Mildreds Soho: what to order and when to go
Soho's plant-based pioneer has been feeding the neighbourhood since 1988. Here is what to order at 45 Lexington Street, and when to book.
By Only Soho Editorial
Mildreds is a Soho veteran that happens to be vegan. It sits at 45 Lexington Street, on the Carnaby and Oxford Circus side of the neighbourhood, in a tall, thin Grade II listed townhouse spread over three floors. Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus stations are both a short walk away.
A short history
Diane Thomas and Jane Muir opened Mildreds in Soho in 1988, first on Greek Street according to Eatlocal, and the restaurant later moved to Lexington Street. (Mildreds' own account says it opened on Lexington Street, so the early address is told two ways.) The founders recall being told the place would last six months, with main courses at £2.95 and tables turned quickly to cover the overheads.
It began as a vegetarian restaurant and went fully vegan in 2021. Foodepedia notes that in 1988 vegan food was still something of a joke, and the Camden New Journal places Mildreds among the early vegetarian trailblazers, alongside Cranks on Carnaby Street. GayCities calls it a gay-friendly Soho institution.
The house closed for about two months for a full refit and reopened on 16 October 2024. The outside is now a clash of inky blue and orange, each floor has its own wallpaper and colour, and there is a flamingo-pink private dining room.
What to order
The cooking is internationally inspired and changes with the seasons, so check the menu before you go. These are the dishes that keep coming up, at prices listed in 2024 and 2025 that may have moved.
- Mushroom ale pot pie, £16.90. Forest mushroom stew under a puff pastry lid, with smashed peas, mint oil, gravy and triple-cooked potatoes. Business Traveller's reviewer rated it the best dish of their meal. Order this one first.
- Kimchi bokkeumbap, £16.90. Fried rice with kimchi, gochujang sesame sauce, salt-and-pepper tofu, garlic aioli and nori.
- Kiri hodi. Described as a Mildreds classic: Sri Lankan coconut curry leaf sauce with roasted sweet potato, fine beans and chana rice.
- Shiitake tempeh tan tan, £16.50. Sesame dashi broth, udon and chilli oil.
Add a side of lemon pepper fries (£4.50) or kimchi (£4.50). If there is room, Business Traveller praised a dark chocolate torte with hazelnut mousseline and chocolate stout sauce, though it may have left the menu.
For brunch, TheFork lists a full English at £16.50, golden potato rösti at £15.50 and cauliflower uttapam at £14. There is a full cocktail and wine list too, with a glass of wine running from about £7.60 to £10.80 on the listed menu, and a Soho Pale beer brewed for Mildreds with Unbarred.
When to go
Mildreds is open daily, from 9am Monday to Saturday and Sunday, closing at 11pm Monday to Saturday and 10pm on Sundays. Weekday opening times vary between listings, so check the website for the morning. Breakfast runs until 11am on weekdays and weekend brunch until 3pm, according to Business Traveller.
Go at breakfast or for a weekday lunch if you want a calmer room. The seating is tight and reviewers describe it as lively and loud at peak times. Late dinner suits it too: the kitchen is open until 11pm on most nights.
Prices and booking
TheFork puts the average spend at £38 a head. Mains sit roughly between £14 and £17. Cash is not accepted; Amex, Mastercard and Visa are. Some Tripadvisor reviewers find it pricey.
Book on OpenTable or through SevenRooms, for tables of one to ten. Friday and Saturday evenings are the ones to lock in; one HappyCow reviewer reported people without bookings being turned away at busy times. The phone number is 020 7494 1634. Groups can look at the Taste of Mildreds sharing menu, and private dining enquiries go to hello@mildreds.co.uk.
For the full backstory, read the founders' account on Eatlocal and Business Traveller's review.
