Sure, scrolling through Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok to keep up with your favorite celebrities is fun – who doesn’t love a juicy behind-the-scenes snap or a cheeky tweet? But why limit yourself to the digital world when you can experience the glitz and glamour up close in London?

From chic neighborhoods to trendy hotspots, London is a magnet for the rich and famous. So, put down your phone, throw on your snazziest outfit, and hit the town to see if you can spot a superstar or two in the wild. Here’s your ultimate guide to celebrity spotting in London – no filter needed.

Tourist attractions

Don’t have the cash to spend to hang out in some of the top celebrity-riddled restaurants and bars? No problem! By just strolling around some of London’s major tourist attractions, you may get lucky and bump into a star or two.

Generally speaking, Mayfair and Soho are the best areas to go celebrity spotting, as well as major tourist attractions like the London Eye and Piccadilly Circus. Harry Styles and Taylor Russell have been seen enjoying low-key days out in the Hampstead neighborhood, while Sienna Miller, Jude Law, and Kate Moss are known to visit Primrose Hill quite often. If you’re going to go there, make sure you check out the view from the top of the hill (it’s free, after all)​.

Leicester Square is another popular celebrity hangout, as stars like Keira Knightley, George Lucas, and Johnny Depp have been spotted there from time to time. Kate Moss and Sienna Miller are known to shop around Portobello Road for vintage clothing as well. And let’s not forget that a fair number of celebrities have made Notting Hill their home, so if you have some extra time on your hands, try and scope out the rich houses in the area.

Restaurants

Celebrities are humans like the rest of us and have to eat too, you know. So if you want to dine in style with celebrities, or even eat at the same restaurants that the famous and rich prefer, luckily there are a ton of popular food venues in London to choose from.

The Ivy (1-5 West Street, Covent Garden) is perhaps one of the most popular restaurants among celebrities, with stars like Elton John, Kate Moss, the Beckhams, and Tom Cruise being spotted there. More recent celebrity sightings include Dua Lipa and Cara Delevingne dining at The Wolseley (160 Piccadilly)​​.

Other popular restaurants include Zuma (5 Raphael Street, Knightsbridge), Scott’s (20 Mount Street, Mayfair), and Nobu Berkeley (15 Berkeley St, Mayfair), where celebrities like Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Calvin Harris, Selena Gomez, and Mel B. have been spotted dining in style.

Bars/Pubs

The Hawley Arms (2 Castlehaven Road, Camden) is a given, as it is a favorite among stars like Kelly Osbourne, Kirsten Dunst, and Pixie Geldof. The Groucho Club (45 Dean Street, Soho) is another favorite among stars like Lily Allen. The Windsor Castle (114 Campden Hill Road, Holland Park) was listed as a favorite for Madonna and Guy Ritchie when they were married. Given that Piers Morgan is one of the owners of The Hansom Cab (84 Earls Court Road, Kensington), your chances of seeing a celeb while you’re there are pretty high (and you might even spot Morgan’s brother Rupert behind the bar as well)​.

If you don’t like spending any extra funds inside the bars/clubs, then try hanging outside The Crown and Two Chairmen pub (31-32 Dean Street, Soho) for an hour or two and you’ll probably end up seeing a star. Some of the many famous celebs who have visited the pub include Sigourney Weaver, Gene Wilder, and Damien Hirst.

Other tips

And perhaps it goes without saying, but if you do happen to luck out and spot a celebrity, try to be polite and don’t yell out their name or point at them as this may draw some unwanted attention toward them. If you’re close enough and desperate to get a shot of them, politely ask if you can take their picture, or try to snap a shot quickly and discreetly.

Are you planning a trip to London? Check out the many free tours of London that depart every day.