Where to eat in Carnaby and Kingly, and what to order

Carnaby has a reputation for shopping first and dinner second. Critic Tim Hayward has called the Carnaby Quarter a "joyless heart" of dining, according to Time Out and Harden's, and The Infatuation says an evening around here can be stressful. Fair enough. But a handful of doors reward you if you know which, and where to sit once you are inside.

Kingly Street and Kingly Court

Padella Soho, 2 Kingly Street

The third Padella, after Borough Market and Shoreditch, marks ten years since the first opened in 2016. It is run by Tim Siadatan and Jordan Frieda. It seats 80 across two floors, with an eight-person hidden room downstairs. Time Out gave it 4 out of 5, and Hot Dinners called it "still the best of the pasta bar bunch" after a decade. Harden's puts the average spend at about £47 a head.

Order: the pici cacio e pepe and the pappardelle with eight-hour beef shin ragu. The pumpkin ravioli with ricotta and sage butter is also on the menu. The Infatuation calls it a handy option when you need pasta quickly, which is the right way to use it: a fast, good plate before a show.

Dishoom Carnaby, 22 Kingly Street

Dishoom's Carnaby branch is listed by Visit London among the area's standouts. Reviewers advise booking or arriving early, and that is sound advice. Go at opening for the easiest table.

Order: the black daal, okra fries and chicken ruby. Add the house chaat and gunpowder potatoes if you are sharing. At breakfast, the Bacon Naan Roll; at lunch, the Paneer Roomali Roll. To drink, the India Gimlet.

Donia, top floor of Kingly Court

Kingly Court is a three-floor food hall with restaurants, cafés and bars around a central courtyard. You enter through a small blue archway on Carnaby Street that is easy to miss. At the top, Donia cooks modern Filipino food with British produce, from the group behind Panadera and Mamasons. It holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand and appears in The Infatuation's Soho top 28, which also describes it as a calm refuge from the Kingly Court bustle. The room is small, about 50 covers, so book ahead. Harden's puts the average spend at about £82.

Order: the adobo mushroom croquetas, the chicken inasal and the lechon with liver and peppercorn sauce. For something light, Carlingford oysters with guava granita (£11 for three) or the sea bream kinilaw (£11).

Imad's Syrian Kitchen, Kingly Court

Chef-owner Imad Alarnab was a restaurateur in Damascus before settling in London. The restaurant moved to a bigger unit within Kingly Court in April 2023 and added brunch. The Michelin Guide lists it and says bookings are handled by the restaurant directly, so go to its own site for the menu and a table.

Off Carnaby

Himi, 4 Newburgh Street

A Japanese neo-izakaya from the husband-and-wife team behind the omakase restaurant Roji, in the former INO Gastrobar site. There is a counter by the open kitchen at the front and a downstairs room with a skylight. Both Hot Dinners and The Infatuation suggest the counter, and so do we: you watch the work. The Infatuation scores it 9.2, but it sits in the top price tier, and some Tripadvisor reviewers found portions small. Treat it as a treat, not a quick bite.

Order: the temaki ōtoro warayaki, tempura scallop and charcoal-grilled red shrimp. Add thick noodles in broth, the crispy fried chicken or the Inaniwa udon with pink duck.

Pastaio, 19 Ganton Street

Chef Stevie Parle and friends make pasta fresh on site daily here. It is good value, but the seating is communal benches and the music is loud, so it suits a quick bite more than a quiet catch-up. Vegan and gluten-free options are available.

Order: the lobster linguine, the gnocchi and focaccia, then tiramisu.

How to plan it

• Quick pasta before a show: Padella on Kingly Street, or Pastaio on Ganton Street.
• A proper dinner: Donia, booked ahead, or Himi at the counter.
• Easy crowd-pleaser: Dishoom, at opening.

The nearest tube is Oxford Circus. Check each restaurant's own site for hours and booking before you go. For more on the court, see SquareMeal's Kingly Court listing and Visit London's Carnaby guide.