9 Great French Bistros & Brasseries In London
Image: @josephinebouchon
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9 Great French Bistros & Brasseries In London

Nothing delivers instant joie de vivre like a good French restaurant. And voila, London just happens to be loaded with bistros and brasseries chic enough to be the envy of Paris right now. Here are some of our favourites…
Image: @josephinebouchon
Bistro Freddie, Shoreditch
Bistro Freddie, Shoreditch

For A Date

Bistro Freddie, Shoreditch

Few restaurants that get a lot of attention on social media live up to the hype. Bistro Freddie is one of the few. Its smart, minimally designed dining room draws an eclectic crowd. Headed up by restaurateur Dom Handy (watch our interview with him here), it has a concise menu of French dishes inspired by the team’s travels. Find someone you like to share a pie and fries with, though starters like steak tartare, pig’s head croquettes and chicken liver parfait also deserve space on your plate. The homemade mayonnaise is among the best in the capital, while an ever-changing menu of mains will please even the fussiest eater. And then there’s signature sticky toffee pudding for dessert.

74 Luke Street, Shoreditch, EC2A 4PY

Visit BistroFreddie.com

For A Meeting

Marceline, Canary Wharf

Canary Wharf has welcomed a string of new restaurants over the past year. With a grand dining room and terrace inspired by Parisian brasseries, Marceline is among the best of them. The menu stays true to the French classics – the kitchen is headed up by Robert Aikens who got his start working with the Roux brothers. For entrées and mains, look for escargots de Bourgogne, French onion soup and steak tartare. There’s also a great breakfast menu if you want to start the day with croque monsieur, as well as a dessert trolley offering patisserie treats, profiteroles and more. 

5 Water Street, Canary Wharf, E14 5GX

Visit Marceline.London

Marceline, Canary Wharf
Marceline, Canary Wharf

Bennie Curnow

For A Classic Experience

Bouchon Racine, Clerkenwell

In just a few years, Bouchon Racine has become widely known as one of London’s best spots for typical southern French cuisine. Sitting above the Three Compasses pub, its dark and moody dining room is the perfect place to hunker down with hearty dishes like saucisse de Toulouse on a bed of lentils, roast chicken with tarragon, and cod Provençal – all ready to be mopped up with crusty bread. There’s also a reasonably priced wine menu, as well as a nice selection of French beers and ciders. 

66 Cowcross Street, Clerkenwell, EC1M 6BP

Visit BouchonRacine.com

For Value

Josephine, Chelsea

We challenge you to find a restaurant offering better value in this part of London. Michelin-starred Claude Bosi’s most personal project to date, Josephine is run with his wife Lucy, and is inspired by his late grandmother and the traditional bouchons he often frequented in his hometown of Lyon. The menu is filled with nostalgic bistro fare: onion soup, cheese souffle, leek vinaigrette and traditional mains of cod in beurre blanc sauce. Two courses will set you back £24.50, while three come in at £29.50. The wine menu only features pours from the Rhone Valley, including some from Josephine’s own label. In keeping with the classic French feel, this is available in bouchon-style metre wine, where the bottle is left on the table for guests to help themselves to more. Look out for an outpost in Marylebone later this year.

315A Fulham Road, Chelsea, SW10 9QH

Visit JosephineBouchon.com

Josephine, Chelsea
Josephine, Chelsea
Bouchon Racine, Clerkenwell
Bouchon Racine, Clerkenwell

@bouchonracine

For Affordable Grub

Brasserie Zédel, Soho

Regular readers will know we are big fans of Brasserie Zédel’s fun atmosphere and unbeatable prices. The French favourite offers traditional Gallic dishes in handsome art-deco surroundings (it’s been described by Pierre Koffman as “the only real brasserie in London”). We rate the set menu, which allows diners to tuck into a carrot salad, followed by steak haché with French fries and pepper sauce for £16.95. Beyond the cassoulet and escargot, there are cracking cocktails to be had in Bar Américain, and live music in cabaret bar Crazy Coqs. 

20 Sherwood Street, Soho, W1F 7ED 

Visit BrasserieZedel.com

For Counter Dining

Camille, Borough

Camille is one of the small but mighty restaurants that have opened around Borough Market in the last year. Elbow your way through the market crowds to get to this traditional bistro on Stoney Street, where Clare Lattin and Tom Hill (the duo behind Soho’s enduringly popular Ducksoup) have created a smart dining room and window-counter to showcase their team’s provenance-led cooking and seasonal ingredients. The kitchen is led by ex-St John chef Elliot Hashtroudi, whose menu captures the rustic energy of regional French cooking: think cured pig’s cheek and walnut; pork chops with blood orange sauce and grilled radicchio; and lemon sole with snail butter. The wine list is all natural, celebrating smaller French producers – and there’s a neat list of aperitifs and digestifs.

Visit CamilleRestaurant.co.uk

Café François, Borough
Café François, Borough

Steven Joyce

For All-Day Dining

Café François, Borough

While Maison François in St James’s is on its way to becoming a grande dame of French dining in the city, Café François is its playful little sibling. Within foodie hotspot Borough Yards, the restaurant draws influence from the classic cafés found in Paris, with a menu that pays homage to affordable French staples. It’s a popular breakfast spot, offering pastries and other crowd-pleasing dishes, though the all-day menu is the reason to visit – expect beef tartare, foie gras, steak frites and whole rôtisserie chickens to share. The wine list has something for every occasion (affordable sauvignon blanc to fine chablis), the staff uniform is seriously cool, and the friendly team ensure a smooth and swift service.

14-16 Stoney Street, Borough, SE1 9AD

Visit CafeFrancois.London

For Sunday Lunch

Provender, Wanstead

Wanstead locals will tell you that this much-loved restaurant is a hot ticket on a Saturday night. It opened as a trad Gallic bistro over ten years ago but has evolved into something a little smarter, with a regularly changing menu and excellent selection of French wines. Another affordable option, two courses cost £19.50 while three can be had for £24.50 – lunch could include escargot with tarragon butter and crispy baguette, followed by steak haché or lamp rump, with tarte tatin or crème brûlée for dessert. An excellent Sunday menu is built around traditional roast dinners with a French twist – think Montbélliard sausage served with all the trimmings. 

17 High Street, Wanstead, E11 2AA

Visit ProvenderCafe.co.uk

For Something New

Mignonette Bistro, Richmond

If you’re after dishes reminiscent of childhood trips to France, Mignonette Bistro is all about simple fare done well. It opened six months ago and has quickly established itself as a local favourite, partly thanks to its friendly team who immerse you in the traditions of French cuisine. Most ingredients are sourced from small producers across the UK, while game is imported from an independent farm in France. Current menu highlights include soupe de poisson, chicken foie gras terrine with duck fat brioche, entrecôte steak with potatoes, and veal chops with shin ragu. Save room for desserts like hot madeleines with sea salt and chocolate sauce or warm chocolate tart with coffee and chestnut cream. 

109 Kew Road, Richmond, TW9 2PN

Visit MignonetteBistro.com

Camille, Borough
Camille, Borough

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