Fitzrovia, French Restaurant Guide

Mathieu Germond, former manager of Pied à Terre, “has worked his considerable magic here”, and has created an “amazing wine list” with “very fair mark-ups” at his “very charming” Fitzrovia yearling (on the former site of Dabbous, RIP) – “go for his suggestions” from the “wide and interesting range, many by the glass”. Ed Dutton’s “delightful” French cuisine is “excellent too”, showing “genuine, old-school skill”, while the “tasteful decoration, with lots of natural light” and “spot-on” service (“personable” – “there when you need them and non-intrusive”) “make it an ideal spot for an informal business lunch, as well as more serious entertaining”.

David Moore’s illustrious Fitzrovian “continues to shine” under the tenure of head chef Asimakis Chaniotis, and this “elegant” townhouse remains one of London’s foremost temples of gastronomy. “Letting Chef Chaniotis take you through an evening with a custom tasting menu is second to none” – “he really is a master of meat, but they have great vegetarian and vegan tasting menus too”, and “there’s always something new and exciting” to sample. “An impressive wine list and a great sommelier’s intelligent recommendations” complete the formula. The proportions of the building are not expansive, but tables are “well-spaced” and the overall experience is an “intimate” one.

“Mouth-watering food” – “French-style with a difference” – wows almost all visitors to Jun Tanaka’s “informal fine-dining” joint in Fitzrovia. “The food is taken seriously but the atmosphere is grounded and relaxed” – “when I want a solid and thoughtful meal, I go here”. Better still, it’s “a bit of a bargain for the quality”, and there’s “huge value in the wine list for a Michelin restaurant”.