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Maison François

London, St James's - French - Restaurant - £££

Glossy French cooking meets pin-sharp service

Overall Rating: Good

Uniqueness:Does the establishment stand out in the context of the local area? Good

Deliciousness:How delicious is the food? Very Good

Warmth:How warm is the service and the hospitality in general? Very Good

Strength of recommendation:How enthusiastically and widely would you recommend the establishment? Good

Inspired by the French 'grand brasserie', and running from breakfast to dinner, Maison François is light and spacious, with an impressive double-height ceiling, an open kitchen at one end and Frank’s (a moodily lit wine bar) in the basement. The vibe is smart-casual with comfortable seats, reasonably spaced tables and unfailingly warm service. To eat, there's a dream line-up of Gallic classics (hake with sauce bouillabaisse, entrecôte de boeuf au poivre), and everything is spot-on. Pâte en croûte, Comté gougères and jambon noir de Bigorre with celeriac rémoulade are just perfect, while côte de veau arrives precisely cooked with the fat beautifully caramelised. After that, can anyone resist a trolley laden with macarons, tarte aux pommes, Paris-Brest, mousse au chocolat and much more? Also check out the restaurant’s Gallic take on Sunday lunch (‘les rotis’ or ‘le grand roast', complete with suckling pig co...

Inspired by the French 'grand brasserie', and running from breakfast to dinner, Maison François is light and spacious, with an impressive double-height ceiling, an open kitchen at one end and Frank’s (a moodily lit wine bar) in the basement. The vibe is smart-casual with comfortable seats, reasonably spaced tables and unfailingly warm service. To eat, there's a dream line-up of Gallic classics (hake with sauce bouillabaisse, entrecôte de boeuf au poivre), and everything is spot-on. Pâte en croûte, Comté gougères and jambon noir de Bigorre with celeriac rémoulade are just perfect, while côte de veau arrives precisely cooked with the fat beautifully caramelised. After that, can anyone resist a trolley laden with macarons, tarte aux pommes, Paris-Brest, mousse au chocolat and much more? Also check out the restaurant’s Gallic take on Sunday lunch (‘les rotis’ or ‘le grand roast', complete with suckling pig collar, aged beef rump, stuffed rabbit saddle and escargots). Prices aren't greedy, considering the well-heeled West End location, while the lengthy wine list offers something for everyone, with France as the main contender but back-up from the rest of the winemaking globe.

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L Blakeney

10 December 2024

Arrived in the rain to a warm and welcoming reception. Very happy to be in a restaurant where they offer to take the coats, so often these days they have to rest on back of chairs.

There is a great selection of tradi...
Arrived in the rain to a warm and welcoming reception. Very happy to be in a restaurant where they offer to take the coats, so often these days they have to rest on back of chairs.

There is a great selection of traditional French dishes at reasonable prices, with two at a "special price" even on a Sunday.

Soupe à l'oignon was extremely thick with tons of slowly caramelised onions and deemed to be delicious. I had the beef tartare starter with excellent chopped beef and I thoroughly enjoy...
Arrived in the rain to a warm and welcoming reception. Very happy to be in a restaurant where they offer to take the coats, so often these days they have to rest on back of chairs.

There is a great selection of traditional French dishes at reasonable prices, with two at a "special price" even on a Sunday.

Soupe à l'oignon was extremely thick with tons of slowly caramelised onions and deemed to be delicious. I had the beef tartare starter with excellent chopped beef and I thoroughly enjoyed the drama of the tartare being prepared table side.

We both had the dish du jour, which was Toulouse sausage on a bed of puy lentils with onion, bacon lardons and red wine - the dish was heavenly and filling, and we had a side of steamed green vegetables.

We shared the cheeseboard to finish with a lovely selection of French cheeses but no crackers or bread, which was rather odd. Service was immaculate, friendly and engaging, and the sommelier certainly knew his stuff. Highly recommend, and we will certainly return.
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VENUE DETAILS

34 Duke Street
St James's
SW1Y 6DFGB

020 3988 5777

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OTHER INFORMATION

Private dining room, Separate bar, Counter seating, Wheelchair access, Family friendly, Dog friendly

New events are coming soon

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