Table of Contents
1 What makes this tiny street a foodies’ paradise
The best way to describe this tiny street off of the hustle and bustle of London’s Regent Street is quite simply as a foodies’ paradise. I must say from the outset that I love Heddon Street. It is a culinary oasis tucked away from the crowds of shoppers who march up and down Regent Street. If you are intrigued to find out more here is our Restaurant Guide to Heddon Street.
The first time I visited Heddon Street, I was eating at the Heddon Street Kitchen. I could not believe I was transported simply by entering the street to a world that reminded me of being in the Mediterreanan. Everywhere you looked were people enjoying a relaxed stroll walking between the restaurants and bars.
Since then, I have been a frequent visitor, and I’m pleased to say that Heddon Street is returning to its former self after COVID forced a couple of restaurants to close. With new restaurants open and culinary options that take you around Europe and beyond, this is a great place to visit if you are a local or visitor to London.
I’m going to give you a walk-through of this tiny street. Be warned: It will not do much for your step count (Google Maps has it as a minute’s walk from one end to the other) and might increase your waistline, but it will be well worth it.
A claim to fame and a recurring theme in Heddon Street is singer Dave Bowie. He was photographed at 23 Heddon Street in 1972 for his iconic Ziggy Stardust album; a blue plaque near Piccolino marks the spot.
Because Heddon Street has two entrances, both on Regent Street, it depends on where you enter, but just for reference, I’m starting at the Piccadilly end entrance.
As you walk into Heddon Street, you come to our first restaurant, which occupies a large frontage on the left-hand side and is appropriately named.
2 Heddon Street Kitchen
3-9 Heddon Street
Gordon Ramsay’s European informal brasserie. As you can imagine, this restaurant can draw a crowd, so booking is essential. The cuisine is what commonly labelled Modern European, roughly translated to a bit of everything, and a term often used when we can’t pigeonhole it. The signature dish is the Beef Wellington, served for two people at a raid the piggy bank price of £120.00.
I have to put behind me the slight irritation that Mr Ramsay’s press office never responds to my emails and say I like this restaurant; it has a great atmosphere, and the food is consistently good.
Heddon Street Kitchin is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
3 Ziggy Green
4 Heddon Street
On the right-hand side, occupying the corner plot, is the first of our Bowie-named restaurants. Part chic Cafe and part restaurant, Ziggy Green caters for you whatever time Heddon Street has a breakfast/brunch menu, lunch, and dinner. Australian chef Chris Lyons does add an Aussie twist to the menu but also pays homage to David Bowie with a luxurious shepherd pie, which was David Bowies favourite. David Bowie was a frequent visitor to Langans in the 70s, and Shepherds Pie was a house favourite there, so this might be more than just an urban myth.
Ziggy Green boasts an interesting cocktail menu with several named after the late Mr Bowie.
4 The Starman Pub
15 Heddon Street
The website describes The Starman as a high volume Bar & Restaurant showcasing upmarket British pub classics. I call it a Pub, by the way; this is meant as a compliment as The Starman is a good pub and should be proud to be a pub.
The front has a large bar and dining or drinking areas for groups. It is a busy pub, but don’t be put off as it is large enough to hold a crowd.
The food menu serves a range of pub classics.
Obviously, it is named with a nod to a Bowie classic, and fans will be pleased to see artwork representing David Bowie. Well worth a visit for a pre-dinner drink or fun night out.
5 Heddon Yokocho
8 Heddon Street
Almost opposite the Starman is Heddon Yokocho, which serves Japanese ramen bowls. This is a fun restaurant with reasonably priced Japanese/Asian favourites alongside the Ramen menu. Plenty to offer if you are looking for the flavours of Asia
I must mention the noodles and bowl feature outside the restaurant, which can’t help but make you smile.
6 Piccolino
21 Heddon Street
Piccolino sits proudly in the middle of Heddon Street, another restaurant with a large outdoor dining area. Inside, the decor is opulent but welcoming.
This cuisine is all about the flavours of Italy and will not disappoint. You can see my full review of Piccolino here, but suffice to say it is a large restaurant with a warm, welcoming heart and worth a visit.
Piccolino has a large private dining area downstairs.
7 Fonda
A new addition to Heddon Street. Fonda is a contemporary Mexican by Santiago Lastra. Santiago is the Chef-Patron of KOL, which is ranked number 23 among the world’s best restaurants.
It could be described as KOL’s slightly more casual sister restaurant.
Fonda showcases regional Mexican cooking through Santiago’s unique lens, presented in an elegant, vibrant style, complemented by contemporary design.
In Mexico, a Fonda is a family-owned eatery serving traditional dishes in an informal setting, each inspired by personal recipes from the generations that came before. Santiago Lastra’s Fonda builds on this concept to showcase recipes from across the country, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Coast, focusing on the beloved classics that he seeks out on visits home. Though seemingly simple, Fonda’s dishes will draw on the quality and provenance of ingredients, combined with innovative techniques to elicit the flavours of Mexico in a modern way.
8 Ambassadors Clubhouse
Another newbie to Heddon Street, Ambassadors Clubhouse is a restaurant and bar celebrating food, drink, music, and culture from the Punjab region. As it’s that new, I have not been to eat there yet, but from the outside, the large frontage looks impressive, and I’m told the decor inside is stunning. I will update soon with a more detailed overview of what to expect.
9 Casa do Frango
31-32 Heddon Street
A large restaurant in the top corner of Heddon Street serves Southern Portuguese cuisine. It specialises in one of my favourites Piri-Piri chicken and other Portuguese specialities including Casa rice, the house’s signature dish which is Portuguese Carolino rice, chorizo, crispy chicken skin and plantain
The reasonably priced food menu allows for some money to treat yourself to a drink or two.
Casa Do Frango has outside dining options, in keeping with most restaurants on Heddon Street.
10 Sabor
35-37 Heddon Street
Sabor is the final restaurant mentioned on Heddon Street. It is co-owned by Chef Nieves Barragan and Jose Etua. Sabor was awarded a Michelin star in 2018, and it is not hard to see why. Even though they have won this accolade, they still rather pleasingly accept walk-ins only for the downstairs counter and bar area. The upstairs El Asador area can be booked.
The separate areas add to Sabor’s vibrant and buzzy atmosphere. The menu provides a taste of every region of Spain, and with Chef Nieves orchestrating the kitchen, the food is very special. As you can probably tell, I’m somewhat of a fan.
Well, that’s a quick guide to Heddon Street, and I really hope you can find time to visit. It’s worth pointing out that you will find a restaurant that suits you and your budget.
