Cafe Kitty

Café Kitty is the new restaurant from the Kitty Fisher’s Group, from which you may already know Kitty Fisher’s in Mayfair and Cora Pearl in Covent Garden. While both establishments are known for having atmosphere and personality – the kinds of places you might take a date – Café Kitty has a more casual feel due to its venue.

Located on the first floor of Underbelly Boulevard (the new theatre from Underbelly), it benefits from sitting right in the middle of Soho’s buzzing throng, but the building does feel a little corporate. While the pink walls and Parisian-style wall panels are very pretty, it's hard to ignore the venue’s glass structure and sleek feel, which looms just a few metres away.

However, once seated, with candles lit and friendly staff aplenty, it’s time to focus on the food and that really is a treat. Everything is for sharing, but unlike many small plates concepts, there’s still a two-course approach. To start with, three to four small plates between a table of two should be enough to whet the whistle and enjoy the breadth of flavours on offer. We enjoyed the pork belly-stuffed doughnuts which were absolutely delicious. The doughnuts were crafted with a sweet, east Asian-style dough, sitting somewhere between a dumpling and a doughnut. Lightly fried and sprinkled with sesame seeds, there’s a slight crunch which gives way to a pillow-y inside and a generous helping of succulent pork. Chef’s kiss.

For our main dish, we shared the homemade chicken and bacon pie which, again, delivered. The rustic, pie crust jaggedly hung over the edge of the pot (in a good way), which was a nice touch and for those who love proper comfort food, this elevated version will leave you satisfied. Inside, the combination of filling to pastry ratio was spot on, with said filling oozing with meaty juices and just the right amount of stodge.

Drinks wise, Café Kitty does a few really nice signatures such as the Orange Blossom Negroni. It’s similar to the original with a light, floral finish that takes the edge off for those who usually find this drink a bit heavy.

Located inside the Underbelly Boulevard Theatre, Café Kitty offers a modern British menu and a one-of-a-kind atmosphere for lunch and dinner in the heart of Soho. The name derives not from cat-loving cafés but from the controversial eighteenth-century courtesan Kitty Fisher, who is also the muse of the eponymous restaurant of the same group, Kitty Fisher’s in Mayfair. There is perhaps no better name than that of the defiant mistress Kitty to fit a venue dedicated to salacious award-winning cabarets in London’s historic red-light district.  

Furnished in burlesque fashion with dusty pink walls, velvet banquettes, and Art Deco fixtures, Café Kitty showcases old-world elegance that pays homage to the original Kitty Fisher’s restaurant. This 60-cover Soho restaurant expertly blends the luxury of theatre with the sordid past of the promiscuous district.

The artistry does not end there. Courtesy of head chef Charles Shaw and Cora Pearl’s Fabrizio Pusceddu, the Café Kitty menu is dramatic in itself. Inspired by British and modern European gastronomy, dishes include a ‘very Welsh’ rarebit; a crafty mushroom thermidor; and a skilfully choreographed pork chop supported by a celeriac choucroute and pickled walnuts. Deserts feature poached pears with gingerbread cheesecake and Bramley apple tarts. True to its purpose, Café Kitty offers both pre and post-theatre menus at reasonable prices. 

The signature Bad Kitty cocktail made popular at Kitty Fisher’s has made its way to Soho. A blend of sloe gin, lemon, and elderflower mixed over ice and topped with cava, it is a brilliantly balanced appetite stimulant. Or choose from their expertly curated wine list to pair with the menu. Cafe Kitty's relaxed hospitality and unmatched character act as a chorus to support an elevated modern British dining experience ideal for the public and theatre patrons alike.