Whitechapel, French Restaurant Guide

This “reliably good Gallic bistro” stands out from the crowd in Brick Lane, perhaps the last address you’d expect to find something “so French” in London.

“One of the most pretty and impressive dining rooms in London” – an “amazing and beautifully lit” space often mistaken for a church, but in fact originally a late-Victorian girls’ school – helps underpin the appeal of the Galvin Brothers’ long-established destination, near Spitalfields Market. Although its ratings have come under pressure since Covid struck due to some uneven reports, this remains an “all-round treat”, much nominated for both important business and romantic occasions thanks to its “well-spaced” interior; service that is “spot-on”; and “fantastic French cuisine”, with numerous diners voting for it in our poll as their top gastronomic experience of the year.

This “very reliable and enjoyable old-style bistrot” in Spitalfields is from “the same team as La Chapelle” (the Galvin brothers’ deluxe flagship next door). Fans say that “means the food is top-notch for a bar” with a “well-prepared set menu that’s great value”, but ratings are capped by a minority of critics who feel it has “lost its magic since the revamp”. Top Tip – “worth visiting for the Pilsner alone” – fresh unpasteurised Urquell delivered weekly and stored in copper tanks above the bar.