The Strand, Covent Garden — just 8 minutes on foot
The Adelphi Theatre has been part of London’s theatrical story for over 200 years, and whatever’s on its stage, a night here deserves a proper Italian dinner beforehand, rather than something eaten on the move.
La Ballerina Italian Restaurant is around 0.6 miles from the Adelphi Theatre’s door on the Strand, a comfortable 8-minute walk. It’s one of the closest proper Italian restaurants to the venue and has been serving Covent Garden for over 25 years. If you want the evening to feel considered from the first course onwards, this is where to begin it.
What’s On at the Adelphi Theatre Right Now
The Comedy About Spies
1 August – 26 September 2026 | Tickets from £19 | Age guidance: 10+ | Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes, including a 20-minute interval
Fresh from a sold-out summer season at the Noël Coward Theatre, Mischief Theatre’s WhatsOnStage Award-winning comedy transfers to the Adelphi for a strictly limited eight-week run, reuniting much of the original cast. From the creators of The Play That Goes Wrong, it’s a riotous 1960s spy caper: when a rogue British agent steals the plans for a top-secret weapon, CIA and KGB operatives converge on a London hotel in pursuit of the file, dragging in a clueless young couple and a hapless actor hoping for his own Bond moment along the way. Expect quick-fire gags, physical comedy and gloriously chaotic misunderstandings, all delivered with Mischief’s trademark precision.
Please note: the production includes strobe lighting, haze, loud gunshots and a simulated explosion with stage smoke and flashing lights, alongside references to overdose, alcohol and war within its comic context. Children under 4 are not admitted, and anyone aged 15 or under must be accompanied by an adult. Performances currently run Tuesday to Sunday, with evening shows generally at 7.30pm (7pm on some Thursdays and Sundays) and matinees at 2.30pm on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays; Monday is a dark night. As schedules can shift slightly week to week, it’s worth checking your exact date when booking.
The Lives of Others
Previews from 14 October 2026, opening 29 October, booking until Saturday 9 January 2027 | Tickets from £25 | Age guidance: 14+ | Running time: approximately 2 hours, including an interval (to be confirmed)
Following on from Mischief’s spy caper, the Adelphi turns considerably more serious for this strictly limited run. Keira Knightley makes her return to the stage after some fifteen years, alongside Stephen Dillane and Luke Thompson, in Olivier Award-winner Robert Icke’s first stage adaptation of a film Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s Oscar-winning The Lives of Others. Set in 1980s East Germany, it follows a Stasi officer assigned to spy on a celebrated playwright and his actress partner, whose lives begin to change him in ways his training never accounted for.
Please note: the production contains adult themes, including references to sexual coercion and suicide, and is recommended for audiences aged 14 and above. Performances are expected to run Monday to Friday at 7.30pm, with matinees on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2.30pm, though exact timings may be confirmed closer to the opening.
Also Coming: Billy Elliot the Musical
Looking further ahead, one of Britain’s most beloved musicals returns to the Adelphi from 12 February 2027, booking until 31 July 2027. Ten years after it last played London, Billy Elliot the Musical based on the 2000 film and set to Elton John’s soundtrack reunites its original creative team, including director Stephen Daldry, for a landmark revival telling the story of a boy from a mining town who dreams of becoming a dancer. Full performance and running time details will be confirmed closer to opening, so it’s one to keep an eye on if you’re planning further ahead.
La Ballerina: 8 Minutes from the Adelphi Door
The Adelphi Theatre sits at 409-412 Strand, WC2R 0NS. La Ballerina is a walk away at 7-8 Bow Street it’s a little further than some of the other Covent Garden houses, but still a manageable 8 minutes on foot, and a pleasant one at that, taking you past some of the area’s prettiest streets. No tube, no taxi, no stress.
That’s worth building into your evening, particularly with a show running over two hours. An 8-minute walk still leaves plenty of room either side of the performance, so you can enjoy your meal properly rather than rushing the last course before curtain-up.
Coming Out After the Show?
La Ballerina stays open late — until 11:00 PM Monday to Saturday, and 10:00 PM on Sundays. If you’d rather eat afterwards, the kitchen will still be running.
The Comedy About Spies runs to roughly 2 hours 20 minutes including its interval, so a 7.30pm evening performance should have you finishing by around 9.50pm, leaving time for a late table at La Ballerina from around 10:05 PM, allowing for the walk over. The Lives of Others, at around 2 hours, should follow a similar pattern for its own 7.30pm performances.
Vegetarian, Vegan & Gluten-Free Options
La Ballerina caters well for varied dietary requirements. Vegetarian options include the Margherita and Quattro Formaggi pizzas, Penne Arrabbiata, Ravioli di Ricotta e Spinaci, Caprese Salad and Minestrone Della Nonna. Vegan dishes are available too, including a Vegan Lasagne, and gluten-free options can be discussed with the team when you order. The restaurant is also child-friendly, with a welcoming atmosphere for families worth knowing for The Comedy About Spies, though The Lives of Others is a more grown-up night out.
How to Book
La Ballerina fills up on show nights, particularly at weekends and around The Comedy About Spies’ limited run. A call or email the day before will secure your table.
📞 Phone: +44 20 7379 6659
✉️ Email: reservations@laballerina.co.uk
🌐 Online: laballerina.co.uk/reservation/
📍 Address: 7-8 Bow Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7AH
🎭 Adelphi Theatre: 409-412 Strand, London WC2R 0NS — 8 minutes’ walk
Whether you’re catching Mischief’s spy caper this summer or Keira Knightley’s return to the stage this autumn, La Ballerina makes the whole evening easier, tastier and a great deal more Italian.
