Tower Hill, French Restaurant Guide

“A perfect marriage of traditional and modern culinary approaches” is to be found in the “impeccably-run” dining room of this impressive five-star hotel near the Tower of London. The Pic in question is Anne-Sophie, owner of Maison Pic near Lyon and Michelin’s most decorated female chef. Fans say her team’s contemporary French cuisine, led by head chef Evens López, is “on a different level from almost every other restaurant in the capital – presented like modern art and with each dish a lovely surprise”. In fact, given its consistent quality (as recognised by two of the tyre men’s stars) it’s surprising that – perhaps due to its Square Mile location – it still maintains a relatively low profile in the capital’s food scene.

“An outside table on the lovely riverside, complete with the spectacular and iconic view of Tower Bridge” is the best way to visit this D&D London venue (where the Blairs once entertained the Clintons, when both were in office). With its modern French cuisine and heavyweight wine list, there was a time when this was both the jewel in the crown of the late Sir Terence Conran’s restaurant empire and the City of London’s favourite entertaining spot. Times have moved on, though, and nowadays its middling performance gives it a dwindling reputation. For fans, it’s still “worth it for a really special treat”. Others, though, “won’t be rushing back: the interior ambience is nothing to write home about and the food is pricey for what’s served up”.

2021 Review: “Interesting and very edible food in ‘tapas mode’”, at “very reasonable prices”, is on offer at this contemporary Franco-Hispanic bistro in Borough Market. “Charming service” from “efficient and friendly staff” adds to its attractions – along with “plenty of outdoor tables” for summer scoffing.

“Perfect French cuisine with a Korean twist” has built an impressive reputation for Woongchul Park and Bomee Ki’s ambitious and highly accomplished three-year-old – a patch of serenity in the gritty streets surrounding Guy’s Hospital. The main event is an 8-9 course tasting menu, which is exciting in the freshness of its ideas and with “faultless” realisation. Top Tip – Bomee trained as a pastry chef so pace yourself for dessert.

The ‘Press for Champagne’ button has become an Instagram classic – made famous by the original Soho branch of Leonid Shutov’s decadent diners, which provide luxurious treats like caviar and beef Wellington all served in a sumptuous environment, whose dark wood and polished surfaces evoke the deco glam of a trip on the Orient Express. “A fun place for a celebration” or romance, they are also notably “overpriced” – a factor harder to overlook in the era of straitened post-Covid expense accounts, when splashy business dining (for which they are a favourite) has been reined in. Perhaps that’s why the renamed ‘Bob Bob Cité’ – a “nightclub-like space” occupying a floor of the City’s Cheesegrater – has failed to make waves, and generates very few (albeit positive) reports. In August 2023, the group (celebrating its fifteenth year) started a new, 56-seat spin-off, a few doors down from the original, called ‘Bébé Bob’: the offering here will shoehorn champagne and caviar into a more dressed-down offering, alongside rotisserie chicken as the main event.