Bancone’s Insider Guide to Covent Garden
Henrietta Hotel
AIRE ancient baths
Explore Covent Garden away from the hustle and bustle of the traditional tourist spots this month with our Insider Guide to must-visit locations. Read on for an enticing day out of what do in Covent Garden.
BREAKFAST
A heart-warming and wholesome café situated in Neal’s Yard, 26 Grains prides itself on using seasonal, locally grown, organic produce. Mostly known for their delicious porridge with creative toppings changing seasonally from quince & pecan in the winter to rhubarb compote & blood orange with almond brittle in the spring. If porridge is not for you, the breakfast menu extends to indulgent dishes like espresso brioche toast with coffee caramel & mascarpone cream and savoury options like wild garlic, basil & mushroom toastie w/ Neals Yard Dairy cheese. There’s something for everyone in this cosy home away from home café.
St JOHN BAKERY - @St.John.Restaurant
And while you’re there, it is an absolute MUST to visit the neighbours. St JOHN Bakery is just a stone’s throw away to get your heads on their world famous, cult favourite doughnuts. Fully cloud-like pillows filled with classics either raspberry jam, chocolate and vanilla custard. That’s all. Go try it.
SHOP
GOOD - VINTAGE CLOTHING SHOP @GoodShopLondon
An up and coming vintage clothing store spilling with a curated collection of preloved vintage designer and high street collections. Shop for a statement piece that you can (almost) guarantee won’t be on anyone else’s shoulders on the next night out. Head to their IG to see latest events including shop with a personal stylist, up-cycling workshops and style inspiration
GOLDSBORO - BOOK STORE - @GoldsboroBooks
A charming independent bookstore specialising in signed first editions filled with literary treasures in a small side street of Covent Garden. Their aim is to interest and inspire book lovers, readers and collectors and provide the finest quality signed books in the world. Spend an hour browsing the shelves and take home a precious collectable.
NEAL’S YARD DAIRY - @NealsYardDairy
Neal’s Yard Dairy are the champions of farmhouse cheesemakers. They work with about 40 cheesemakers and visit them regularly for tastings to select the batches they want to mature and sell at the shop. They encourage you to have a taste before you buy too and allow their expert cheesemongers to share their knowledge with you (depending on how busy they are of course!) to help you decide what to take home before they hand-cut and wrap up your purchase. A personalised encounter every time that’s more than just a service but an experience.
RELAX
AIRE ANCIENT BATHS - @AireAncientBaths_uk
Just a 4-minute walk from Bancone Covent Garden, our newest neighbour is a breath taking luxury spa. AIRE ancient baths is a magical oasis of relaxation, with spectacular tall rustic archways, lit by flickering candlelight tucked away in the streets of London. The spa is inspired by traditional Roman baths featuring 7 different thermal baths ranging from 40c all the way to 10c cold therapy plunge pools, a steam room, a range of bespoke treatments including a full body massage with basalt stones followed by a glass of Cava & truffles. We can’t imagine anything more relaxing than this.
EAT
BANCONE COVENT GARDEN - @Bancone.Pasta
A vibrant and relaxed atmosphere to enjoy a Michelin Bib Gourmand standard bowl of fresh handmade pasta along side a glass of wine or cocktail depending on the mood. Enjoy a plate of our signature Smoked potato raviolo, St. Ewe’s and generous shavings of truffle or a seasonal new addition such as our Mackerel, seaweed butter, paccheri. We save space for spontaneous walk-ins but these are subject to availability and we often experience queues so make sure to book online in advance to guarantee a table!
SLEEP
HENRIETTA HOTEL - @HenriettaHotel
A boutique hideaway in the heart of London featuring 40 unique bedrooms with intriguing design features described as playful and highly unusual with statement headboards, bold block colour feature walls and velvet chairs in hues of pink, blues and green depending on which room you discover.
The hotel is owned by the Paris-based Experimental Group known for their speakeasy cocktail bars, restaurants and hotels in Paris, New York, Ibiza and London so it’s no surprise the hotel mini bar is particularly impressive, equipped with a cocktail recipe book by the bed—should you feel creative to end the night with a nightcap.
We hope you enjoy exploring Covent Garden as an insider and look forward to seeing you in for some delicious pasta soon.
