Soho has a vibrant reputation. This eclectic slice of the capital, found between Marylebone and Piccadilly, boasts beautiful bars and restaurants as well as late-night drinking holes and eccentric clubs. The 1960s saw the area flourish, as creatives flocked to destinations like Carnaby Street to experience new cultures, exciting music and sample Soho’s rebellious identity, drawing in the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles and style icons Brigitte Bardot and Elizabeth Taylor. Fast forward 60 years and Soho’s reputation is largely the same: fun, vibrant and cool. And where better to sample this atmosphere than from the exclusivity of one of the best private members’ clubs in Soho? Catering for the neighbourhood’s still thriving creative community, these are the best boltholes you’ll find on Greek Street, Dean Street and beyond. 

The Quo Vadis Private Members Club

The Quo Vadis address has taken on many iterations in its time. 26-29 Dean Street formerly housed a notorious Soho brothel and was once a city bolthole for Karl Marx, who began writing Das Kapital in one of its storied rooms. In 1926, restaurateur Pepino Leoni established Quo Vadis on the site, quickly growing it to become one of the best restaurants in Soho and attracting its fair share of high society (as it still does today). So, with such a star-studded reputation, Leoni thought it only natural to add a private members’ club to the establishment. 

Featuring art by Julian Roberts, Elena Heatherwick and John Broadley, as well as plush velvet-green seating, marble tables and low lighting, Quo Vadis provides the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of one of London’s most eclectic boroughs. The second floor is for members only, boasting a Club Lounge and a Member’s Restaurant with a choice of three dining rooms – Leoni, Marx and Blue – all of which double as co-working spaces during the week. Waiters are on hand to serve tea, coffee or a carafe of wine as you while away the hours, or pick from a daily-changing menu offering a Pie of the Day, mackerel and pickled rhubarb, and cannelloni with three cheeses. Culture vultures can also take advantage of Quo Vadis’ extensive events programme, including live talks with the likes of Hugh Bonneville, personalised fitness classes, the cycle club and, of course, the quarterly parties. 

Address: 26-29 Dean Street, W1D 3LL

Membership: £600 per year, £300 for under-30s

Membership requirements: Applicants need to be nominated by existing members

Visit quovadissoho.co.uk

Soho House

Images: Soho House

Probably one of the most notable establishments in the capital – largely due to its enviably chic decor and never-ending list of sister establishments – Soho House is the private members’ club for millennials. When it first opened on Greek Street in 1995, founder Nick Jones wanted to do away with traditional, stuffy gentlemen’s clubs in order to create a space appealing to the creatives of Soho. It’s fair to say he hit the nail on the head, with the brand having since expanded to Shoreditch, White City, and Notting Hill, as well as further afield to Oxfordshire, Brighton, New York and Barcelona (to name a few). 

The Soho outpost was the first and, therefore, the most elegant. Modern decor meets historical flourishes inside the converted Georgian townhouse, with rooms boasting open fires, wood flooring and intricate architraves as well as leather banquettes, striking art and modern lighting. An all-day club menu is served from the House Kitchen, while the Red, Blue and Yellow Drawing Rooms have relaxed dining areas perfect for co-working or sampling the signature two-course high tea. The third floor is home to the Courtyard Bar, which has a large outdoor terrace with sliding glass doors that open up in warmer weather. Go upstairs again and you’ll find the Roof Deck hosting a rotation of food and drink pop-ups, showcasing the best culinary fare London has to offer.  

Address: 40 Greek Street, W1D 4EB

Membership: £2,500 per year, £1,150 for under-27s

Membership requirements: Applicants need nominations from two existing Soho House members, and must be deemed to be part of the creative industries 

Visit sohohouse.com

Century Club

Billed as London’s ‘best kept secret’, the Century Club first opened on Soho’s Shaftesbury Avenue in 2001 behind a concealed door in the West End. Taking its name from its 100-step staircase, the club is huge, boasting 20,000 sq ft of bars, restaurants and event spaces across three buildings that were once home to the flagship Ford car showroom, making it the largest private members’ club in London. Step inside to discover several opulent dining rooms (all available for private hire), a cocktail lounge, outer terrace with views across Soho and the rooftop terrace, the focal point of the building which hosts live music performances and serves flowing cocktails. 

The Century Club is hugely versatile, catering for members who are traditionally from theatrical, advertising and TV backgrounds but, in recent times, also from the media and tech sectors. The Broadwick room is perfect for meetings and presentations with its mood lighting and plasma screen, whereas the Green Room, basking in London’s natural light, is the ideal event space ready for weddings, business conferences and product launches, to name just a few. Fancy a bite to eat? Head to the Dining Room for Maldon rock oysters, braised lamb breast, char siu pork collar, and ricotta and courgette tortellini, where the chefs can also cater for meetings and events too. 

Address: 61-63 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 6LQ

Membership: £875 per year, £400 for under-35s

Membership requirements: Applicants must complete an application form and attend an informal meeting with the head of membership

Visit centuryclub.co.uk

Christabel’s

One of the newest private members’ clubs on the block, Christabel’s left its former Fitzrovia premises behind last summer to join the bright lights of Soho. Housed beneath the site of the historic Windmill Theatre, and inspired by the Moulin Rouge, Christabel’s is renowned for its evenings of avant garde entertainment and indulgence, live music and burlesque geared towards the most creative and eccentric of London’s social sets. Nights here are fuelled by a creative cocktail menu from celebrated mixologist Andy Mil, fine dining from Michelin-star chef Andy McLeish, and predictably include time spent in the lavish chesterfield-furnished Cigar Humidor smoking lounge equipped with a state-of-the-art air extraction system. 

If you want to be entertained all night long, this is the private members’ club for you. Bands and burlesque evenings are weekly occurrences thanks to a roster of new and established artists, such as Lady Fitz Von Titz and Miss Lucie Loo, alongside late-night DJs. Having featured acts as diverse as the Mystery Jets to Jammer BBK and hosted bands such as Dexy’s Midnight Runners and Iron Maiden, the club strives to offer something for every taste – and we’re sure you won’t be disappointed. 

Address: 17 Great Windmill Street, W1T 1DB

Membership: £500 per year, special rates available for artists and musicians

Membership requirements: Applicants must complete an application form

Visit christabels.uk

House of St Barnabas

The House of St Barnabas describes itself as ‘the club which never joined a club’, aiming to offer Soho’s vibrant community a space rooted in culture, art and music while also working as a registered charity to help the homeless. As London’s first and only charity members’ club, every penny from membership fees funnel into the on-site Employment Academy which offers people at risk of homelessness a holistic program of long-term support, helping them secure work, a stable home and a supportive network. Here, CV workshops and financial planning meetings are as important as tai chi and jewellery making, especially as those on low income backgrounds are seldom afforded the opportunity to take part in expensive cultural activities. 

Aside from its impressive charitable endeavours, the House of St Barnabas is a fun place to be. The likes of Adele, Banksy and Annie Mac have walked its halls and Charles Dickens first put pen to paper for A Tale of Two Cities in its garden. Inside the Grade-I listed building, discover an eclectic mix of decor and interiors; the Silk Room takes its name from its original 19th century wall coverings, while elsewhere you’ll find an array of artworks by Damien Hirst, Jean Michel Basquiat, Yinka Shonibare and Roy Lichtenstein. Food menus are derived from local and independent suppliers and feature ox cheek ragu pappardelle, heritage tomato panzanella salad and fish and chips, often served by those who have graduated from the charity’s Employment Academy. 

Address: 1 Greek Street, W1D 4NQ

Membership: £870 per year, £390 for under-35s plus a £350 joining fee for all members

Membership requirements: Applicants must complete an application form

Visit hosb.org.uk

Club 64

Privacy is at the core of Club 64, one of Soho’s most exclusive private members’ clubs. Catering for the 21st-century socialite, membership is highly sought-after with only 300 applications accepted each year. Once you do get inside though, you’ll find a number of low-lit rooms in the underground, speakeasy-style bar, which is kitted out with black-out blinds and facial recognition door cameras to keep identities hidden. The roaring fire pits are at the club’s epicentre, where members socialise and sip cocktails in their glow. Mixologists are on hand to create whatever tipple takes your fancy, and ask you to describe your favourite flavours so they can create the exact drink of your dreams. 

Elsewhere in the maze that is Club 64 you’ll find the Private Vault, tucked away on the lower ground floor behind a secret corridor. Here, members can enjoy privacy away from the buzz of the main club while the area also serves as the perfect photo spot at events and parties. The vault is ever-changing in appearance thanks to a roster of award-winning set designers who transform it into their version of an ultimate creative hideaway. Also look out for the four Polaroid cameras around the club, available for members to document and share their in-club experiences on the members-only Instagram.  

Address: 14 Bateman Street, W1D 3AG

Membership: £380 per year

Membership requirements: Applicants must complete an application form, which are reviewed by committee members on a monthly basis

Visit club64.co.uk

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