Shaftesbury Avenue, Covent Garden — just 6 minutes on foot
The Shaftesbury Theatre is the largest independent theatre in the West End, and a night here sharp, funny and unapologetically grown-up deserves a proper Italian dinner to match, rather than something eaten in a rush.
La Ballerina Italian Restaurant is around 0.5 miles from the Shaftesbury Theatre’s door on Shaftesbury Avenue, a comfortable 6-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 start it.
What’s On at the Shaftesbury Theatre Right Now
Avenue Q
Now booking until Sunday 3 January 2027 | Tickets from £25 | Age guidance: 13+, parental guidance advised | Running time: 2 hours 15 minutes, including an interval
After two decades away, the three-time Tony Award-winning musical Avenue Q has returned to the West End for a strictly limited season at the Shaftesbury, staged by original Broadway director Jason Moore and original puppet designer Rick Lyon. Don’t let the felt and fuzz fool you: this is very much a show for adults. It follows Princeton, a college graduate searching for his purpose in life, as he moves into a rundown New York apartment building and gets to know a cast of colourful puppet and human neighbours navigating work, love and the everyday business of paying the bills all set to a score of sharp, irreverent, very funny songs.
Please note: Avenue Q contains strong language and adult themes and content throughout, and is recommended for ages 13 and above with parental guidance advised. This isn’t a family show in the way some other West End puppetry has been.
Performance times shift slightly through the run. Until Saturday 29 August 2026, matinees run Thursdays and Saturdays at 2.30pm, with evening performances Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm. From Monday 31 August 2026, the matinee day moves from Thursday to Friday, with performances at 2.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays, alongside the same Monday to Saturday evening schedule at 7.30pm. There are no Sunday performances.
La Ballerina: 6 Minutes from the Shaftesbury Door
The Shaftesbury Theatre sits at 210 Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2H 8DP. 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 6 minutes on foot, no tube, no taxi, no stress.
That matters more than it sounds with a show running over two hours. A 6-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, which lines up neatly with Avenue Q’s own schedule, as the Shaftesbury doesn’t currently stage Sunday performances.
Avenue Q runs to roughly 2 hours 15 minutes including its interval, so a 7.30pm evening performance should have you finishing by around 9.45pm, leaving time for a late table at La Ballerina from around 10:00 PM. A 2.30pm matinee, by contrast, wraps up by around 4.45pm, good timing for an early dinner instead.
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 has a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere well suited to a pre-theatre drink and dinner with friends or colleagues before a night of Avenue Q’s sharp, grown-up humour.
How to Book
La Ballerina fills up on show nights, particularly at weekends. 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
Shaftesbury Theatre: 210 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2H 8DP — 6 minutes’ walk
Whether you’re rediscovering Avenue Q after two decades or catching it for the first time, La Ballerina makes the whole evening easier, tastier and a great deal more Italian.
