Greek Street doesn’t actually have much to do with Greece. The name comes from the Greek church that used to stand here in the 1600s, but these days, the street’s identity is shaped by something entirely different: food, drink, and the kind of chaotic energy that makes Soho what it is.
Walk down Greek Street on any given evening and you’ll pass French bistros, Italian trattorias, cocktail bars tucked into basements, and the occasional spot that’s been serving the same thing for decades without fuss. It’s one of those streets where every doorway seems to lead somewhere interesting.
Why Greek Street Became a Food Destination
Soho’s always been about excess, creativity, and a certain disregard for convention. Greek Street captures all of that. It runs straight through the heart of the neighbourhood, connecting Soho Square to Shaftesbury Avenue, which means it catches everyone: office workers, theatre crowds, students, tourists, and locals who’ve lived here for years.
The street’s narrow, the buildings are old, and there’s barely any natural light, but somehow that adds to the appeal. It feels intimate in a way that Oxford Street never could.
What You’ll Find on Greek Street Today
The restaurant scene here leans heavily European. You’ve got your high-end spots where reservations are essential and mains cost £30, but you’ve also got places like ICCO Pizza, which has been here since 1999 and operates on a completely different philosophy: good food, fair prices, no pretension.
ICCO sits at 23-24 Greek Street, right in the thick of it. While neighbouring restaurants rotate through concepts and rebrand every few years, ICCO’s stayed consistent. Fresh dough made daily, pizzas from £6.50, and the same straightforward approach that worked 25 years ago.
The Mix of Old and New
What makes Greek Street interesting is the contrast. You’ll find restaurants that opened last month sitting next to establishments that have been trading since the 1950s. Some places serve £15 small plates, others do massive portions for under a tenner.
ICCO falls into the latter category. It’s unpretentious in the best possible way. You order at the counter, watch your pizza being made, and eat it fresh out of the oven. There’s no tablecloths, no complicated menus, and no trying to decode whether “jus” means gravy or something fancier.
The Pepperoni’s a bestseller for obvious reasons. The Vegan Veggie draws the plant-based crowd. And the Margherita remains undefeated as the simplest, most honest test of whether a pizza place knows what it’s doing.
Late-Night Greek Street
Once the sun goes down, Greek Street shifts gears. The office lunch crowd disappears, the theatre-goers come and go, and by 10 PM, it’s mostly people looking for drinks, food, or both.
This is where ICCO’s opening hours make sense. Staying open until 3 AM on weekends isn’t just a business decision, it’s practically a public service. When most kitchens have closed and your options narrow to kebab shops or nothing, having access to freshly made pizza changes the game entirely.
The Halal Factor
Greek Street’s restaurant scene is diverse, but finding halal options still isn’t straightforward. ICCO runs a fully halal menu, which quietly makes it one of the most inclusive spots on the street. It’s not something they shout about, but it matters to the people it matters to.
Who Greek Street Is Really For
Tourist guides will tell you Greek Street is charming and historic. Food bloggers will recommend the trendiest new opening. But the truth is, Greek Street works because it serves everyone.
Students come for affordable meals. Office workers grab lunch between meetings. Theatre crowds pop in before shows. Night owls stumble in at 2 AM looking for something hot and satisfying.
ICCO’s longevity on this street isn’t accidental. It survived because it understood early on that Soho doesn’t need another overpriced concept restaurant. It needs places that feed people well without the fuss.
Greek Street’s changed a lot since 1999. Rents have skyrocketed, shops have closed, new developments have reshaped entire blocks. But the street’s core identity, busy, diverse, unapologetically Soho, remains intact. And so does ICCO. Exploring Greek Street? Stop by ICCO Pizza at 23-24 Greek Street for fresh, affordable pizza in the heart of Soho. Find us here.
