and BaoziInn (25 Newport Court) does some amazing £4.50 noodle bowls as well.
Watch a matinée theatre performance
When it comes to watching a West End theatre performance on a budget, the trick is to stick with the cheaper matinée shows, and buy your tickets either well in advance or at the last-minute. (Bear in mind that the cheaper tickets tend to have the worst seats, however). Out of all the websites offering amazing deals on London’s West End theatre shows, the best are Compare Theatre Tickets (offering £35 tickets), or Official London Theatre (with tickets around £25). And let’s not forget about the TKTS Half Price Theatre Ticket Booth in Leicester Square!
Dine in a budget Soho restaurant
Don’t get trapped into eating in a swanky Soho restaurant, because there’s many cheaper restaurant options littered all around the neighbourhood. From Cookhouse Joe (55 Berwick Street) which has £6 lunch specials (see their dishes here), or The Lyric Pub (37 Great Windmill Street), which has £10 to £15 mains (view their menu here). And of course no visit to London would be complete without trying some fish and chips, and luckily Poppies Fish & Chip shop at 55-59 Old Compton Street serves them up on the cheap (check out their menu here).
Have a cheeky late-night drink before heading home
The most important aspect of drinking in Soho on a budget can be summed up in two words: Happy Hour. The Warwick (1-3 Warwick Street) is about as cheap as it gets when it comes to Soho standards, where you can get £5 cocktails from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.; but the cheap options don’t just stop there. There’s also Simmons Bar Soho (2 Bateman Street) offering £2.50 beers and £10 bottles of wine until 9 p.m., Soho Zebrano (18 Greek Street) has £3.50 beers and wines from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. or 9 p.m, and Barrio Central (at 6 Poland Street), sells £5 cocktails from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. or 8 p.m.