The Best French Restaurants in London

You’d be hard pressed to find a name more synonymous with French ‘haute cuisine’ than Alain Ducasse. The legendary chef has overseen a multitude of successful restaurants over the years, garnering many a Michelin Star in the process. In London, his home for many years has been the equally famous, equally revered Two Michelin Key The Dorchester hotel. Executive Chef Jean-Phillipe Blondet has gradually put his stamp on the place, while retaining a commitment to using the best possible produce.

One of many top French restaurants housed inside a luxury London hotel, this showcase for the eponymous chef is a beautiful restaurant in every respect. The dining room is all about understated elegance, while each dish is constructed with immense precision to create a true work of art. Thankfully, this is no example of style over substance, with Alex’s supreme skill coming through in dishes that display an innate understanding of balance and a welcome delicate touch.

Part-French, part-English, the name alone makes Chez Bruce feel like the perfect distillation of London’s Francophone side. The Bruce in question is Surrey-born Bruce Poole, who has presided over this institution since 1995. The cooking is firmly rooted in French classics but has a Mediterranean accent, so don’t be surprised to see lamb ‘à la Niçoise’ or ajo blanco on the menu. The standard is still so high after all these years, and the whole experience is eminently satisfying thanks to a no-nonsense approach that puts the focus on the simply delicious dishes.

Few logos are more French than the iconic Michelin Man (AKA Bibendum). Here, in Michelin’s former London HQ, he looks down on diners from a stunning stained-glass window. The rest of the room is equally impressive, with art deco design and a welcome brightness. It feels fitting that a Frenchman oversees the restaurant here, in the form of the much-lauded Claude Bosi; his double chocolate soufflé is just one of the impeccable renditions of classic French dishes. For a more informal version of Claude’s cooking, head to Josephine, his tribute to a Lyonnaise ‘bouchon’.

As the name would suggest, it’s the former French province of Gascony – located in the southwest of the country – that provides the inspiration for this long-standing restaurant. It used to be an unerringly traditional place, but today offers a more modern style of cooking, while still remaining rooted in the Gallic classics. It’s all delivered in a charming setting located next to an old church close to the city’s financial district. The comprehensive wine list offers a wide selection of French producers, at a range of prices.

Over the years, there have been many restaurants bearing the Galvin name, with brothers Jeff and Chris having forged themselves a mini empire since joining forces in 2005. Today, La Chapelle is very much the flagship, holding One Michelin Star and situated inside a stunning Grade II listed building that is in stark contrast to the gleaming all-glass skyscrapers you normally find in the City of London. It’s also a particularly versatile and good value operation, with both a vegan selection and a pleasingly affordable set menu.

Like Alain Ducasse, Anne-Sophie Pic is another famed French chef with a mightily impressive London outpost. Hers is located inside the rather grand One Michelin Key Four Seasons Hotel London at Tower Bridge, in an architecturally elegant dining room divided into small sections. While classical French technique underpins Anne-Sophie’s cooking, she and Head Chef Evens Anibal Lopez have begun to incorporate Japanese flavours including kombu and sake lees. For a more ‘full-French’ experience, choose the decadent wild sea bass with caviar and champagne sauce, a signature dish of her father’s.

He might be a Scot by birth, but the reputation of the world’s most famous chef was forged on his absolute mastery of classical French techniques. Years later, his flagship restaurant continues to uphold outstandingly high standards thanks to the stewardship of Matt Abé. Each dish offers exceptional ingredients cooked with supreme skill and combined in total harmony. For more Starred French cooking within the Gordon Ramsay group, head for Pétrus or 1890 by Gordon Ramsay. The latter is his tribute to Georges Auguste Escoffier, the godfather of French gastronomy.

Another chef who has found success in both France and the UK, Pierre Gagnaire and his famous multi-dish approach are the driving force behind the cooking at this gloriously over the top restaurant. The cooking, overseen by Chef Daniel Stucki, is as superb as you would expect of a Three Michelin Star restaurant – but it’s the setting that helps Sketch linger so long in the memory. Housed inside a fine Georgian townhouse, the dining room is glamorous, elegant and exuberantly colourful. It’s a truly special destination.