HOTEL

Covent Garden Hotel (££)

Hip and stylish, right in the heart of London’s West End, this is close to theatres, Soho and some of London’s best restaurants, bars and night clubs.

image 10 Monmouth Street image 020 7806 1000; www.firmdale.com image Covent Garden, Leicester Square

myhotel Bloomsbury (£)

Affordable boutique hotel, close to all the West End’s major attractions. Expect designer rooms, art and atmosphere, based on the principles of feng shui.

image 11–13 Bayley Street, Bedford Square image 020 3004 6000; www.myhotels.com image Tottenham Court Road, Goodge Street

Radisson Edwardian Mountbatten Hotel (££–£££)

Luxury hotel close to Covent Garden, Soho, Trafalgar Square and Oxford Street, with all their shops, theatres, art galleries and museums within walking distance.

image Seven Dials, Covent Garden image 020 7836 4300; www.radissonedwardian.com image Covent Garden, Tottenham Court Road

RESTAURANTS AND PUBS

Café des Amis (£–££)

Authentic French restaurant upstairs, serving French onion soup, terrine de campagne, moules marinières, big salads and omelettes. Wine bar downstairs, with well-priced wines by the glass or bottle.

image 11–14 Hanover Place, off Long Acre image 020 7379 3444 image Mon–Sat 12–11:30 image Covent Garden

Cafe España (£)

Expect budget prices and big portions in this popular Spanish eatery, where all the favourites are on the menu: paella, chorizo, tortilla, tapas and affordable Spanish wines.

image 63 Old Compton Street image 020 7494 1271 image Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Tottenham Court Road

Cigala (£–££)

In a cool, chic setting, order modern versions of Spanish classics: albondigas (meat balls), bacalao (salt cod), grilled seafood, stuffed peppers. Excellent tapas, outstanding Spanish wine list.

image 54 Lamb’s Conduit Street image 020 7405 1717 image Mon–Sat 12–10:45, Sun 12–9:30 image Russell Square, Holborn

Food for Thought (£)

Imaginative dishes at this busy, crowded and long-established vegetarian favourite in Covent Garden range from a gingery Vietnamese vegetable stew and butterbean, leek and mushroom pie to above-average desserts.

image 31 Neal Street, Covent Garden image 020 7836 9072 image Mon–Sat 12–8:30, Sun 12–5 image Covent Garden

French House

This pub has been a Soho institution for over 80 years. This is no place for beer drinkers but there is an excellent restaurant upstairs.

image 49 Dean Street image 020 7437 2799 image Daily 12–11 (Sun 10:30) image Leicester Square

Joe Allen (££)

The classic mainstream American food (French toast, burgers, rubs) is served, but it’s the celebrities and atmosphere that draw the crowds to this Covent Garden basement.

image 13 Exeter Street, Covent Garden image 020 7836 0651 image Daily breakfast, lunch, dinner image Covent Garden

Lamb and Flag

Loch Fyne (£–££)

One of a successful chain of seafood restaurants, this branch has a well-priced set menu for theatregoers or shoppers. Try the smoked fish pie or the Thai-style squid salad.

image 2–4 Catherine Street image 020 7240 4999 image Mon–Sat 12–11, Sun 12–10 image Covent Garden

Masala Zone (£–££)

Dining-hall-style eatery with an easy to negotiate menu providing a top value taste of pan-Indian cooking. There are five other branches in London, including one in Covent Garden.

image 9 Marshall Street image 020 7287 9966 image Daily lunch, dinner image Oxford Circus

Navarro’s (£)

Some of London’s best tapas as well as a short menu of full traditional Spanish meals, served in an attractive tiled dining room.

image 67 Charlotte Street image 020 7637 7713 image Mon–Fri lunch, Mon–Sat dinner image Goodge Street

Providores (££–£££)

Fusion cooking at its best: New Zealand mixed with Asian and Middle Eastern spicing. From roast duck with massaman curry lentils to roast cod on ginger and wasabi tobikko arancini.

image 109 Marylebone High Street image 020 7935 6175 image Daily 12–2:45, 6–10:30 image Baker Street, Bond Street, Regents Park

Rules (£££)

London’s oldest restaurant celebrated 200 years in 1998 and still draws plaudits for its top-quality British food.

image 35 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden image 020 7836 5314 image Daily lunch, dinner image Covent Garden, Charing Cross

Wagamama (£)

This is the original Wagamama noodle bar that now has branches in Covent Garden and worldwide. Food is eaten dining-hall style.

image 4 Streatham Street image 020 7323 9223 image Daily lunch, dinner image Tottenham Court Road

SHOPPING

BABY ACCESSORIES

Mothercare

This 50-year-old British institution is the market leader, with three floors of everything from babywear and toys to pushchairs.

image 526–528 Oxford Street image 020 7629 6621 image Marble Arch

BEAUTY AND COSMETICS

Neal’s Yard Remedies

The original store in Covent Garden selling essential oils and homeopathic remedies of all kinds.

image 15 Neal’s Yard image 020 7379 7222 image Covent Garden

Penhaligon’s

Beautiful Victorian shopfront and fittings with colognes and powders, perfumes and accessories. Several branches.

image 41 Wellington Street image 020 7836 2150 image Covent Garden

BOOKS

Blackwell

Expert staff know every inch of the in-depth sections on history, philosophy, finance, fiction, medical and computing.

image 100 Charing Cross Road image 020 7292 5100 image Covent Garden, Tottenham Court Road

Foyles

Despite its apparent disorder, this is the biggest book shop in Britain so you’re sure to find what you want here – eventually.

image 113–119 Charing Cross Road image 020 7437 5660 image Tottenham Court Road, Covent Garden

Stanford’s

The world’s largest travel book shop with a vast selection of guides, travelogues and maps to everywhere on earth.

image 12–14 Long Acre image 020 7836 1321; www.stanfords.co.uk image Leicester Square

DEPARTMENT STORES

John Lewis

With helpful staff and a motto of ‘Never knowingly undersold’, this seven-storey flagship department store is a British favourite: stylish and wide-ranging, from trendy kitchen goods in the basement through cosmetics, fashion and household musts.

image 300 Oxford Street image 020 7629 7711 image Oxford Circus, Bond Street

Liberty

Famously associated with the art nouveau and developing design oriented printed fabrics, the interior of London’s most beautiful store comprises series of four-floor galleries around a central well.

image 210–220 Regent Street image 020 7734 1234 image Oxford Circus

Marks & Spencer

This is the biggest branch and the flagship of one of Britain’s favourite stores with high quality and value across its range.

image 458 Oxford Street image 020 7935 7954 image Marble Arch

Selfridges

The magnificent art deco and Ionic pillar frontage promises more than the store actually delivers. Probably best for clothes, though there’s also a good food hall and a huge perfume department.

image 400 Oxford Street image 0800 123 400 image Bond Street

FASHION

Topshop

Super model Kate Moss designs just one of the ranges in this flagship store; three floors offer trendy, affordable fashion for younger women and teenagers.

image 36–38 Great Castle Street image 020 7636 8040 image Oxford Circus

FOOD AND DRINK

Neal’s Yard Dairy

Splendid rustic-style shop selling mainly British and Irish cheeses. Some French, Italian and Greek cheeses are also available.

image 17 Shorts Gardens image 020 7240 5700 image Covent Garden

MARKET

Covent Garden Piazza

There are two areas, the Jubilee and Apple markets. The general market is open from Tuesday to Friday, selling everything from clothing to household goods. Mondays are dedicated to antiques dealers. At the weekend, the speciality is arts and crafts.

image Covent Garden Piazza image Mon–Fri 9:30–6; Sat, Sun 9–6 image Covent Garden

ENTERTAINMENT

MUSIC

Jazz ‘n’ Pizza

London has two very high-quality nightly jazz and pizza restaurants; the Jazz Club Soho and the more classy Pizza on the Park.

image Jazz Club Soho, 10 Dean Street image 020 7437 9595 image Tottenham Court Road image Pizza on the Park, 11 Knightsbridge image 020 7235 7825 image Hyde Park Corner

Roadhouse

A 1950s US-themed live-music bar and diner with a mainly 30-something crowd getting down to blues, funk and classic rock.

image Jubilee Hall, 35 The Piazza image 020 7240 6001 image Covent Garden

Ronnie Scott’s

The place to see the best jazz in the capital. There are generally two sets per night, one at 8:30pm and the other at 11pm.

image 47 Frith Street image 020 7439 0747. Booking is advised image Leicester Square

Royal Opera House

There has been a theatre on this site since 1732 but the theatre is now home to the Royal Ballet and the Royal Opera companies.

image Covent Garden image 020 7304 4000; www.roh.org.uk image Covent Garden

NIGHTLIFE

Madame Jojo’s

Madame Jojo’s presents everything from rhythm and blues to deep funk to ‘tran-tastic’ parties.

image 8–10 Brewer Street, Soho image 020 7734 3040; www.madamejojos.com image Piccadilly Circus

THEATRE

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

This beautiful space has long been London’s favourite alfresco venue, staging plays (mostly by Shakespeare) and musicals.

image Inner Circle, Regent’s Park image 0844 826 4242; www.openairtheatre.org image Late May–Sep image Baker Street