Public transport
There’s great public transport in Fitzrovia, with easy access to most Tube lines and Euston mainline station, which is on the Victoria line and the Northern line.
If you need the Central line, head to Oxford Street.
There aren’t many bus routes in central London that don’t pass through Fitzrovia, with 19 routes serving Tottenham Court Road/Gower Street (one way north and south) and Oxford Street. Here are a few of the main ones:
Bus No. | Final Destinations |
10 | King’s Cross – Hammersmith |
14 | Warren Street – Putney |
19 | Battersea Bridge – Finsbury Park |
24 | Hampstead Heath – Pimlico |
29 | Wood Green – Trafalgar Square |
73 | Victoria – Seven Sisters |
98 | Willesden – Holborn |
390 | Notting Hill Gate – Archway |
Shopping in Fitzrovia
Put simply, if you can’t find it here, you’re probably not going to. Oxford Street is London’s best-loved shopping street, and Tottenham Court Road is the place to go for electrical goods and furniture, and it also has a good crop of supermarkets.
Tottenham Court Road
The pick of London’s independent electrical stores – you’ll find everything here from PCs and laptops to cameras and mobile phones. It’s also the place to go for furniture and homeware.
Oxford Street
This is London’s biggest and best shopping street, though there are fewer of the big names at this end.
Habitat and Heal’s
Two of the UK’s favourite furniture store chains share a grand building on Tottenham Court Road.
Flagship stores
PC World, Paperchase and Primark are just a few of the big names that have flagship stores here.
Supermarkets
There are two Sainsbury’s Local stores on Tottenham Court Road, and there’s a Tesco Metro on Goodge Street.
Food and drink
You’ll never go hungry or thirsty in Fitzrovia. From strip joint Spearmint Rhino to university hangout The Jeremy Bentham, and chain eatery Garfunkels to Charlotte Street’s one-off gems, there the full spectrum of bars and restaurants.
The Fitzroy Tavern
A quality pub, from which the area takes its name, the Fitzroy serves good grub and offers a wide selection of real ales and wheat beers. Illustrious patrons include Dylan Thomas and George Orwell.
Charlotte Street
This street is devoted to all things culinary. Pick from Indian (Palms of Goa), Mexican (La Perla), Thai (Thai Metro), Japanese (Roka), fish (Pescatori) and many more.
Tottenham Court Road
There are coffee shops galore on Tottenham Court Road, and a sprinkling of chain restaurants in the surrounding side streets including Hamburger Union, Nando’s and Zizzi. Gigs Fish & Kebab House on Tottenham Street does superb fish and chips.
Fitzrovia Summary
So, to summarise. The public transport, local pubs and bars and shopping are excellent – and the area is typically known to be safe, but don’t wander around by yourself late at night, especially after chucking-out time. This is a great place to live if you don’t have a car, you’re not bothered by a lack of green space, and you’re happy to live with the constant hum of the city.
Predictably, renting here isn’t cheap; studio flats start at around £1,500 per month, and if you’re looking at getting a one bedroom place, you could be looking at paying around £2,000 per month. Ouch!
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