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Number 15 of 20 in London

The Ivy

Abel Giandolini opened an Italian café in West Street in 1917. The actors from the theatres across the road adopted it, and for a century a table here has been a sign of having arrived on the London stage.

What it is
Theatre restaurant
Opened
1917
Area
Covent Garden
Nearest museum
The National Gallery, 450 m

London this week

    What The Ivy is known for

    1. The name

      The story is that Giandolini apologised to the actress Alice Delysia for the building work, and she answered with a line from a song of the day: we will cling together like the ivy.

    2. The room

      Oak panelling, green leather, a bar in the middle and windows of coloured glass in a harlequin pattern that let nobody see in from the street.

    3. The first nights

      Noël Coward, Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh were regulars. Casts still come in after the curtain, which is why it serves late.

    What to know

    • Open in West Street since 1917
    • Opposite the Ambassadors and St Martin's theatres
    • The original of the many restaurants that now carry its name

    Where The Ivy is

    Address

    1-5 West Street
    London WC2H 9NQ, United Kingdom

    Nearest station

    Leicester Square (Northern, Piccadilly) or Covent Garden (Piccadilly)

    Museums and sights nearby

    Distances are in a straight line from the restaurant.

    The actors' canteen

    Giandolini and his head waiter, Mario Gallati, built the café into the smartest restaurant in theatreland between the wars. Gallati left in 1947 to found Le Caprice.

    After a long decline it was bought, restored and reopened in 1990, with new works by British artists on the walls. It gave its name to a chain, but this is the house itself.

    The Ivy: common questions

    Where is The Ivy?
    At 1-5 West Street, in Covent Garden, London. The nearest station is Leicester Square (Northern, Piccadilly) or Covent Garden (Piccadilly).
    Which museums and sights are near The Ivy?
    The National Gallery is 450 m away, The British Museum is 750 m away, London Eye is 1.2 km away. Distances are in a straight line from the restaurant.
    What is The Ivy known for?
    The name, The room, The first nights. The restaurant of the West End's actors since 1917, behind diamond panes of stained glass opposite the theatre where The Mousetrap plays. Five minutes from Covent Garden and Leicester Square.
    When did The Ivy open?
    In 1917. Open in West Street since 1917.

    What visitors say about The Ivy

    Rating from Google

    4.4

    5,444 ratings on Google

    Google's figures as read on 8 October 2026.

    Read every review on Google

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    Where to eat near The Ivy

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