Inside IKEA’s New Oxford Street Store: Tiny Space, Meatballs, and New Checkouts

• IKEA’s Oxford Street location is much smaller than usual but still serves its iconic meatballs and hot dogs.
• The store features three floors with a unique layout, showcasing smaller items like cookware, bedding, and lighting.
• The café still offers classic Swedish treats, including a £5.50 plate of meatballs and £0.85 hot dogs.

IKEA's new Oxford Street store is a major departure from its usual vast locations. Spread across just 5,400 square metres and three floors, this smaller format is designed to cater to the bustling London city environment, making it easier for urban dwellers to pop in for essentials. Unlike the traditional IKEA, which spans around 30,000 square metres, this shop focuses on smaller items such as bedding, cookware, and lighting, with 6,000 products on display, though only 3,500 are available for purchase in-store.

However, what remains unchanged is IKEA's beloved café, where fans can still enjoy its famous Swedish meatballs. Despite the size reduction, the menu remains mostly intact, with the iconic £5.50 meatballs, complete with mashed potatoes, peas, cream sauce, and lingonberry jam, continuing to be a fan favourite. The 85p hot dogs are also available, as well as other favourites like fish and chips and the much-loved Daim cake – all available for takeaway, making it the perfect stop for a quick and tasty bite.

The store is an experiment in IKEA’s smaller format, the second of its kind in the UK, aiming to provide the same IKEA experience but with a more compact, city-friendly design. The showroom and restaurant share the same floor, so customers can easily enjoy a bite after browsing through the store’s products. Though this location won’t carry larger furniture items – a challenge when heading home on the tube – it’s perfect for picking up smaller home essentials.

Tom Church, Co-Founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, said, "IKEA’s new smaller format on Oxford Street is a clever way to bring the iconic store to a more urban setting. Plus, with the café and affordable Swedish treats still on the menu, it’s a great spot for city dwellers to pop in, grab a bite, and stock up on essentials."