How to spend a day in Bloomsbury

Independent venue Victoria House Coffee & Food is a top pick for breakfast or brunch. It's a compact but comfortable spot with large windows. Classic English cooking and top quality coffee is the focus here. Begin your day with a fry-up, omelettes with assorted fillings, or eggs or avocado on toast. You can pair your food with fresh juice or coffee.

Enter a Parisian café at Café Le Cordon Bleu. Run by the famous culinary institute, it's a chic spot with deep blue walls and a cool retro style. For breakfast you can indulge in a fresh breakfast baguette or go for something lighter like porridge. Food is prepared using classic French techniques and fresh seasonal ingredients. You can also buy artisanal bread here to eat at home.

By day you head to Burr. & Co for coffee and vibrant cooking whilst in the evening this contemporary venue turns into a smart cocktail bar. On Saturdays there's a lively brunch with DJs. Food and drinks are available here, including classic breakfast dishes like pancakes, porridge, and a full English breakfast. There's also speedy wifi and plenty of plug sockets.

You can get loads of shopping done at The Brunswick Centre, a modern shopping mall moments from Russell Square station. Housed in an eye-catching Grade II listed building, there are heaps of stores housed around attractive courtyards. There's also a cinema dedicated to documentaries, an art gallery, and plenty of dining options.

Fans of the sitcom Black Books will recognise Collinge & Clark as the bookshop the show was filmed in. The real store is a bit friendlier than the fictional one and specialises in rare and secondhand books. You'll also find books about books, artists' books, and a focus on design and typography. Special events sometimes take place in-store as well.

Founded in 1979, Gay's the Word is a bookshop and hub for London's LGBTQ+ community. It's the oldest LGBTQ+ bookshop in the country, stocking a wide range of books ranging from graphic novels to educational literature. The store is also host to a variety of discussion groups and meetings.

Food is served all day at Riding House Bloomsbury. This bright and modern eatery is full of greenery and has outdoor tables too. The restaurant serves large plates like seafood curry but also does lunch-friendly skewers that you can pair with a bowl meal or sides like hash browns or mac and cheese.

Try out regional Chinese food at Master Wei Xi'an. At this relaxed and simple restaurant you can sample street food from the Xi'an province – noodles are a big feature and there are hot and cold dishes here. Signature cocktails and mocktails are served to complete a meal here.

Get an affordable Neapolitan-style pizza at Franco Manca's Russell Square location. The restaurant has weathered brick walls, tiled floors, and a laid-back vibe. Sourdough pizzas are available with a choice of seasonal toppings. Meals for kids are served here as well. The pizza dough is made on-site and fermented for 24 hours.

The world-famous British Museum is based in an imposing building and was the first national museum open to the public in the world. Artefacts here span the whole course of human history with about eight million items in the collection. Highlights include the Rosetta Stone and mummies from Egypt.

There are lots of activities to enjoy at Bloomsbury Lanes. This lively venue has a vibrant look. Go bowling or hire one of five lavish karaoke rooms with 30,000 songs to choose from. There's also an on-site diner serving things like burgers, pizza, and cocktails. The venue is open til late and has regular DJ sets.

Russell Square was designed and built in 1806 but it has undergone some renovations since then. Today it has a café, central plaza, and a water feature, plus plenty of places to sit and soak up the peaceful atmosphere. This spacious garden square has lots of room for walking around and admiring the flowers and greenery.

Fitz's is a unique place for a drink, blending the old and new. A glitter ball sits alongside stained glass windows in this one-of-a-kind venue. Live music is often on too. The bar offers a wide choice of wine, champagne, and spirits, as well as unique and carefully-crafted cocktails designed to be a multi-sensory experience.

Work up an appetite with drinks and darts at Flight Club. Semi-private playing areas are equipped with high-tech darts boards and are the perfect backdrop for getting competitive. The interior is smart but cosy with a unique carousel bar. You'll find a huge choice of original cocktails as well as beers and wines. Food is available too. 

Elegant bar The Coral Room is smart and opulent, decorated with rich colours and vibrant artwork. Themed cocktails, for example focusing on Irish flavours, are served and the bar has one of the largest ranges of English sparkling wines that you'll find anywhere, as well as vintages from around the world.

Café Deco is run by esteemed chef Anna Tobias, who has stints at Rochelle Canteen and P.Franco to her name. It's a restaurant, bar, and wine store with a homey look and distinctive tiled floor. The menu focuses on simple British cooking with plenty of wine choices to go with it, including wines by the glass.

Bloomsbury Street Kitchen brings two distinctive cuisines to one unique menu. Japanese and Mediterranean dishes are on offer here, served in a sleek space with rustic touches, lots of plants, and light furnishings. Choose from à la carte or set menus with choices like pasta and robata-grilled dishes. Private dining is available here.

Open since 1983, Ciao Bella brings classic Italian dining to Bloomsbury. The space is simple with lots of framed pictures on the walls. Try antipasti followed by a pizza or work your way through the traditional Italian courses here. There's also an extensive wine list, with plenty of Italian bottles as well as wines from other regions.

Head to The Bloomsbury Club to experience the area's bohemian vibes for yourself. This moody and intimate venue is decorated with trailing vines and string lights. Cocktails are inspired by tarot cards – choose one based on your mood or let the Cocktail Diviner decide. Live music is on regularly here.

Have a laugh at the Museum of Comedy. Not actually a museum, it's a comedy club located in a church crypt. There are regular performances from upcoming talent as well as more established names testing out new material. An extensive collection of comedy memorabilia is also held here that'll interest any comedy fan.

First opened in 1968, Bloomsbury Theatre & Studio is part of University College London. A wide variety of performances are on here including talks, theatre, music, dance, and comedy. Acts that have performed here include Ricky Gervais, Adele, Stomp, and Gregory Porter. There are two bars on-site and some relaxed performances are laid on as well.