Cafe Monico

European restaurant · Soho

Cafe Monico

European restaurant · Soho

2

39-45 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 6LA, United Kingdom

Photos

Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null
Cafe Monico by null

Highlights

This elegant European brasserie serves delightful breakfast to late-night fare, featuring a romantic upstairs view and a bustling atmosphere that's perfect for a pre-theater bite.  

Featured in Eater
Placeholder

39-45 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 6LA, United Kingdom Get directions

cafemonico.com

$$ · Menu

Information

Static Map

39-45 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 6LA, United Kingdom Get directions

+44 20 3727 6161
cafemonico.com

$$ · Menu

Features

Tap to pay
reservations
wifi

Last updated

Jul 9, 2025

Powered By

You might also like

Terms of Use • Privacy Policy • Cookie Policy
 © 2025 Postcard Technologies, Inc.
@eater

"Soho House now has 43 clubs and an extensive restaurant portfolio, including London restaurants Cafe Monico." - Monica Burton

What Is Soho House, the Exclusive Members-Only Club Where You Can Hang With Celebrities? - Eater
View Postcard for Cafe Monico
@goop

"This French brasserie is yet another feather in the Soho House's cap, which means you can expect great food and an always-buzzy vibe. They've really gone all out here, though, and created a charming space that feels just like an old Belle Epoque Parisian institution, complete with classic croques, moules frites, pâté, and the like served all day long. Located right on Shaftesbury Avenue, this makes a great pre- or post-West End show stop. Head upstairs for the best seats in the house, overlooking the main floor. "

The Central London Guide
View Postcard for Cafe Monico

Mrs Whitley

Google
I loved herena our waitress she was kind and lovely. This was a better experience than Sexy Fish! Good food, pasta cooked correctly and a nice fresh selection on the menu. Service was extraordinary even with no reservation and a time constraint for dinner as I needed to go to a show. Worth the money and trip.

Pooja Sharma-Jones

Google
Lovely gem on Shaftesbury Avenue. Great decor but not pretentious. Prices are very reasonable and the food is lovely. Makes a welcome addition in amongst some of touristy restaurants in the area

Theo Dort

Google
Beautiful Art Deco style cafe, great team, I like a good service. It was mostly great, but my sirloin steak was a bit overcooked other then that it was perfect. I know tiramisu is a basic dessert but I love it and it was delicious

Jessica Deeker

Google
Loved it here. This place is right up my straßße!! From decor to atmosphere to cocktails to glasses! Love love love. They have a second floor upstairs which looks a bit more fancy and looks down over the bar which is centred in the middle of the room. I just love the layout. It’s v romantic. Only criticism was that they have literally shoved bins into every ladies toilet when they clearly don’t fit. It meant that you could hardly close the door and was just very odd.

Roshan Alex

Google
Love this place. The atmosphere was great. We went here for my girlfriends birthday. Food was good and prices were ok for the area. Staff were friendly and kind.

Georgina T

Google
Surprisingly nice restaurant in the heart of central London's West End district. Busy pre-theatre dinner spot on a Friday night but does quieten down once the theatre crowds have gone. Nice decor and atmosphere. Good selection of meals with a French influence. Service is friendly and attentive. Reasonable prices. Good for a date night. Would come back.

Dejan Kalinic

Google
I am visiting London for business very often, at least three times a month. Organizing always business dinners with colleagues and partners. This was one of the worse experiences we ever had. We arrived half hour earlier than our reservation time, waiting at the bar for our table... drinks arrived just half hour later, when we finally got our table. After the starter, that arrived fast, we needed to wait more than ONE HOUR for our main meal. Nobody was even looking at us. We thought waiters abandoned the restaurant. The meal was finally ordered just after our multiple complaints. After this experience the manager promised that he'll remove desert from the bill. We were hoping in quick dinner service, and needed to stay there for THREE HOURS. In all that time, we didn't receive (we were not asked) even one re-fill for our drinks. Nobody cared, even if we've finished our drinks during first hour. At the end, the bill arrived completely wrong, with desert included. After another complaint, they've removed the desert and added drinks (that were wrongly missing in the first bill), resulting in even higher amount. This was one of restaurants that was promising a lot, and delivered worse experience we ever had in London for years.

Javier Ansotegui Esparza

Google
Exceptional service and environment. Ask for a table upstairs as the views over the chandelier and the bar are great in the evenings with dimmed lights. The set menu for dinner offer three choices with 2 or 3 course options avaliable.

Josy A.

Yelp
Well, this is a far cry from dirty burger!! I hadn't realised this was one of the many soho house businesses until my friend mentioned it - although I live near one of the first dirty burger/chicken shop/ pizza east venues I'd never visited one of their more up market establishments. We just popped in for a cocktail while we waited for a table in another restaurant. We were seated at the bar upstairs and it was a nice place to relax with friends. To me, it seemed like we were relaxing on the set of bugsy malone. The cocktails were a little pricey, but pretty decent. I'd be interested in coming back to try the food.

Som D.

Yelp
Cafe Monico is one of those places you might miss if you discount the quality of restaurants on Shaftesbury Avenue, because you think it must be tacky. Let's hope it acts as a sort of a trendsetter. Soho House's new venture next to Rupert Street is both charming, and offers a moderately enticing fare. We tried the oysters and the lobster for starters. The lobster was cold, delicious, fresh, although difficult to crack because they didn't really do the work for you. :-( The lamb chops are excellent, cooked lightly with herbs, somewhat medium rare. To sum it up, Cafe Monico probably will never feature in a 'best of' list, but it works very well for what it's supposed to do. The location on Shaftesbury is ideal. It will serve as a great pre theatre venue, and while I might not go back for another meal, I'll surely recommend it to theatre goers.

Meike B.

Yelp
The latest addition to the ever growing Soho House empire, Cafe Monico offers loads of special offers to create an ongoing buzz. We went for a set menu lunch special. Mind you, the selection seemed a bit of a challenge at first as every dish seemed to have at least one ingredient I didn't like (no, I am not a fussy eater!!). But guess what, they were happy to alter the main dish and everyting actually tasted so much better than its description. Cafe Monico worked well for a summer lunch, mainly because we were lucky enough to be given a table by the window. But I think it will really come into its own now that the days are getting shorter again. A true feelgood place with cosy furniture and intimiate lighting. Another winner!

Laura B.

Yelp
I came here for an early pre-dinner show, and overall was quite happy with the experience. The 2-course is dinner pre fixe was worthwhile. I ordered the prawn cocktail, followed by spaghetti with muscles. Both were promptly served, and overall good. The bread was also surprisingly satisfying. I also splurged for a glass of wine and the chocolate bombe for dessert. As a chocolate lover the bombe was too much for even me to finish, and though I probably wouldn't order again, it did satisfy my chocolate craving. It was a bit over salted. I also really loved the ambiance. I sat upstairs and enjoyed people watching over the railing. My main complaint was that the service was lacking. The place did get crowded later on, but at least when I initially arrived it was empty, and I was forced to flag down the waitress each and every time I wanted anything. Wouldn't go out of my way with so many similar options in the area, but if you're around and looking for a place, it's a good option.

Jarrod B.

Yelp
If you're looking for the best brunch spot on Shaftesbury Avenue, you have to get yourself to Café Monico, a vintage style brasserie that serves delicious food no matter what time of day. After a late-morning stroll through the theater district, my friend and I stopped for weekend brunch at Café Monico, and from the moment we entered the restaurant we felt welcomed. We were greeted by a friendly host and sat at a cozy table for two in the upstairs dining area. Our waitress was wonderful, and I cannot comment enough on the efficiency and accuracy of the service, as well at the attentiveness of the staff. I enjoyed a delicious plate of perfectly moist and fluffy scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, while my partner ordered the steak tartare, beautifully presented with a bright yellow egg on top, served with two slices of crusty, toasted bread. We both ordered the grilled octopus salad, and were delighted to find the meat charred to perfection while still tender and juicy. The bed of greens in the salad were fresh and tasted as if they came straight from the field. For dessert, we shared a slice of heavenly pistachio cake, complete with a subtly sweet scoop of strawberry sorbet. The sorbet melted in my mouth, and its slightly tart, yet mildly sweet flavor was a perfect accompaniment to the nutty taste of the cake. The restaurant design is based off the original 1877 Café Monico, and the centralized bar in the downstairs area is a great place to meet friends for drinks before a show! We filled up on so much delicious food, but we never felt rushed. The service was impeccable. In fact, the entire experience makes Café Monico my number one spot for recommendation whenever someone asks where to go for a weekend brunch!

Hosie T.

Yelp
Went here during a week night after a recommendation from our hotel concierge. Couldn't have picked a better spot. The restaurant was very classy and had a great ambiance and feel to it. The service was spectacular and the food was even better. My steak was prepared perfectly and the steak tartare was the best my wife ever had. My cocktail was amazing as were our desserts. When we return to the U.K., we'll make our way back here!

Anastasia B.

Yelp
We were brought here by my beloved cousin. Such a fun night. Typical brasserie décor, all brass and dark tones. Great crowd, too. We ended up chatting with the table next to us on whom we imposed to take our photo. I'm a bit confused as to why Yelp lists this as a breakfast and brunch place. We went for dinner and it was hopping. No trouble getting a banquette although we didn't have a reservation. Our group of four each found something to suit. The server was very helpful in accommodating my allergies. The remaining three guests went meat-heavy. My companion loves a good rib eye, and declared the rib eye béarnaise (£20) to be fantastic. I wanted something lighter, so I went with a plain salad. Loved the bread. Prices were reasonable within the context of it being London.

Lauren M.

Yelp
We headed here for a brunch with family who were in town to see a west end show. The location is great, really close to the theatres, Covent Garden etc. It's definitely more of a tourist place but the food was fairly good. The brunch entrees are all less than £10 so not too expensive for central London. Service was not great though, some drinks never arrived and it took a long time to bring extra milk etc. I think also the menu needs more description. I ordered the avocado toast which was covered in chilli flakes (not just a subtle amount, it was incredibly spicy). I love spicy food but it's not what I want at 11am so would have been nice to know ahead so I could have asked for it without. Overall, a good place to go for food before a show but I wouldn't go out of my way to come here.

Sam S.

Yelp
The start to the evening was average, we were given probably the worst table in the restaurant, hidden behind the bar, next to the service door and quite frankly away from everyone else. Asked to move upstairs to the actual restaurant, was told it was full despite seeing a handful of tables and was offered a table at the front, then magically a table upstairs was available and up we went. Service overall was decent, nothing special but still good. Food price were very reasonable and pretty big sizes for the price paid. No complaints for any of the food but the steak was a bit tough. This restaurant offers a good option for theatre goers but the well priced food and classic atmosphere allows for everyone to enjoy it!

Alex H.

Yelp
Excellent food, exceptional service, reasonably priced in a great location and decor.

Randy H.

Yelp
Great value! The menu is very reasonably priced, especially when you factor in the e decor and ambiance of this restaurant. We've eaten there twice after seeing plays and loved it both times. Really a fun place with good food and great service. The crabmeat ravioli and eggs Benedict are especially good. But, we've enjoyed everything we've had here.