Watford, French Restaurant Guide

A “very pleasant country pub” helmed by Sally & Alvin Michaels for two decades, and whose “good food” of Anglo-French bent (including home-smoked fish and meat, and local game) “attracts diners from well beyond its area”; indeed, one reporter who took far-flung American visitors found that they “loved the location and quaintness” of this attractive Georgian locale – also handy for the Harry Potter experience at Warner Bros Studio nearby.

“This better-than-solid bistro” in East Finchley offers “excellent value and sound cooking – the very strong local following is justified”. It’s old-school in the best way – and “the staff are charming”.

By many accounts “by far the best gastropub in the Hampstead area”, this particularly “welcoming and charming” Georgian tavern has been run for two decades by Beth Coventry (sister of the doyenne of restaurant critics, Fay Maschler). “Great outside seating… if you can nab it”.

Simon & Jolanta Bradley’s “efficient” veteran of 30 years’ standing near Swiss Cottage station “never lets you down” and it’s a “great option if going to the Hampstead Theatre around the corner”. But while fans say “the quality of the food is such that it shouldn’t be only for pre-theatre”, there’s also a view that “it can feel rather soulless” as a destination in itself.

“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”.

This “consistently fabulous restaurant” in St John’s Wood has a “special and romantic atmosphere” thanks to its “charming” French owner Catherine Parisot, who has run it for 42 years and ensures the “service is so good and personal” that “you can’t fail to feel boosted by a visit”. The classic ‘cuisine bourgeoise’ hits the spot every time, too.

“Run by Michel Roux’s daughter” Emily and her husband Diego Ferrari (former head chef of Le Gavroche), this Notting Hill five-year-old “gives us the best of two culinary worlds: French and Italian”. The “precise, thoughtful and delicious dishes (celeriac, crab, turbot, veal)…” are “real high-end comfort food” and the “dining room is cool and buzzy without being overly formal”. “Both wine list and cheeseboard are on the conservative side, but none the worse for that”; and “the Italian sommelier has an encyclopaedic knowledge of Italian wines and will always steer us to something new and unusual”. Some reports note a “post-Covid blip amidst staff changes”, and a slip in ratings generally backs up those who feel the experience is “not bad, and better than average, but not quite the quality it was previously”. Top Tip – “lunch is particularly good value”.

A focused menu of “high-quality ingredients with excellent provenance and preparation” together with “attentive and adaptive service” continue to win praise for Richard Wilkins’s small (seating a maximum of 16) venue, which has an unobtrusive frontage on a corner-site in the Notting Hill/Bayswater borders. It has a comprehensive wine list, running to the likes of clarets and burgundies at over £1,000 per bottle.

“Great vibe”, “wonderful cooking”, “super wine list” and “so, so French!” – this “friendly and authentic” little wine bar/bistro in Westbourne Park celebrates its tenth anniversary this year.

2021 Review: A “long-time, local favourite” – this “relaxed”, retro bistro brings the classic flavours of France to Crouch End. Chef-proprietor Lynne Sanders and her team send “reliably good food” out from the kitchen.

“The food in this small and atmospheric pub is unabashedly French – tasty, interesting and reasonably priced” with “just the right amount of an English touch”. “Splendid service from host Laurent (Brydniak) and his team, who pay a lot of attention to getting the details right”, adds to the appeal of a venue that is “often busy by midday as a walkers’ reward” after strolling around the neighbouring Brocket Hall estate.

2021 Review: This “excellent local” bistro in Primrose Hill – “there should be one on every high street” – has a “good buzz” and does “a nice line in deconstructed versions of French classics”. The original La Petite Ferme near Exmouth Market is a “lovely little” venue “offering brilliant value”.

“For a birthday there’s nowhere better to come, whether you’re 80, 90… or older!” – this “fun trip down memory lane” at the foot of a Regent’s Park apartment block just goes on and on. A perfectly preserved time capsule from the 1970s (“from the salmon tablecloths and napkins to the recently departed ruched curtains”), you “sit down to crudités with a garlic dip and Melba toast then move onto a three-course meal from an extensive Italian-biassed English menu”: “it’s the most comforting of comfort food” (“Steak Diane as a main… wonderful!”). Service-wise, it’s “a well-oiled machine”: “all ages are well looked after, especially the oldest and youngest” and it’s a “go-to venue for family celebrations” for a large slice of north London. “Portions are huge” (“even the teenagers in the party struggle with the quantities”), but you must leave space for pud, delivered by Neil “the fabulous dessert waiter, who always ‘saves his favourite just for you’!”

800+ wines by the bottle and a selection of 75 craft beers are the USP of this intriguing Tufnell Park showcase for regional French drinks and produce. The menu changes every six weeks with a different region moving into focus – it’s short and in a supporting role to all the delicious grog, but good value.

This “dependable neighbourhood bistro”, on a busy stretch linking Hammersmith and Shepherd’s Bush, combines classic gingham tablecloths with a menu inspired by Provence – favoured holiday destination for proprietors Lawrence & Emily Hartley, who previously operated the site as Mustard.