Tibits Heddon Street Review 2026: The Swiss Pay-By-Weight Vegetarian Buffet That’s Central London’s Best Casual Vegan Meal

This Tibits Heddon Street Review by London Reviews is the most thorough independent assessment available of the Swiss-import “Food Boat” vegetarian and vegan buffet that has anchored the quietly-stylish Heddon Street since the late 2000s — a few steps off Regent Street, around the corner from Piccadilly Circus. We’ve drawn on TripAdvisor, Yelp, Time Out, About London Laura, Veggie Advisor, Cellophaneland, Emily Underworld, the restaurant’s official menus and direct reporting.

Last updated: 15 May 2026. London Reviews is editorially independent. Tibits did not pay for, sponsor or pre-approve this review.

Looking for an honest Tibits Heddon Street review? This is the most thorough Tibits London review you’ll find anywhere in 2026 — covering the Swiss pay-by-weight Food Boat concept, the 40+ vegetarian and vegan dishes on offer every day, exact pricing, the cocktail bar and the courtyard terrace, what real diners actually say, how it stacks up against Mildred’s and Mallow, and whether the £20-per-head pay-by-weight format is one of the most enjoyable casual vegetarian meals in central London. Spoiler: yes.

Tibits Heddon Street at a Glance

Why Tibits Heddon Street Matters

In 2000, three Swiss brothers — Reto, Christian and Daniel Frei — opened a vegetarian restaurant in Zurich based on a deceptively simple idea: lay out 40 properly-cooked vegetarian dishes on a long curved counter shaped like a boat, let diners help themselves with as much or as little as they want, and charge by weight at the till. The Food Boat concept was both democratising (you choose your own portions) and properly serious (the dishes are full kitchen efforts, not pre-prepped warming pans). It worked. By 2008 the brothers were ready for international expansion. London, Heddon Street, was the first site outside Switzerland.

Eighteen years later, Tibits is one of the most enjoyable casual vegetarian meals in central London — and the only one that lets you eat for ten quid at lunchtime or for thirty quid with a cocktail at dinner, from the same kitchen, in the same room. The pay-by-weight format means a couple can have radically different appetites and budgets without anyone feeling self-conscious. The “V” labelling means vegans can navigate the boat without asking. The 40 daily dishes mean there’s always something new to try.

We’re reviewing Tibits because it occupies a niche no other vegetarian restaurant in central London does. Mildred’s is sit-down à la carte; Gauthier is fine-dining tasting; Mallow is all-day with a tasting menu. Tibits is the only properly-considered vegetarian buffet in W1, and at the price point of a high-street salad bar with the kitchen of a proper Soho restaurant.

Location and Getting There

Heddon Street is one of those small Mayfair-adjacent roads that locals love and tourists keep just missing. The site sits at 12–14, a converted Victorian building set across two floors with a small private dining room upstairs and a properly handsome courtyard terrace running along the front of the building.

By Underground

• Piccadilly Circus (Piccadilly, Bakerloo lines) — three minutes’ walk north up Regent Street, then east into Heddon Street. The closest option.
• Oxford Circus (Central, Bakerloo, Victoria) — five minutes’ walk south down Regent Street.
• Green Park (Piccadilly, Jubilee, Victoria) — seven minutes’ walk via Vigo Street.

By Bus

The 3, 6, 12, 13, 14, 15, 88, 94, 139 and 159 stop on Regent Street within a two-minute walk.

The Neighbourhood

You’re three minutes’ walk from Sketch, five minutes from Mildred’s Soho, six minutes from Donia in Kingly Court. Pre-dinner drinks at the bar at Sketch (the Glade) or at The Devonshire Arms on Berkeley Square. Post-dinner cocktails at Connaught Bar or Coupette in Bethnal Green if you want a long Tube ride. Heddon Street itself is the David Bowie pilgrimage street — the cover of Ziggy Stardust was shot at number 23.

First Impressions and Atmosphere

You walk in and the first thing you see is the Food Boat — a long, gently-curved counter running through the centre of the ground floor, loaded with 40+ dishes in earthenware pots and shallow trays. The kitchen is open behind the boat; cooks plate every dish in front of you. Self-service plates are stacked at the start; tongs and serving spoons at every dish; the till is at the far end. You weigh, you pay, you sit down. The whole flow takes about three minutes if it’s not busy.

The room itself is warm without being twee — exposed brick walls, parquet floor, Edison bulb pendants, a mix of communal long tables and small two-tops. The courtyard terrace is the seat to want in summer (Heddon Street is closed to traffic, so it’s properly peaceful). The mezzanine upstairs is the calmer dinner sitting; the bar at the back is the cocktail destination.

The lunch crowd skews professional Mayfair — Regent Street shopworkers grabbing a 30-minute meal, the occasional industry editor with a laptop at the bar, tourists who’ve stumbled in from Piccadilly. By 6pm the room flips: pre-theatre diners by 6.30, locals after 8, a late-evening cocktail crowd in the bar by 9.30. The noise level stays medium throughout — comfortable conversation, no shouting.

One sentence on the vibe: the most cheerful casual vegetarian dining room in central London, and one of the few where you can eat alone without feeling self-conscious.

The Kitchen and the Food Boat

The kitchen produces 40+ dishes every day, rotating seasonally. The brigade is small — about six cooks across two services — and the dishes are properly made rather than batch-prepared. The Swiss heritage shows up in a daily rösti, a properly-cooked spätzle when the weather turns, and the kitchen’s commitment to plant-based “schnitzels” that are crisper than the omnivore equivalent.

The global lean is the kitchen’s strongest suit. Aubergine quiche, Lebanese wild rice, Korean fried tofu, Sri Lankan jackfruit curry, mushroom and ale pie, Asian slaw, Mexican refried beans, Italian arancini, Spanish patatas bravas — the boat reads like a properly-thought-out world tour rather than a buffet of leftovers. Each dish has a label naming it and flagging whether it’s vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free or nut-free. The allergen flagging is the strongest of any buffet I’ve seen in London.

Sourcing is conscientious — Tibits has run a proper sustainability programme since 2000 and the London site sources British vegetables, British dairy substitutes (when applicable) and Fairtrade staples. The kitchen makes everything in-house including the sauces, dressings, breads and most desserts.

The Menu

The Food Boat (Self-Service, Pay by Weight)

40+ dishes daily, rotating seasonally. Pay £2.70 per 100g (approximate) — a generous plate runs about £11–£15. The boat includes:

• Hot dishes: Mushroom and ale pie, Korean fried tofu, aubergine quiche, Sri Lankan jackfruit curry, Lebanese wild rice, Mexican refried beans, Italian arancini, Spanish patatas bravas, Swiss rösti, vegetable lasagne, mac no cheese, Indian dal.
• Salads: Asian slaw, beetroot houmous, kale and pomegranate, roasted-vegetable couscous, quinoa tabouleh, charred broccoli with chilli.
• Soups: A rotating soup of the day (vegan), priced separately at £4 for a small or £6 for large.
• Desserts: Chocolate brownie, carrot cake, vegan cheesecake, seasonal fruit salad, vegan tiramisu.
• Bread: Sourdough, seeded brown, gluten-free options, included free at the boat.

Drinks (At the Bar)

• Freshly pressed juices — £5–£6
• Coffee from £3 (proper machine, properly trained baristas)
• Wine by the glass from £6 (small but well-judged list)
• Cocktails £10–£13 — the bar’s “Heddon Spritz” (elderflower, prosecco, cucumber) is the house signature
• Beer — three taps including a Swiss vegan lager
• Non-alcoholic spritzes and zero-proof options £4–£7

Dietary Accommodation

All vegetarian; the majority of dishes are vegan and clearly labelled “V” at the boat. Gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free dishes are individually flagged. The team is genuinely informed about allergens — a printed allergen index is available at the till on request. Tibits is one of the easiest restaurants in central London to navigate for diners with multiple dietary restrictions.

Pricing and Value for Money

The pay-by-weight format means Tibits scales precisely to your appetite. A light lunch can come in under £12; a properly-loaded dinner with a cocktail and dessert is around £25–£30. There’s no minimum spend and no pressure to over-order.

Our assessment: Outstanding value for the postcode. Heddon Street is three minutes from Piccadilly Circus — almost every other restaurant within a five-minute walk is charging £35–£60 per head for similar quality. Tibits brings the per-head spend to half that without sacrificing the food. The pay-by-weight format is also the most honest pricing model in central London casual dining.

What Diners Actually Say

TripAdvisor (4.2/5, 1,400+ reviews)

The five-star reviews skew British and repeat. “Best lunch in central London for the money”, “didn’t realise it was vegetarian until I’d finished”, “the pie is unreal”, “the rösti is properly Swiss”. Negative reviews cluster around two themes: tourists who didn’t understand the pay-by-weight format until they got to the till, and a small number of diners who found the buffet “loud at peak” (which it can be — 12.30pm Thursday is the loudest sitting).

Yelp (4.0/5, 170+ reviews, updated March 2026)

Yelp London skews American. The American visitors generally love the variety; the only consistent complaint is that the pay-by-weight per-100g pricing isn’t always immediately clear.

Google Reviews (4.3/5, 1,800+ reviews)

The most accurate score. Common phrases: “amazing variety”, “best vegan lunch in central London”, “Korean fried tofu is incredible”, “couldn’t believe the price”.

Professional Critics

Time Out has run multiple positive features, calling Tibits one of the easiest places to find a proper vegetarian meal in central London. About London Laura’s review focuses on the value-for-money story. Cellophaneland and Veggie Advisor have both given the kitchen extended positive coverage. The HappyCow listing rotates Tibits in and out of the “best vegetarian London” lists depending on the year.

What Diners Love Most

1. The variety. 40+ dishes daily means there’s always something new. The dish most-mentioned in reviews is the mushroom and ale pie.
2. The pay-by-weight format. You eat exactly what you want, at exactly your budget. The honest pricing model is part of the appeal.
3. The vegan labelling. Every dish flagged. Easy navigation for diners with dietary needs.
4. The courtyard terrace. Heddon Street is car-free; the terrace is the destination summer seat.
5. The Korean fried tofu. The most-photographed dish on the boat.
6. The Swiss rösti. A proper one — crisp on the outside, properly cooked inside.
7. The desserts. The chocolate brownie and carrot cake punch above buffet weight.
8. The all-day flexibility. 9am to 11pm every day. Rare in W1.

Areas for Consideration

1. The 12.30–1.30pm lunch rush. Thursday and Friday in particular. Tourists, office workers, the works. Visit at 11.45am or after 2pm for a calmer sitting.
2. The per-100g pricing surprises some tourists. Watch the scales. £2.70 per 100g adds up faster than people expect if you load up.
3. The upper floor is via stairs only. Wheelchair users should request a ground-floor table.
4. Some dishes sit longer than others. A few salads on the boat past 9pm can feel slightly tired. Visit in the first half of service for freshest options.
5. The buffet format isn’t right for every dinner. If you want à la carte service and a proper plated meal, head to Mildred’s or Mallow instead.

Who Is Tibits Heddon Street Best For?

✅ Strongly recommended for:

• Casual lunches in central London — the best value for the postcode.
• Pre-theatre dinners — three minutes from Piccadilly Circus.
• Solo diners — the buffet format is properly comfortable on your own.
• Vegans and vegetarians in mixed groups — easy navigation, clearly labelled.
• Tourists who want a proper sit-down meal between Regent Street shopping trips.
• Office workers wanting a 30-minute lunch with proper food.
• Allergen-sensitive diners — the labelling is the best in central London.

⚠️ Less suitable for:

• Diners wanting à la carte plated service.
• Large groups over 12 (the buffet flow gets congested).
• Diners requiring full step-free access above the ground floor.
• Special-occasion dinners requiring a formal room.

How Tibits Compares

Verdict: Tibits owns the casual-buffet niche that no other vegetarian restaurant in central London tries to occupy. For an honest, fair-value, properly-cooked vegetarian or vegan meal between Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus, there’s no other contender in W1.

How to Book Tibits and Insider Tips

1. Walk in for the buffet — the standard approach. Generally no wait outside lunch peak.
2. Book online at tibits.co.uk for the table-service section (full table service available for groups of 4+).
3. Phone for groups over 12 or for private dining upstairs.

Insider Tips

• Visit at 11.45am or after 2pm to avoid the Thursday/Friday lunch rush.
• The courtyard terrace is the seat to want in summer — Heddon Street is car-free.
• The mushroom and ale pie, the Korean fried tofu, and the Swiss rösti are the three dishes to know on your first visit.
• Watch the scales — a generous plate runs about 400–500g.
• The soup-and-bread combo is the budget lunch winner at £8.
• The freshly-pressed juices are properly made — worth ordering on a Monday morning.
• The bar at the back gets quieter than the main room — head there for a proper cocktail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tibits Heddon Street in London vegan or vegetarian?

Tibits Heddon Street serves all-vegetarian food with the majority of dishes vegan and clearly labelled with a “V” at the Food Boat. The kitchen produces over 40 dishes daily; gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free options are individually flagged.

How does the pay-by-weight format work at Tibits Heddon Street?

You take a plate at the start of the Food Boat, help yourself to whatever dishes you want in whatever quantities you want, then the till weighs your plate and charges you per 100g. A generous plate typically costs £11–£15. Soups and desserts are priced separately.

Where is Tibits Heddon Street in London and what is the nearest Tube station?

Tibits is at 12–14 Heddon Street, London W1B 4DA — a small road just east of Regent Street. Nearest Tube: Piccadilly Circus (Piccadilly, Bakerloo lines) is a three-minute walk; Oxford Circus is five minutes; Green Park is seven minutes.

How much does a meal at Tibits Heddon Street in London cost?

Pay-by-weight at approximately £2.70 per 100g. A light lunch comes in around £12–£15; a standard plate with dessert and drink is £18–£22; a dinner with a cocktail is £25–£32. No service charge on self-service; 12.5% on table service.

What are the signature dishes at Tibits Heddon Street in London?

The mushroom and ale pie, Korean fried tofu, Swiss rösti, Lebanese wild rice, aubergine quiche and the chocolate brownie. The menu rotates seasonally but these dishes anchor most reviews.

Does Tibits Heddon Street in London have a bar?

Yes — a small cocktail and wine bar at the back of the ground floor. Cocktails £10–£13, wine by the glass from £6, three beer taps including a Swiss vegan lager. The “Heddon Spritz” is the house cocktail.

Is Tibits Heddon Street in London wheelchair accessible?

The ground floor and accessible WC are step-free. The upper floor is reached only by stairs. Wheelchair users can comfortably access the Food Boat and the bar at ground level.

Is Tibits Heddon Street good for tourists in London?

Yes — three minutes from Piccadilly Circus, five minutes from Oxford Circus, with all-day opening from 9am to 11pm. The buffet format works well for tourists with limited time or mixed dietary requirements. The courtyard terrace is a destination in summer.

Does Tibits Heddon Street in London offer breakfast?

Yes — the buffet opens at 9am weekdays, 11am weekends. The morning Food Boat includes fresh pastries, vegan-friendly granola, hot porridge, sourdough toast options, and the kitchen’s freshly-pressed juices.

How does Tibits Heddon Street compare to Mildred’s Soho in London?

Tibits is pay-by-weight buffet (£12–£32 per head), all-day, walk-in friendly, three minutes from Piccadilly Circus. Mildred’s Soho is à la carte sit-down (£42–£52 per head), more formal, booking needed. Tibits wins on value and convenience; Mildred’s on the full sit-down dining experience.

London Reviews Verdict on Tibits Heddon Street

Tibits is the most enjoyable casual vegetarian meal in central London. The Swiss Frei brothers built something in Zurich in 2000 that translated cleanly to London in 2008, and eighteen years later it still feels like the best-kept secret three minutes from Piccadilly Circus — except it isn’t a secret, the room is always busy, and the Food Boat still produces 40+ properly-cooked dishes every day.

The pay-by-weight format is the honest pricing model that more London restaurants should copy. The 9am-to-11pm opening means there’s no wrong time to visit. The labelling means vegan and allergen-sensitive diners can navigate without asking. The courtyard terrace means summer evenings have a properly grown-up outdoor seat. The mushroom and ale pie still tastes the way pub-pie should.

Our recommendation: visit at 11.45am on a Tuesday for a calm lunch, take a generous plate, sit in the courtyard if it’s warm or upstairs if it’s cold, finish with the chocolate brownie and a freshly-pressed ginger juice. £18 per head. Twenty minutes from arrival to till. The most efficient and most enjoyable lunch in central London for the money.

Related London Reviews

• Mildred’s Soho Review
• Mallow Borough Market Review
• Gauthier Soho Review
• Plates Shoreditch Review
• Holy Carrot Review
• The Gate Hammersmith Review
• Donia London Review
• All Hotels and Restaurants Reviews

Summary: Our Tibits Heddon Street Review

Disclaimer: Editorially independent. Sources: TripAdvisor, Yelp, Google Reviews, Time Out, About London Laura, Veggie Advisor, Cellophaneland, Emily Underworld, the restaurant’s official menus. Prices and opening hours accurate at publication.

Have you eaten at Tibits Heddon Street? Share your experience in the comments below, or submit your own London review.