The best things to do in Covent Garden

The ultimate shops, bars and addresses to know in arguably London's best neighbourhood

9 January 2021

Although mostly known as a playground for theatre luvvies, tourists and Saturday shoppers, Covent Garden has a lot more to offer than it’s often given credit for. In recent years, it has become something of a foodie hub, with many of London’s best restaurants springing up in the streets that feather out from the piazza. Eating aside, there are plenty more things to do: here are 15 spots off the tourist trail.

Things to do in Covent Garden
Covent Garden is one of London’s most visited tourist destinations – from its cool hotels and chic boutiques to its grand selection of foodie hotspots and theatreland venues. It’s a classic example of old meets new, steeped in history and British culture while showing off modern-day fancies. In this video, join Condé Nast Traveller’s Social Media Editor Olivia Morelli, and Acting Audience Growth Manager Abigail Malbon, as they show us around one of London’s best-known corners.
Trent McMinn
Go to the original Monmouth Coffee shop
Back in 1978, Anita Leroy started roasting beans in the basement of her shop on Monmouth Street. Some 30 years later, the street is now synonymous with fine coffee: there’s a permanent queue out the door of people waiting patiently for fragrant bags of single-origin beans and expertly brewed filter coffees. There are also a few highly sought-after tables on a mezzanine at the back of the cosy shop, where you can watch the expert baristas at work.
Address: Monmouth Coffee, 27 Monmouth Street, London WC2H 9EU
Website: monmouthcoffee.co.uk
Eat around the world at Seven Dials Market
Street-food connoisseurs Kerb took over this former banana warehouse on a prominent wedge of Seven Dials in 2019. Taking its popular outdoor markets to the next level, Kerb has curated a vibrant foodie emporium, serving everything from chef Tim Anderson’s unusual ramen combinations (including slow-cooked curried goat or aubergine and parmesan) to Club Mexicana’s vegan tacos. Browse the vendors, or go straight for Pick and Cheese and its much-photographed fromage conveyor belt for eat-as-much-as-you-like cheese and charcuterie for £20 per person.
Address: Seven Dials Market, Earlham Street, London WC2H 9LX
Website: sevendialsmarket.com
Find out more about the best street food in London
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Have an alfresco swim at the Oasis
It’s still a relatively well-kept secret that there’s a heated open-air swimming pool right in the middle of Covent Garden. On a hot day, the aptly named Oasis is bustling with in-the-know bathers making use of the large sun terrace.The 27.5-metre pool is flanked by a block of flats and an office building, so you can often glimpse someone cooking dinner or gossiping by the water cooler when you come up for air. There’s also a large gym and indoor pool for those who want a further workout.
Address: Oasis Sports Centre, 32 Endell Street, London WC2H 9AG
Website: better.org.uk

Choosing Keeping
Stock up on essentials at Choosing Keeping
For those who think stationery is just pens and paper, a visit to Choosing Keeping is most definitely in order. Tucked away on a quiet street off Seven Dials, this is a treasure trove of marbled-paper boxes, architectural mechanical pencils, Japanese ballpoints, ornamental scissors, mother-of-pearl pen trays, pressed-flower-print sellotape and so much more. Ideal for upgrading your home office.
Address: Choosing Keeping, 21 Tower Street, London WC2H 9NS
Website: choosingkeeping.com
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Discover a secret garden
St Paul’s Church (aka the Actors’ Church) is no secret – it stands proudly as the backdrop for every busker performing on the west side of the piazza – but most people don’t know that behind it lies a little green oasis. Enter from the discreet gates on the surrounding side streets to find a peaceful churchyard with benches aplenty. The perfect picnic spot.
Address: St Paul’s Churchyard, Bedford Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9ED
Geek out at the London Transport Museum
London Transport may not always be the city’s most loved institution but don’t let that put you off this surprisingly entertaining museum. There are 200 years of impressive history packed in here, including the first underground steam-powered engine and a wooden Metropolitan Railway coach to clamber aboard. Look out for the historic illustrated tube posters throughout, plus variations of Harry Beck's famous tube map.
Address: London Transport Museum, Covent Garden Piazza, London WC2E 7BB
Website: ltmuseum.co.uk
Buy boat supplies from Arthur Beale
Those lucky enough to have a boat will be well acquainted with this 500-year-old yacht chandler; everyone else will know the Shaftesbury Avenue institution from its window displays of coiled colourful ropes, flags, buoys and yellow raincoats. Venture inside for all your nautical needs – and an excellent selection of fisherman’s jumpers.
Address: Arthur Beale, 194 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2H 8JP
Website: arthurbeale.co.uk
Discover vintage delights in Blackout II
There are plenty of vintage shops in Covent Garden but Blackout II has to be the greatest. For the past 20 years, the rails have been laden with carefully sourced finds from the 1920s to the 1980s. There are well-priced party dresses to suit every occasion and style, costume jewellery, feather-filled hats and corsets, alongside a fine array of vintage men’s suits, and knowledgeable staff to help you find what you didn’t even know you were looking for.
Address: Blackout II, 51 Endell Street, London WC2H 9AJ
Website: blackout2.com
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Helen Maybanks
See a play at the Donmar Warehouse
In a sea of West End theatres, the plucky 251-seater not-for-profit Donmar Warehouse stands out. The intimate warehouse space, led by artistic director Michael Longhurst and executive director Henny Finch, is known for its internationally acclaimed programming, which has gone online this year for remote viewing.
Address: Donmar Warehouse, 41 Earlham Street, London WC2H 9LX
Website: donmarwarehouse.com
Indulge in pampering Neal’s Yard Remedies
Pay a visit to the original blue-bottled natural skincare brand at its eponymous location in Covent Garden. Above the colourful courtyard there are snug treatment rooms where they offer 10 different types of massage and organic facials (including the Frankincense Intense Facial Rejuvenation), as well as acupuncture, reflexology and flower essence therapy. After your appointment, pop into the store below, where you’ll find an apothecary of dried herbs and flowers with medicinal properties – and knowledgeable staff to advise.
Address: Neal’s Yard Therapy Rooms, 2 Neal's Yard, London WC2H 9DP
Website: nealsyardremedies.com
Yuki Sugiura and Clare Lewington
Stock up on cheese at Neal’s Yard Dairy
Any cheese fan will be well-versed in the prowess of Neal’s Yard Dairy – and this is where it all started. The ripe smell hits before you’ve even laid eyes on the small store just off Neal Street. Then there are the imposing wheels of cheese that flank the door. Once inside, the selection can be overwhelming. Ask for samples of the choice British prodcuts on offer and curate your dream cheese board.
Address: Neal’s Yard Dairy, 17 Short's Gardens, London WC2H 9AT
Website: nealsyarddairy.co.uk
Sim Canetty Clarke
See a performance at the Royal Opera House
Home to The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera companies, the Royal Opera House is one of the most impressive venues in the city. The grand theatre puts on world-class premieres and well-loved classics, as well as offering audiences a chance to witness the dancers rehearse in intimate open classes. And if you don’t have tickets to a performance, the Paul Hamlyn Hall bar and restaurant under the atrium is a smart spot for a glass of fizz.
Address: Royal Opera House, Bow Street, London WC2E 9DD
Website: roh.org.uk

Kenji Kudo
Take a tour of the Masonic Hall
The Freemasons are renowned for having a lot of secrets (that fabled handshake is still a mystery to most) but one thing they will allow is an organised snoop of their lavish Covent Garden HQ. Tours inside the Grade II-listed Art Deco building include a look around the Museum of Freemasonry and the aptly named Grand Temple, with gold thrones and an imposing pipe organ, hefty bronze doors (each weighing one and a quarter tonnes) and a stunning ceiling mural.
Address: Freemasons’ Hall, 60 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AZ
Website: ugle.org.uk
Sip a Negroni at Freud bar
Look for the classic Freud shop sign to locate this much-loved basement bar: regulars know to head down the dark stairwell into the concrete cellar to find some of the strongest and best-priced cocktails in central London. Despite being on a touristy stretch, Freud feels like it would be better suited up the road in Soho, with its small tables lit with red candles for intimate gatherings and romantic dates.
Address: Freud Cafe Bar, 198 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2H 8JL
Website: freud.eu
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Stop for supper at the Rock & Sole Plaice
Walk down Endell Street and chances are one whiff of the enticing frying batter and sharp malt vinegar will have you popping in for a quick packet of chips. Since 1871, Rock & Sole Plaice has been serving up sustainably sourced fish and chips – and they’re still some of the best in the city. Grab an outdoor table (great for people watching) and order extra home-made tartar sauce for the full experience.
Address: Rock & Sole Plaice, 47 Endell Street, London, WC2H 9AJ
Website: rockandsoleplaice.com
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