Strong Coffee and Famous Faces: Inside Bar Italia, Soho
Bar Italia, Soho: Coffee, Paninis and a Bit of Television History
Bar Italia has been serving strong coffee on Frith Street since 1949. Tucked between neon lights and late-night venues, it remains one of Soho’s most enduring independent cafés.
Opened by Lou and Caterina Polledri, Bar Italia became a regular haunt for working-class Londoners, musicians, artists and night workers. It's still going, still busy, and still very much a part of Soho life. The food’s simple—fresh paninis, pastries, espresso done properly—and the atmosphere hasn’t changed much in decades.
Famous Faces and Blue Plaques
You might recognise a few past regulars—David Bowie, Suggs from Madness, and others who preferred it to the usual West End options. Above the café, a blue plaque marks the spot where John Logie Baird gave the world’s first public demonstration of a working television in 1926. A small detail, but a good one.
I’ve illustrated Bar Italia as part of my London print collection—available in my shop alongside other local landmarks. If you know someone who prefers their coffee with character, it makes a decent gift!
Explore all my London art prints here.
