Seven Dials: London’s Hidden Village

By Jacqueline Swartz

Overshadowed by nearby Covent Garden and the theatre district, Seven Dials never became a tourist destination. Yet the seven cobblestone streets radiating out from a central square with a sundial has been a colorful neighborhood since the l7th century, when Thomas Neale designed the area to attract wealthy London gentry.

Then the story goes downhill, for the area deteriorated into a slum known for its gin shops. At one point, each of the seven apexes facing the central square housed a pub. Today, only The Crown remains.

Rundown or not, the neighborhood has always fascinated. As Charles Dickens wrote in Sketches by Boz, ÒThe stranger who finds himself in the Dials for the first time at the entrance of Seven obscure passages, uncertain which to take, will see enough around him to keep his curiosity awake for no inconsiderable timeÓ.

Today, the quirky neighborhood of shops and cool restaurants feels like a discovery. Now that Seven Dials has evolved from its recent hippy past, it is charmingly restored but not hyper gentrified. One of the sweetest corners is the historic Neal’s Yard, a kind of backyard that is home to vegetarian cafes, bars and Neal’s Yard itself, the homeopathic remedy store. Across the yard is Neal’s Yard Dairy, where you can discover British cheese. Take advantage of the outdoor seating, or go to the Walk in Back Rub. Since the l7th century, the tucked away area has been the home of alternative medicine, occultism and astrologers, who were attracted by the sundial and the symbolic star layout of the streets.

Earlham Street has long been known for its outdoor market; the flower stall has the color and scent of spring. Firetrap offers two floors of London-style fashion for men and women, and Fred Perry also has a store there.

For a break, Kitchen Italia serves great cappuccino and tasty, inexpensive pasta. And if you want to check your email, there are three computers.

Monmouth Street attracts people to Coco de Mer, a store selling upscale erotica and one-of-a-kind vintage clothing. Down the street, the artisanal perfumerie, Miller Harris, creates its own scents. One, made for the legendary 60-plus songstress, Jane Birkin, is sold to the public.

Where to stay? The Covent Garden Hotel, visited by the likes of Kate Hudson and Keifer Sutherland, is a low-rise hotel in traditional English style, with a flower-bedecked lobby and an inviting wood paneled library. And of course high tea is served.

www.sevendials.co.uk