Place of the week: Soho Joe

Soho Joe is the product of a husband and wife team who both have more than twenty years experience in the catering industry. Open from early morning until late at night, Soho Joe is an exciting new venture situated in the heart of Soho, serving a range of food and drinks at extremely affordable prices.

Wandering around the West End, I stumbled upon Soho Joe. For an Italian-style trattoria, it was the perfect balance between tradition and contemporary design. As you walk in, there is a mouth-watering food counter on the side and a number of stylish wooden tables with (surprisingly) comfortable stools.

You order and pay at the counter and soon enough a lovely plate of food is put in front of you. I had chosen an Aberdeen Angus beef burger with chips and I had not an ounce of regret, it was simply divine. Held by two slices of ciabatta bread and some salad, the steak was seasoned with a mix of pepper and spices and cooked beautifully. The chips were perfect: crispy on the outside, fluffy and soft inside. To drink, the French Merlot was very nice.

The atmosphere of the place really added to its charm. Throughout the evening, the restaurant was quite busy, people were happy and loud but you could always have a conversation without much difficulty. The customers were lively and even provided a certain entertainment factor, one of them was recognised by a waitress from being on the cover of a men’s fitness magazine. With Charles Trenet’s ‘La Mer’, ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’, some Stephane Pompougnac and the odd piece of gangster music in the background, it was an interesting and pleasant mix.

Budget-wise, the restaurant was more than reasonable, even quite cheap for the quality of the food. The burger was £7, as are all the pizzas on the menu (they looked and smelt fantastic). The wine was £4 a glass, but there were cheaper drinks available. Overall, you could easily eat for a tenner; push it to £15–£20 and you could also enjoy a great starter of antipasti or houmous. There are also pasta dishes and hot sandwiches. Soho Joe offers a good priced and delicious meal in a friendly atmosphere – good for groups, too.

Soho Joe 22-25 Dean Street London W1D 3RY www.sohojoe.net