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Maison François

London, St James's - French - Restaurant - ££

Paris comes to St James's in the shape of this strikingly modern brasserie

Overall Rating: Good

Uniqueness:Does the establishment stand out in the context of the local area? Good

Deliciousness:How delicious is the food? Very Good

Warmth:How warm is the service and the hospitality in general? Very Good

Strength of recommendation:How enthusiastically and widely would you recommend the establishment? Good

Inspired by the French 'grand brasserie', and running from breakfast to dinner, Maison François is light and spacious, with an impressive double-height ceiling, an open kitchen at one end and Frank’s (a moodily lit wine bar) in the basement. The vibe is smart-casual with comfortable seats, reasonably spaced tables and unfailingly warm service (judging by feedback we've received). Indeed, one contributor who took advantage of a special offer of ‘very good’ moules frites for £15 had this to say: 'we were eating the cheapest meal on the menu, but were treated as though we had ordered the most expensive.' The carte is a dream line-up of Gallic classics (hake with sauce bouillabaisse, entrecôte de boeuf au poivre), and everything we ate was spot-on at our most recent visit. Pâte en croûte, Comté gougères and jambon noir de Bigorre with celeriac rémoulade proved to be just perfect, while côte de veau ...

Inspired by the French 'grand brasserie', and running from breakfast to dinner, Maison François is light and spacious, with an impressive double-height ceiling, an open kitchen at one end and Frank’s (a moodily lit wine bar) in the basement. The vibe is smart-casual with comfortable seats, reasonably spaced tables and unfailingly warm service (judging by feedback we've received). Indeed, one contributor who took advantage of a special offer of ‘very good’ moules frites for £15 had this to say: 'we were eating the cheapest meal on the menu, but were treated as though we had ordered the most expensive.'

The carte is a dream line-up of Gallic classics (hake with sauce bouillabaisse, entrecôte de boeuf au poivre), and everything we ate was spot-on at our most recent visit. Pâte en croûte, Comté gougères and jambon noir de Bigorre with celeriac rémoulade proved to be just perfect, while côte de veau arrived precisely cooked with the fat beautifully caramelised. Then, as a finale, the desserts appeared. Can anyone resist a trolley laden with macarons, tarte aux pommes, Paris-Brest, mousse au chocolat and much more?

Prices aren't greedy considering the well-heeled location (a short walk from Fortnum & Mason), while the lengthy wine list genuinely offers something for everyone, with France as the main contender but back-up from the rest of Europe and the New World.

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L Blakeney

10 December 2024

Arrived in the rain to a warm and welcoming reception. Very happy to be in a restaurant where they offer to take the coats, so often these days they have to rest on back of chairs.

There is a great select...
Arrived in the rain to a warm and welcoming reception. Very happy to be in a restaurant where they offer to take the coats, so often these days they have to rest on back of chairs.

There is a great selection of traditional French dishes at reasonable prices, with two at a "special price" even on a Sunday.

Soupe à l'oignon was extremely thick with tons of slowly caramelised onions and deemed to be delicious. I had the beef tartare starter with excellent chopped bee...
Arrived in the rain to a warm and welcoming reception. Very happy to be in a restaurant where they offer to take the coats, so often these days they have to rest on back of chairs.

There is a great selection of traditional French dishes at reasonable prices, with two at a "special price" even on a Sunday.

Soupe à l'oignon was extremely thick with tons of slowly caramelised onions and deemed to be delicious. I had the beef tartare starter with excellent chopped beef and I thoroughly enjoyed the drama of the tartare being prepared table side.

We both had the dish du jour, which was Toulouse sausage on a bed of puy lentils with onion, bacon lardons and red wine - the dish was heavenly and filling, and we had a side of steamed green vegetables.

We shared the cheeseboard to finish with a lovely selection of French cheeses but no crackers or bread, which was rather odd. Service was immaculate, friendly and engaging, and the sommelier certainly knew his stuff. Highly recommend, and we will certainly return.
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VENUE DETAILS

34 Duke Street
St James's
SW1Y 6DFGB

020 3988 5777

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OTHER INFORMATION

Private dining room, Separate bar, Counter seating, Wheelchair access, Family friendly, Dog friendly

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