London Fashion Week descends upon us once more, taking over the city with designer presentations, runway extravaganzas and chic soirées. But when the packed schedule permits it, finding a moment of solitude is essential.
In this fashionable frenzy, we turned to London’s fashion writing community for their insight into the secret sanctuaries across the city—where creativity flows as freely as the coffee. We unveil the hidden gems, where copy deadlines are met, overcrowded inboxes are conquered, and moments of tranquillity in the chaos are savoured.
Alice Cary, commerce writer, British Vogue
Bar Bruno, Wardour Street
Although I’ve worked near Soho for several years, I only visited the storied spot Bar Bruno for the first time last year. Grab a booth, a sandwich and a tea — you won’t be disappointed. It also opens early and closes late so is the ideal spot for out-of-hours catch-up.
101 Wardour St, London W1F 0UG | Open 4 am–9 pm Monday-Thursday, 4 am–10 pm Friday-Saturday and 5 am–5 pm on Sunday.
Blank Street, Location Across London
Blank Street is ideal for a matcha (regular or blueberry twist, depending on my mood), plus a pastry. Forgive the cliché addition but it’s delicious.
Multiple locations | Open 6:30 am–8 pm most days depending on location
Any Green Space
There have been too many seasons when I’ve got to 9 pm and realised I’ve barely been outside all day, save for short walks from cars to show spaces. Nowadays, I always like to make a pit-stop in a patch of grass — Soho Square, Golden Square — when I can.
Rebecca Jane Hill, fashion editor, Drapers
Good News, Berwick Street
I love this newsagent at the best of times, but it’s always great to pop in around London Fashion Week for inspiration. After the closure of Wardour News, it’s the next best thing for a print magazine fix, including a whole host of indie and global titles. They were also a loyal stockist of my former magazine, Sister!
23 Berwick St, London W1F 8RB | Open 7 am–7 pm Monday to Friday, 10 am–7 pm on Saturday and 12–5 pm on Sunday }
Creme, D’Arblay Street
My perfect spot for an afternoon sugar and caffeine pick-me-up because they do vegan cookies! They also do non-vegan ones, but all are the size of your head and the rose-pink, gold-embossed packaging is chic enough that you won’t mind carrying around a stash for later on. The coffee is also great, and they even have merch if you really want to represent.
4 D'Arblay St, London W1F 8DJ | Open 10 am–9 pm everyday
Hoxton Hotel, High Holborn
A very obvious choice, but I have always loved working in the lobby of the Hoxton. If you can secure a table, it’s the perfect place to perch up and bash out some copy, before whizzing out to the next show. If you can sneak in a cocktail whilst doing so, even better.
199-206 High Holborn, London WC1V 7BD
Sara Semic, Junior Fashion Features Editor, HTSI
Kiln, Soho
My friend is a chef here so I’m a little biased but I think it's one of the best places to have dinner in Soho. It's the sister restaurant of Smoking Goat in Shoreditch (which is fantastic too) and they play really fun music and serve tasty Thai-inspired sharing plates that are all cooked over fire – my go-to's are the clay pot-baked glass noodles with crab meat and the chicken liver curry. There are tables downstairs but I would recommend getting a seat at the counter, so you can watch the action.
58 Brewer St, London W1F 9TL | Open 12–3 pm, 5–11 pm Monday-Thursday, 12–11 pm Friday-Saturday and 12–9 pm on Sunday
Barbican Kitchen
If I’m stuck for a place to meet friends or need a spot to write in for a couple of hours, I always end up here. It’s the ground-floor restaurant of the Barbican Centre and it's great for working in as it's bright and airy and you can always find a table. They serve pretty much everything: coffee, wine, soups, salads, sandwiches and decent wood-fired pizzas too, and crucially, it’s open till 8 pm every day!
Barbican Centre, Barbican Kitchen, Silk St, London EC2Y 8DS | Open 10 am–8 pm everyday
Liberty, Carnaby
If I need to kill some time in central London – or am desperate for the loo – I often end up in Liberty. It's just a beautiful Tudor building and has lots of great brands you can't find elsewhere like Paloma Wool. Spritz on all the perfumes if you need to freshen up in between the shows or head up to Arthur's Café on the 2nd floor for a bite to eat.
Little Marlborough St, London W1B 5AH | Open 10 am–6 pm Monday to Saturday and 12–5 pm on Sunday
Augustine, fashion and culture writer, TANK and Because Magazine
Toklas Cafe and Bakery, Surrey Street
If you find yourself in between shows in the West End, Toklas Cafe and Bakery is a snug spot tucked away from the hustle and bustle with great coffee, homemade pastries and pizza by the slice. If you like the sound of working to the sweet smell of freshly baked goods then this is the place for you. Neighbouring 180 Studios, the former home of London Fashion Week, Toklas is a fine reason to return to this central London location.
9 Surrey St, Temple, London WC2R 2ND | Open 8 am–8 pm on Tuesday to Thursday, 8 am–4 pm on Friday and 10 am–4 pm on Saturday
Wallace Collection Courtyard Café
After a stately escape? With its towering millennial pink walls and a gleaming glass roof, the Courtyard café is possibly the chicest destination to open up your laptop. An oasis of light in Wallace Collection’s grand displays of fine art and antiquities, go for the vast collection of 18th-century French paintings and stay for carrot cake and a pot of tea. It also happens to be a mere 6-minute walk from the British Fashion Council’s NewGen show space.
Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN | Open 10am–4pm everyday