Eton, French Restaurant Guide

This “stylish restaurant” near the bridge to Windsor has been run for almost 50 years by co-founder Lin Gilbey, who is responsible for its interior design. Her husband and business partner Bill (scion of the Gilbey’s Gin dynasty) sadly passed away in 2022, but Lin has pressed ahead with improvements, acquiring the premises next door to offer corporate entertainment and private dining facilities. Modern British cooking is generally felt to be “solid”.

“Traditional but still at the peak of its appeal” – Alain Roux’s Thames-side “stalwart of French haute cuisine” is “still the most glorious of gastronomic treats”. Founded by his late father, Michel, in 1972 – with the closure of Le Gavroche in early 2024, it now becomes the surviving flagship of the famous Roux dynasty. “Service is incredible”, with “the friendly staff offering the warmest of welcomes”; and the “magical setting” by the river “is very hard to beat” and means a summer meal here can start with a glass of fizz either on the waterside terrace, or actually on the river in their electric launch. The “sublime” cuisine is resolutely of the old school (a signature dish is ‘Lobster Medallions with Vegetable Julienne and White Port sauce); and backed up by an “exciting wine list” in a similar vein. “Obviously it’s also incredibly expensive” – to an extent a few regard as “clearly overpriced” – and some would argue “surpassed by quite a few other restaurants, despite its three stars”. But, “if you can afford it, this is THE place to go for romance and if you really want to splash out, the rooms overlooking the Thames are a perfect location for a night away (because one night is all you will be able to afford…)”

This former coaching inn has “everything you’d expect from a Roux Brothers brasserie” – plus a fascinating history as one of the world’s top nightclubs in the ‘70s, when John and Yoko dropped in; it was reborn again when Alain Roux and his late father Michel Roux senior took over in 2017, and the “superb atmosphere by the river” currently abets “top-quality” French cooking at “reasonable prices” too (a snip compared to their Waterside Inn, a couple of miles away).

What to make of TV-star Tom Kerridge’s Thames Valley pub, which helped catapult him to stardom in 2012 when Michelin awarded the place two stars. The choice of this ordinary-feeling inn on the edge of town was always “a little quirky”, but for many years satisfaction levels here held up even if the “ambience varies depending on where you are sat, as it can be nice and atmospheric, or you can feel very much shunted to one side”. But for the most part, folks historically didn’t quibble: they just focused on the down-to-earth style and “very high-quality British cooking”. The latter is still sometimes applauded, even if dishes can seem “more traditional and less interesting/exciting than expected”. But the overall tide of sentiment has turned in recent years, with a growing view that “it’s such a pity that what was a fantastic restaurant has now become overpriced and overrated”. Even those who still hail it as “quite possibly the best gastropub in Britain” can still view it as “seriously overpriced and certainly not worthy of two Michelin stars”. And that’s still the upbeat verdict. More representative of feedback are those who say it’s “horrendously overpriced for what is only reasonable pub food” (“two stars? I’m sorry, but that really is a case of the ‘Emperor’s New Clothes’”). Despite this being one of Michelin’s worst ongoing conclusions, with their history of kowtowing to TV celebrities we’re not betting on a re-rating any time soon.

For a quality meal out St Margaret’s way, this conventional French restaurant – set in agreeably old-fashioned Victorian premises – provides a traditional and enjoyable experience that’s consistently well-rated in our annual diners’ poll. Top Tip – good-value ‘menu du jour’ available at lunch and at dinner early in the week.

This “friendly family bistro serving classic” Breton galettes, seafood and cider has been a fixture near Richmond Bridge for 35 years, and is for many local reporters “a go-to restaurant for lunch or dinner” – whether at one of the “far tables which overlook the Thames” or in the “private room upstairs, ideal for parties”. In early 2023 founder Lindsay Wotton put the business up for sale so she could retire.

This “retro neighbourhood French bistro” in a parade of shops near Kew station is “massively popular with the locals due to its competitive prices” for “Gallic classics with a little twist” (and gets “very crowded at lunchtimes”).

Food TV staple José Pizarro’s first outfit outside the capital – and first gastroboozer (with rooms) – is set in “a not-completely-obvious location” in the Surrey ‘burbs. Reviews were slightly muted this year: while most praised the “great modern Spanish food” (including “fabulous tapas”), others noted a lack of atmosphere (“wouldn’t be hard to make it feel a bit more intimate”).

“The French bistro at its best”, this “reliable” Gallic fixture by Acton Green is “a small bit of Paris in Chiswick”, with “perfect food (including oysters) and an atmosphere for romance”. Top Menu Tip – “delicious soufflés”.

Still on top form after 27 years, scrum-half-turned-chef JP (Jean-Philippe) Gravier and his FOH English wife Kim won particularly strong feedback this year for the “fresh and creative dishes in a charming environment” at their classic Gallic bistro across the river from Hampton Court Palace. It’s “family-run from top to bottom”, with daughter Victoria working in the kitchen these days – so “what’s not to love”?

2023 Review: This “lovely local friendly coffee shop” with a French accent and pastries is a spin-off from Eric and Sarah Guignard’s French Table next door, and does a particularly good Gallic take on the English afternoon tea.