Dinner and A Show: CAFE KITTY, Underbelly Boulevard

Underbelly Boulevard is the brand-new home for theatre, cabaret, variety and music in the heart of Soho. As a integral part of the venue, Cafe Kitty has opened as an excellent 100-cover restaurant, with a beautiful bar attached.

Underbelly have scored a bit of a coup with this partnership. Part of the Kitty Fisher’s Group, the team behind the acclaimed Kitty Fisher’s in Mayfair and the fabulous Cora Pearl in Covent Garden, expectations are high for a similar level in quality food and service.

Located on the first floor of the all-new Underbelly Boulevard on Walker’s Court (which, apparently used to be a brothel), the space is cosy, yet glamorous. Plaster pink walls with recessed mirrors, lots of candlelight and muted lighting creates a comfortable area that still feels a bit special. Quality linen napkins, marble table tops, velvet banquettes and Art Deco-style glassware feel suitably luxurious and just naughty enough for this part of Soho.

Food offers something for everyone with a menu of plates to be shared, or not. Steak tartare with shoestring fries and pecorino is generous and perfectly seasoned; crab cakes (a more disappointing four tiny mouthfuls for £14) come with a kohlrabi tartare sauce. The Cafe Kitty club sandwich is a thing of beauty and also comes with those excellent showstring fries.

Potatoes appear to be a speciality of the kitchen; the rather staid-sounding crispy potatoes are what potato dreams are made of. Layers of thinly-sliced, pressed potato, experly seasoned with salt and thyme and fried; crispy to the bite, then yielding to a melting texture. If you've had the legendary Quality Chop House confit potatoes-these edge ahead.

Sweet things include a deconstructed pear and gingerbread cheescake mousse, which really is as good as it sounds, and a richly decadent chocolate brownie.

Sundays are more mellow, offering a soothing jazz soundtrack, the papers and a really cracking Sunday roast menu, complete with those potatoes!

A new cocktail bar stands alongside the restaurant, with an innovative and thoughtful drinks menu, particularly the wicked gin-based Bad Kitty cocktail. Prices are very reasonable too, especially for the heart of Soho. It's lovely to see a bar that hasn't been squeezed into a venue as an afterthought, although the space might get a bit tight when the hoards descend during show intervals.

Service is super-relaxed, friendly and very attentive, with staff knowing when to chat and when to just serve, which remains an underated skill in hospitality.

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner whether you're going to a show or not, but you can get exclusive pre and post show menus if you are coming to see a show, starting at just £28 for two courses.

In an area of town bursting with places to eat, Cafe Kitty more than holds its own and is a great addition to Underbelly Boulevard. 

Underbelly Boulevard is currently hosting Bernie Dieter's Club Kabarett and comedy show BATSU.

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Cafe Kitty

Lunch
Tuesday to Saturday 12:00 - 15:00
Sunday 12:00 - 17:00

Dinner
Tuesday to Saturday 17:30 - 22:00

Set Menu

Pre Theatre 5-6.30 pm Post Theatre 9.30-10pm

Two courses for £28 or three for £32

For more information on Cafe Kitty, click here.

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