Harden's survey result
Summary
This Gallic Covent Garden five-year-old is the UK outpost of a small, high-quality Paris-based group run by Gregory & Marie Merchand (the former nicknamed ‘Frenchie’ by Jamie Oliver, when we worked at Fifteen). Its ratings are still not back to the highs when it first opened, but nobody makes any harsh criticisms and reports often refer to “superb and innovative” cuisine and “top-notch wines”. (Not to be confused with the street-food business on the Southbank’s Belvedere Road – “duck burgers and fat chips to die for”).
Summary
Gregory (nicknamed ‘Frenchie’ by Jamie Oliver at Fifteen) & Marie Marchand’s stylish four-year-old is “a treat, with all its signature dishes imported from their charming Parisian venue of the same name”, delivering “beautiful French food”, served in a lovely, stylishly-neutral, modern space. Despite the arrival last year of Dale Sutton (the executive head chef of their French operations) however, ratings continue to head south here, and critics feel it’s “lost its edge” since its stellar early days. No question, though, it’s a “fun” and “useful spot in Covent Garden” that many still extol as the site of their best meal of the year.
Summary
Gregory (nicknamed ‘Frenchie’ by Jamie Oliver at Fifteen) & Marie Marchand’s stylish three-year-old is “a treat, with all its signature dishes imported from their charming Parisian venue of the same name”, delivering “beautiful French food”, served in a lovely, stylishly-neutral, modern space. Despite the arrival last year of Dale Sutton (the executive head chef of their French operations) however, ratings continue to head south here, and critics feel it’s “lost its edge” since its stellar early days. No question, though, it’s a “fun” and “useful spot in Covent Garden” that many still extol as the site of their best meal of the year.
Summary
Perhaps the most famous alumnus of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen – Gregory Marchand (aka ‘Frenchie’) launched his Covent Garden operation a couple of years ago as a London spin-off to his first ‘Frenchie’, which opened in Paris in 2009. With its shortish menu of “quirky” Gallic dishes, “eclectic” wine list and “fun” (if “noisy”) style, it was one of the hits of last year. This year, however, its ratings dipped, and – while fans still praise its “well-crafted and tasty dishes” – there are a few critics to whom it seems “totally overrated”. Post-survey in July 2018, Marchand transferred the executive chef of his Parisian group, Dale Sutton, to London, presumably to help pep things up a bit?
For 31 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
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Restaurant details
Frenchie Restaurant Diner Reviews

"High standards at Frenchie continue with excellent menu and interesting wines at fair prices for the quality. Tables remain rather sandwiched together"

"A mixture of the well done and the not so well done. Dishes are executed with aplomb and instagram appeal. Flavours carefully selected but not super punchy as you would expect from French Style cuisine. In fact it could be quite easily described as Modern British. Desserts were a let down although they looked great. "
Prices
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Wine per bottle | £30.00 |
Filter Coffee | £5.50 |
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Bread | £4.50 |
Service | 15.00% |
18 Henrietta Street, London, WC2E 8QH
Opening hours
Monday | CLOSED |
Tuesday | CLOSED |
Wednesday | 5:30 pm‑9:30 pm |
Thursday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5:30 pm‑9:30 pm |
Friday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5:30 pm‑10:30 pm |
Saturday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5:30 pm‑10:30 pm |
Sunday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 5:30 pm‑9:30 pm |
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