One of the best things about living in London, is how you can live there for a decade and never run out of new things to see and do. You can certainly never run out of places to eat and Soho is one of the most exciting places to eat in the city. Roughly between Oxford Street, Regent Street and Charing Cross Road, this neighbourhood has long been the beating heart of London’s nightlife, culture and food scene.
My Google maps is always full of new pins for foodie places around Soho and I’m always on the lookout for new (or indeed old) places to eat there!
Recently I joined a food tour in Soho, with Chubby Fellow food tours. This was the first time I’ve done a food tour in London and I somewhat arrogantly wondered if they would be introducing me to things I didn’t already know about!
If you’re searching for a genuine Chubby Fellow tour review – either as a Londoner or a tourist here’s exactly what the experience was like, including every stop, what we ate, and why a Soho London food tour is such a fantastic way to explore the city.
Starting the Chubby Fellow Soho Food Tour
We were greeted warmly by David and James from Chubby Fellow in a small park in Soho. Every tour is private so you won’t be joined by people you don’t know. Both the guys were super welcoming and friendly and seemed genuinely happy to be there. After a little intro, the tour began with a welcome drink to set the tone!
The team at Chubby Fellow have a background in mixology so it was no surprise that the cocktail that came out the flask was delicious– a basil & Croatian gin cocktail.
We were asked if we knew where the name ‘Soho’ came from, and since none of us did, they shared with us that it originated from a 17th-century hunting cry, “So-ho!”, used when the area was open fields and royal parkland before being developed.
Spanish Tapas at Kroketa
Our first stop took us to Kroketa, a small but lively Spanish spot specialising in, not surprisingly… croquettes.
Here we tried two standout bites:
- Jamon Ibérico croquettes
- Prawn croquettes
Both were incredibly creamy inside with a crisp golden coating. The Jamon Ibérico croquette had that deep richness that Spanish ham is famous for, while the prawn version, that I haven’t tried before, was slightly sweeter and lighter.
To pair with the croquettes, we were served Spanish vermouth, which added a herbal, slightly bitter balance to the richness of the fried bites.
The boys from Chubby Fellow regaled us with some Soho stories and it was a fun social stop, as well as a good intro to the spirit of Soho’s food culture.
Address: 21 Beak St, Carnaby, London W1F 9RR
Chocolate Truffles at William Curley
Next up was a stop for something sweet at William Curley, a celebrated chocolatier known for creative flavour combinations. William Curley is set inside a cute little courtyard – Smith’s Court – that I didn’t even know existed! Whilst the courtyard is quiet, the shop is very popular and there isn’t that much room for browsing if you’re in a big group.
Here we tried some truly unique Tuscan-inspired chocolate truffles. A favourite was the uniquely flavoured rosemary and olive oil truffle!
William Curley spent his early career training at some of the finest restaurants and hotels including Pierre Koffmann, Raymond Blanc and The Savoy, before opening his first boutique in 2004 – they also supply to upmarket department stores like Harrods.
As I’d never visited this courtyard, never mind this chocolate shop, I was definitely proved wrong thinking I might not learn anything on this tour! What a cute little spot to be introduced to.
Address: 33 Smith’s Ct, London W1D 7DP
Italian Classics at Lina Stores
Named after the founder’s wife – Lina Stores is one of Soho’s historic Italian institutions . Founded in 1944, Lina Stores is one of the neighbourhood’s most beloved Italian delis and restaurants and it’s a wonderful place to browse with its iconic mint-green exterior and shelves full of Italian ingredients,
At this stop we tasted:
- Prosciutto San Daniele
- Ubriaco Rossi cheese
The Ubriaco Rossi cheese, literally meaning drunken cheese, is aged with red wine, giving it a rich, slightly fruity flavour. Supposedly this tradition goes back to WWI As retreating troops looted local villages for food, farmers hid their precious wheels of cheese in barrels filled with crushed grape remnants left over from winemaking to save them from being taken.
I’ve been past Lina Stores so many times but never actually shopped there before and I’ll definitely be back!
Address: 18 Brewer St, London W1F 0SH
Greek Street Food at Suvlaki
Next on the Chubby Fellow tour was a stop at Suvlaki, a popular Greek restaurant bringing authentic street food to Soho. Greeks first established a significant presence in Soho during the 1670s. In 1676, around 100 families fleeing the Ottoman Empire settled in the area, specifically around Crown Street (now Charing Cross Road) and what became known as Greek Street.
I loved the atmosphere here, relaxed but still busy and vibrant. Here we were served a fantastic trio of tasty things.
- Pork souvlaki
- Courgette fritters
- Greek wine
The pork souvlaki was juicy, smoky and full of flavour and paired with a glass of Greek wine, it felt like a little taste of a Greek summer right in the middle of London.
I’ve walked down this street so many times but don’t remember seeing Suvlaki – it looks fairly inconspicuous from the outside but definitely worth a visit!
Address: 21 Bateman St, London W1D 3AL
Ending with Pastel de Nata at Café de Nata
The final stop of the Chubby Fellow tour was dessert at Café de Nata, a bakery dedicated to Portugal’s famous custard tarts.
The pastel de nata was served warm, with its signature flaky pastry and delicious custard filling. Lightly caramelised on top and dusted with cinnamon, it was the perfect sweet ending to the tour.
Address: 25 Old Compton St, London W1D 5JN
My overall thoughts – Chubby Fellow Soho food tour review
If you’re looking for a fun and delicious way to explore London’s food scene, I would absolutely recommend a Soho London food tour with Chubby Fellow. I really enjoyed the pace, the variation of food & drinks, the company and the fun stories that accompanied our tour. Our guides were super friendly, and it did actually feel like they were part of our friendship group rather than the owners!
A big advantage of doing a Soho London food tour is discovering places you might otherwise miss. Soho is packed with restaurants, and it can be overwhelming to choose where to go. Having a curated route makes it easy to experience some of the best bites in the area without the stress of planning.
For visitors to London, it’s a fantastic introduction to the city’s diverse food culture. And even if you live in London, a Chubby Fellow tour is a great way to rediscover Soho through new flavours and hidden gems.
You can book here – Chubby Fellow London food tour
This tour was kindly gifted to me by Jet2 to celebrate the new routes from London Gatwick Airport.
