Seven Dials, Covent Garden — just 5 minutes on foot
Tucked into the heart of Seven Dials, the Cambridge Theatre has been a fixture of the West End since 1930, and a night here whether you’re headed for its long-running family favourite or its unpredictable Monday-night improv residency is worth building a proper Italian dinner around.
La Ballerina Italian Restaurant is around 0.5 miles from the Cambridge Theatre’s door on Earlham Street, a comfortable 5-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 unhurried from the first course onwards, this is where to start it.
What’s On at the Cambridge Theatre Right Now
Matilda The Musical
Currently booking | Tickets from £20 | Age guidance: 6+ | Running time: approximately 2 hours 35 minutes, including an interval
The Cambridge Theatre’s long-standing resident is the Royal Shakespeare Company’s multi-award-winning adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Matilda, with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin. Telling the story of a remarkable five-year-old who discovers her own quiet power in the face of her neglectful family and the terrifying headmistress Miss Trunchbull, the show has been a fixture of the Cambridge Theatre since 2011 and remains one of the most garlanded musicals of its era, having won seven Olivier Awards. It’s a show that plays just as well to adults without children in tow as it does to families Minchin’s score and the story’s themes of justice and imagination give it plenty to say beyond the school gates.
Please note: the production contains flashing lights, lasers, loud sound effects and theatrical haze, and balloons are popped on stage during the performance, with actors interacting directly with the audience at points. Children under 4 are not admitted, and anyone aged 15 or under must be seated with an accompanying adult.
Performances typically run Tuesday to Friday at 7pm, with a Wednesday matinee at 2pm, a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm and Saturday evening performance at 7.30pm, and a single Sunday performance at 3pm. Mondays are generally dark, aside from the occasional Showstopper! date below. As with any long-running show, schedules can shift, so it’s worth checking the exact time for your date when booking.
Showstopper! The Improvised Musical
Selected Mondays, Mon 27 July – Mon 21 December 2026 | Tickets from £20 | Age guidance: 12+ | Running time: approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, including an interval
On the Mondays when Matilda takes its night off, the Cambridge Theatre hands its stage to something entirely different. Showstopper!, the Olivier Award-winning improvised musical, sees its cast create a brand-new musical from scratch at every performance audience suggestions for a setting, a genre and even a title are spun, live and without a script, into a fully-staged musical number by number. No two nights are ever the same.
Remaining 2026 dates currently on sale are Monday 27 July, Monday 12 October, Monday 23 November and Monday 21 December, all starting at 7.30pm. Under-4s are not admitted, and under-16s must be accompanied by an adult.
La Ballerina: 5 Minutes from the Cambridge Theatre Door
The Cambridge Theatre sits at Seven Dials, 32-34 Earlham Street, WC2H 9HU. La Ballerina is a short walk away at 7-8 Bow Street. It’s a touch further out than some of the other Covent Garden houses, but still a comfortable 5 minutes on foot, no tube, no taxi, no stress.
That matters more than it sounds with a show running well over two and a half hours. A 5-minute walk still leaves you plenty of room either side of the performance to enjoy your meal properly, rather than eating with one eye on your watch.
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.
- Matilda runs to roughly 2 hours 35 minutes including its interval, so a 7pm evening performance should have you at the restaurant for a table from around 9:45 PM.
- Showstopper! runs to around 1 hour 30 minutes including its interval, so a 7.30pm Monday performance should have you finished by around 9pm ideal for a slightly earlier late dinner.
Either way, a post-show table works comfortably within La Ballerina’s opening hours.
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, useful given how many families make Matilda part of their day out.
How to Book
La Ballerina fills up on show nights, particularly at weekends and on the Mondays when Showstopper! draws its own keen following. 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
Cambridge Theatre: Seven Dials, 32-34 Earlham Street, London WC2H 9HU — 5 minutes’ walk
Whether you’re settling in for Matilda’s tale of quiet rebellion or taking a chance on whatever Showstopper!’s cast dreams up on the night, La Ballerina makes the whole evening easier, tastier and a great deal more Italian.
