The best French restaurants in London span neighbourhood bistros; timeless brasseries that feel like they’ve been here forever; and more modern, regionally driven spots.
Whether you’re in the mood for steak frites and a glass of red, or celebrating with a multi-course Michelin-starred experience, London’s French restaurants span everything from classic Parisian staples to richer inland dishes, and lighter, Mediterranean-influenced seafood inspired by the south of France. Bon appétit.
Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester
For those seeking the very top tier of French dining in London, Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester remains the benchmark. Holding three Michelin stars, and having retained them once again this year, it continues to set the standard for contemporary haute cuisine in the capital. At the helm since 2016, executive chef Jean-Philippe Blondet has spent the past decade refining and evolving Ducasse’s philosophy of modern French gastronomy. The result is, unsurprisingly, a flawless dining experience. Highlights include Blondet’s own favourite hand-dived scallop with citrus beurre blanc and Kristal caviar, a plate that perfectly captures the balance of precision and sophistication that defines the restaurant. Bookmark this one for a special occasion.
Soutine
A North London neighbourhood spot from The Wolseley Hospitality Group, Soutine is one of the most beautiful dining rooms on this list. Set within an elegant period building in St John’s Wood, the interiors are classic boulevard café style, basically if you shut your eyes and imagine a Paris restaurant, movie-style, then this is essentially what Soutine looks like. The menu follows suit, rooted firmly in tradition with all the classics exactly where you want them, escargots à la Bourguignon, coq au Riesling to share, steak frites, alongside a wine list to match. Open throughout the week, it’s timeless, atmospheric and transportive, whisking you away for a few hours to Paris.
Solaya
High on the 25th floor of the art’otel Hoxton, Solaya has introduced a more sun-soaked, French-Mediterranean perspective to London’s dining scene. Led by Michelin-starred chef Kenny Atkinson (St Martin’s on the Isle, Kenny Atkinson at the White Room), alongside head chef Nicola Losquadro, the restaurant is inspired by the lighter, brighter vibes of the south of France. The menu is designed for sharing, leaning into that relaxed, long lunch style of dining for which the area is renowned and revered. Seafood unsurprisingly plays a central role, standouts include tuna carpaccio, red prawn crudo and Solaya’s own interpretation of the classic bouillabaisse, alongside more substantial plates such as côte de boeuf and steak tartare. It’s served generously, rather than overly structured. The setting does much of the work too. Floor-to-ceiling windows, a circular layout and panoramic views across the city give it a sense of occasion, while the adjoining bar area and terrace, serving up bespoke cocktails designed to complement the restaurant, keep things from feeling too formal.
Bistro Sable
Only a few months in, Bistro Sablé is already earning great reviews and establishing itself as a neighbourhood favourite. From the Noble Inns group (also behind nearby favourite The Pig & Butcher), this Islington spot takes a relaxed, unfussy approach to French dining. The menu leans into familiar bistro staples, moules marinière, pâté en croûte, confit duck leg alongside changing in-season dishes that keep things fresh. Desserts stick to the classics: a proper crème brûlée and, of course, chocolate mousse as seen now on most London dessert menus (no complaints here). The wine list is, as expected, firmly French, with most bottles available in multiple pour sizes, making it easy to settle in for the evening. It’s easy, reassuring and exactly the kind of place that you end up a regular at.
Mazarine
Another recent – but completely different – opening earning strong reviews is Mazarine which has brought that contemporary chic of the French coast to the heart of Mayfair. Led by Thierry Laborde, whose CV spans LPM, Le Louis XV under Alain Ducasse, Le Gavroche and a Michelin star at L’Oranger, the kitchen leans on classical technique, reworked with a lighter, more modern touch that suits the seafood-led menu. It’s this closeness to the sea that sets it apart from many of London’s more traditional French restaurants. Dishes such as crab raviole, smoked eel croquettes and octopus with béarnaise showcase both precision and restraint, while the raw bar adds another layer to the experience. The wine list is confidently French-focused, but don’t miss the Mazarine Martini, a sophisticated aperitif to start your evening.
Maison François
The food might be French, but Maison François is a true London institution, serving all day in the heart of St James’s. One of the capital’s most classy brasseries, it delivers all the hallmarks of classic French dining, but with contemporary style. Whilst across London, dining room theatrics are firmly back, with French-style serving trolleys once again rolling across restaurant floors, few do it better than here at dinner time. Its dessert trolley has become a signature, laden with the kind of pastries and puddings that make skipping dessert look like a terrible decision. To extend the evening, head downstairs to their bar Frank’s, for a creatively imagined pre- or post-dinner cocktail. Refined without ever feeling stiff, Maison François is one of the most consistently reliable French tables in the city.
Café François
The younger sibling to Maison François, Café François has settled into Borough Yards with ease. Not yet two years old, it already feels like it’s been an anchor venue here for much longer and has quickly become an enjoyable go-to, whatever the occasion. Open from breakfast through to dinner, it offers a more relaxed, modern take on French dining, moving between classic bistro dishes and more contemporary options. There’s creativity across the menu too, from a well-executed French take on afternoon tea to a weekend twist on the Sunday roast. Its terrace is a summer sun trap, and if you can commandeer a table, it’s a great spot for watching the bustle of Borough Market over a glass of French fizz. Lively, fun and informal, it’s still packed with French polish.
Pavyllon London
The UK outpost from Yannick Alléno, one of the world’s most decorated Michelin-starred chefs, Pavyllon London, was originally awarded a Michelin star within six months of opening, which it still retains. When dining here, you want to be seated at the counter, a 30-seat space that places diners directly in front of the kitchen, creating a more immersive, interactive experience. It’s also where the restaurant’s weekend breakfast has become something of a draw: London’s first Michelin-starred breakfast tasting menu. Priced at £70 per person, the five-course experience, created by executive chef Benjamin Ferra y Castell, offers a distinctly French start to the day, with a standout French toast that more than justifies the early alarm. Beyond breakfast, menus run throughout the day, from a three-course lunch to a full tasting menu, all rooted in French gastronomy but built around seasonal British produce. It is one of the brighter, lighter spots, offering a very different atmosphere to more classic French restaurants in the capital.
Café Boheme
A Soho spot that’s as popular with locals as it is with tourists isn’t always easy to find, but Café Boheme has been around for years and is still drawing in the diners and drinkers. Grab one of the coveted pavement tables that face the street for the prime people-watching experience (assuming it is dry weather). Open from morning through to late night, the menu serves up French bistro classics and moves easily between business breakfasts, long lunches, pre-theatre dinners and those last-minute bookings that turn into late night fun. Live jazz throughout the week only adds to the atmosphere, giving it that slightly chaotic, never dull Soho energy.
Brasserie Zedel
Another spot that holds a huge amount of affection in London, Brasserie Zédel has long been a go-to for a fun, West End dinner for those in the know. Set just off Piccadilly Circus, it’s a grand and bustling spot, a vast Art Deco space that captures the scale and energy of a classic Parisian brasserie. The menu sticks firmly to tradition, with dishes like steak haché, coq au vin and boeuf bourguignon, alongside a well-priced prix fixe that makes it a reliable choice for pre- or post-theatre dining. Beyond the main restaurant, the building houses Bar Américain and Crazy Coqs, adding to the sense that this is more than just dinner, it can also be a full evening out. Theatrical, dependable and always a vibe at dinner time, it’s one of those places you should be sure to tick off your London dining bucket list.
Colbert
Another spot that gets people-watching exactly right, Parisian-style, is Colbert. Overlooking Sloane Square in the heart of Chelsea, it channels the spirit of a classic boulevard café, open all day and reliably busy from breakfast through to dinner. The appeal is its consistency. Croque monsieur, soupe à l’oignon, moules marinière, all the classics are here, done properly. In warmer months, the terrace is one of the best spots in the area for a long lunch; on cooler days, it’s just as welcoming inside. Unfussy and dependable, it’s exactly the sort of place you drift into after a stroll (and a shop) around Chelsea because you know the menu will have something for everyone to enjoy.Â
Elsa
An intimate venue on Charlotte Street, Elsa takes an Alsatian-inspired approach to French dining with a menu drawing on both French and German culinary traditions. The wine list here has as much consideration as the food menu, making it a great spot for oenophiles too. The space is intimate and elegant, and the service attentive and knowledgeable. Returning to the wine, one standout here is their monthly ongoing regional wine series, which spotlights different French (and neighbouring) regions, expanding beyond Alsace, through paired dinners. Each evening combines free-flowing wines with a three-course menu inspired by the region, from Normandy through to Provence, making it feel more immersive than your typical dinner out. Sitting in ever-evolving Fitzrovia, Elsa still feels slightly under the radar, though its inclusion in the Michelin Guide suggests that may not be the case for long.
Orrery
Recently relaunched under executive chef Pierre Minotti (formerly of two-Michelin-starred Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal), Orrery has stepped confidently back into London’s fine dining scene with a renewed focus on classical French technique. Long considered something of a Marylebone institution, this latest iteration feels both respectful of its legacy and firmly in step with the city’s current appetite for more refined, experience-led dining. Inspired by the clockwork models of the solar system that fascinated Terence Conran when he first opened the restaurant in 1997, the experience begins in the Salon du Vin, home to a carefully curated list of over 800 wines. From there, guests move into a dining room to settle in for a five- or seven-course tasting menu. Menus centre on British produce interpreted through a French lens, with dishes such as John Dory with brown crab and bouillabaisse. A mid-meal Chartreuse-led interlude adds a playful nod to tradition.
Maset
On one of London’s most gastro-famous streets, another relatively new addition to Marylebone’s increasing roster of excellent restaurants is Maset. Set on Chiltern Street, Maset offers up a very specific regional menu based on the cuisine of Occitania (the capital of the region is Toulouse if that helps your geography) in the south of France, and it offers up something a little different to the capital’s more traditional bistros. Founded by Melody Adams (the restaurateur behind Maset’s Basque-influenced neighbours Donostia and Lurra), the menu is shaped by the coastal influences of southern France, with subtle nods to Italy and Spain. Menu highlights include pâtes au pistou (a Provençal French pasta dish), Camargue rice and cleverly reworked classics like bouillabaisse croquettes. A considered wine list, focused on smaller producers across France and southern Europe, completes the picture. Maset is an original and regionally driven addition to London’s French scene.
Brooklands by Claude Bosi
Set high above Belgravia at The Peninsula London, this rooftop restaurant pairs two Michelin-starred cooking with panoramic views across the capital. Having retained its stars again this year, Brooklands is one of London’s most polished French restaurants. Led by Claude Bosi, the menu blends classical French technique with the best of British produce, with a clear focus on depth of flavour and seasonality. Expect carefully composed dishes that move between seafood-led plates and more substantial mains from Devonshire cod with red pepper miso and eel compote to Racan guinea fowl with razor clams and Oxfordshire venison with tamarind. There’s the option of a six-course tasting menu, alongside a more flexible à la carte for a slightly more relaxed approach. Open for dinner, the experience extends well beyond the plate. Set on the eighth floor, the restaurant is paired with Brooklands Bar, completing a 360° drinking and dining experience; we recommend arriving early for a drink and staying on after dinner. Brooklands is a standout example of French technique harmonising perfectly within its London home.
La Maison Ani
In Knightsbridge, La Maison Ani offers a more contemporary, globally influenced take on French dining. A partnership between celebrated chef Izu Ani – the Nigerian-born, London-raised force behind an impressive London-Dubai portfolio including Gaia, Carine and Alaya – and restaurateur Evgeny Kuzin, the restaurant blends classical French technique with influences taken from Izu’s international career. The menu reflects that balance: rooted in French gastronomy but reworked in Ani’s increasingly recognisable style. Dishes such as langoustines grillées and truffle-laced rigatoni sit alongside a selection of seafood, an array of vibrant salads and composed plates that lean into freshness and flavour rather than the heaviness often associated with French fare. Desserts are equally innovative with the mousse au chocolat chaud et glace à l’orge for two – served warm with malt ice cream – worth saving space for. The setting is smart but relaxed, making it well suited to its all-day offering.
Lead image: Elsa
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