On a quiet Georgian street in Bloomsbury stands the only London home of Charles Dickens that still survives. The Charles Dickens Museum is at 48 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LX, and Nonòs Judd Street, our Greek Mediterranean kitchen and bar at 112 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NT, is about a kilometre to the north, roughly a 13-minute walk. Here's a little about the house, the walk, and where to eat before or after.
Where Oliver Twist was written
Dickens moved into 48 Doughty Street on 25 March 1837 with his wife Catherine, on a three-year lease at £80 a year, and lived there until December 1839. Those two years were extremely productive: here he completed The Pickwick Papers, wrote the whole of Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby, and worked on Barnaby Rudge. Two of his daughters were born in the house. In those days Doughty Street was an exclusive address, with gates at each end staffed by porters.
The house was threatened with demolition in 1923, but the Dickens Fellowship raised the money to buy it, and it opened as a museum in 1925. Among its best-known exhibits is Dickens's Dream, R. W. Buss's unfinished portrait of the writer surrounded by his characters, as well as first editions, manuscripts, letters, and the only known surviving item of Dickens's clothing, his court suit. Background from Wikipedia's pages on the Charles Dickens Museum and Doughty Street.
Planning your visit
The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:00, and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Tickets are £14 for adults, £8 for children aged 6 to 16, and free for under-6s, and they cover the historic house and the special exhibition. Entry is in 15-minute slots, and suitcases and large bags aren't allowed. A new temporary exhibition opens on 21 October 2026, and for Halloween there are family and theatre events, including Signal-Man & Trial, performed by James Swanton on 30 and 31 October and 1 November (recommended age 12+). In December the museum stays open until 18:00 on many days. Check the museum's admissions page and homepage for tickets and times.
The walk
From the museum, walk north up Doughty Street and turn left along Guilford Street, then right up Lansdowne Terrace, left along the north side of Brunswick Square, and right into Hunter Street, which becomes Judd Street. Keep heading north to number 112, just past the Cromer Street corner, where you'll see our pavement tables under the turquoise awning. It's about 1,000 metres, around 13 minutes on foot (route from OpenStreetMap). On the way you'll pass Brunswick Square, home of the Foundling Museum; see our post on the Foundling Museum.
Breakfast, lunch or dinner
The museum opens at 10:00, and Judd Street opens at 08:30 every day, with breakfast until 12:00: the Hash Benedict, the Nonòs Full English, shakshuka, or Greek yoghurt with nuts, honey and baby fruits. From noon, the à la carte menu takes over. Share the Nonòs' Meze for two, with hummus, tzatziki, tyrokafteri, Greek salad, olives and pitta, then try the Beef Moussaka, the Lamb Chops or a Chicken Skewer. From Monday to Thursday, 12:00 to 17:00, there are Souvlaki Wraps with chicken, pork or halloumi, too. See our posts on Hash Benedict, moussaka and the Greek meze table.
Donna summed us up: Very nice restaurant close to Kings Cross/St Pancras.
(Donna, Google review) And Tim wrote, The food was out of this world, perfectly cooked and full of delicious flavours.
(Tim, Google review)
Evenings and groups
Judd Street is open until 22:00 Sunday to Wednesday and until 23:00 Thursday to Saturday, so there's time for dinner and a cocktail after an afternoon at the museum. Our posts on cocktails and aperitivo hour and Greek wine have the details. Coming as a big group, perhaps a book club? Our downstairs dining room takes parties of up to 50; see private dining and events. For more nearby ideas, see our posts on the British Library and Great Ormond Street Hospital.
“Service by Stephanie was spot on and the food was so yummy.”
Linda, Google review, 2026
Good to know
- Address: 112 Judd Street, King's Cross, London WC1H 9NT. Phone 020 7278 9700.
- Hours: Sunday to Wednesday 08:30–22:00, Thursday to Saturday 08:30–23:00. The à la carte menu starts at noon.
- Allergies: please speak to our team about allergies and dietary requirements. Menus may vary slightly by location and season.
From Doughty Street to Judd Street, about 13 minutes on foot. Book a table at Nonòs Judd Street or just walk in.