Cafés & Tea · Our pick in London
Bar Italia
Soho since 1949
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © SomeDriftwood from Liverpool, England · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Bar Italia
Bar Italia has been pulling espresso on Frith Street since 1949, and its neon sign, chrome counter and Formica tables are Soho landmarks. It opens early and closes very late, so it fills with coffee drinkers by day and night owls after midnight. Order an espresso and a pastry at the bar, or take a pavement table and watch Soho go by.
Why it's on our list
- Since 1949
- Open very late
- Pavement tables
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Bar Italia before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from Bar Italia are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest stations
- Tottenham Court RoadNorthernCentralElizabeth line0.2 mi4 min walk
- Leicester SquarePiccadillyNorthern0.2 mi4 min walk
- Piccadilly CircusPiccadillyBakerloo0.3 mi6 min walk
Nearest taxi ranks
- Taxi rank, Coventry Street0.2 mi5 min walk
- Taxi rank, Whitcomb Street0.2 mi5 min walk
Black cabs can also be hailed in the street: a lit yellow TAXI sign means the cab is available.
Key sights
- Leicester Square0.2 miWalk 4 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 5 min
- Covent Garden0.4 miWalk 8 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Trafalgar Square0.4 miWalk 8 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 6 min
- The British Museum0.5 miWalk 9 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 6 min
- London Eye0.9 miWalk 17 minCycle 6 minCar or taxi 9 min
- Westminster Abbey1.0 miWalk 20 minCycle 6 minCar or taxi 10 min
- Buckingham Palace1.0 miWalk 20 minCycle 6 minCar or taxi 10 min
- Harrods1.7 miWalk 34 minCycle 11 minCar or taxi 15 min
- The Shard2.0 miWalk 41 minCycle 13 minCar or taxi 18 min
- Tower of London2.4 miCycle 15 minCar or taxi 21 min
Main rail terminals
- Charing Cross0.4 miWalk 9 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Euston1.0 miWalk 21 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 11 min
- Waterloo1.0 miWalk 21 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 11 min
- King’s Cross St Pancras1.2 miWalk 25 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 12 min
- Victoria1.3 miWalk 26 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 13 min
- St Pancras International (Eurostar)1.3 miWalk 26 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 13 min
- Paddington1.9 miWalk 38 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 17 min
- London Bridge2.1 miWalk 42 minCycle 13 minCar or taxi 18 min
- Liverpool Street2.1 miWalk 43 minCycle 14 minCar or taxi 19 min