Sitting in her plush pink three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Hélène Darroze tells us in a thick French accent that she believes the recent resurgence of her native cuisine in London is down to nostalgia: “It’s food that’s reassuring, and right now with the way the world is, we need to go back to our roots a bit.”
The Best French Restaurants in London
Words by
Sphere Editors
23rd July 2026
There's been a French renaissance with Gallic cuisine once again returning to the forefront of London's dining scene. To celebrate the resurgence, we've hand-picked the best French restaurants in London.
Hélène Darroze at The Connaught. ©Mayborne.
She’s, of course, absolutely right. For all its ceremony and starch-white tablecloths, French food at its core is dressed-up comfort food. Who wouldn’t feel instantly soothed after a steaming bowl of coq au vin or calmer for chomping down a croque-monsieur? Maybe it’s the sheer volume of du beurre used, or perhaps it’s wrapped up in our collective yearning for simpler times – the 80s and 90s when the bistro boom was in full swing and most fine dining institutions relied on classically French culinary techniques. Either way, the result is the same: an undeniable alchemy of food that stubbornly demands you slow down and savour it.
That’s all to say, we at SPHERE were more than delighted to hear that a crop of new French outposts had opened in town – from Orrey making a splash in Marylebone to Camille’s second opening announced just yesterday. So, what better time to bring you a definitive list of the best French restaurants in London? Here’s our curated guide.
Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, Mayfair
Hélène Darroze's spring tasting menu. ©Mayborne.
Who better to teach Londoners all they need to know about French cuisine than a chef with not one but six Michelin stars to her name – across two continents no less. Hélène’s culinary philosophy is centred on “respect for produce, respect for the season”, so expect the finest ingredients sourced with the highest rigour. While rooted in traditional French techniques, dishes are informed by Hélène’s travels – like the Isle of Mull lobster complemented with tandoori spices or the Brittany pigeon served with a Mexican mole.
Book in for the tasting menu at Hélène Darroze at The Connaught maybourne.com
Casse-Croûte Bermondsey Street
There’s something undeniably French about a chalkboard menu, pavement-side dining and chequered tablecloths. Casse-Croûte has all of the above in spades and has been a stalwart of the Bermondsey Street micro-culinary scene for decades. The daily food menu keeps things simple by giving you the choice of three starters, mains and desserts, while the accompanying wine list is at least quadruple the length. It’s Gallic classics – côte de veau, mousse au chocolat, etc – perfected in an unpretentious (well, as unpretentious as you can be with French food) setting. Grace Dent’s a fan, which is even more of an incentive to visit.
To reserve your table at Casse-Croûte, either walk in or call 02074072140
Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, Park Lane
The hand-dived scallop with citrus beurre blanc and crystal caviar - a 2026 Michelin dish of the year. ©©Jordan Sapally.
We couldn’t miss out the Godfather of French cuisine’s London outpost, now could we? Alain Ducasse needs simply no introduction and his restaurant at The Dorchester is one of just six three-Michelin-starred restaurants in London. With Chef-Patron Jean-Phillippe Blondet at the helm, this absolute institution shows no signs of slowing, not least because it was responsible for one of the Michelin Guide’s dishes of the year – the hand-dived scallop with citrus beurre blanc and crystal caviar. In an unrivaled showing of contemporary French cuisine, it’s dining at its most theatrical in one of London’s most glamorous settings.
Book a table at the iconic alainducasse-dorchester.com
Maison Francois, St James’s
Moules at Maison François. ©Patricia Niven
Maison François’ Executive Chef and TikTok sensation Matthew Ryle’s truly believes the tonic to a stressful day is to “cook your problems away”. And while we’re totally on board with the sentiment, you can get the same result by enjoying a laundry list of French classics at Maison François. From comté gougères to moules marinière, it’s familiar food with some sense of decadence.
Head to St James’s to try Maison François maisonfrancois.london
Camille, Borough
Recently crowned TimeOut’s best restaurant in London – a huge feat given how spoiled for choice we are – this pretty, quaint neighbourhood bistro punches well above its weight. With butter yellow walls, café curtains and mounds of white candle wax, it feels like an effortlessly chic Parisian kitchen. The menu is very meat-heavy – unsurprising given Chef Elliot Hashtroudi’s history at St John – and the chalkboard perched outside invites a passerby in with savoury delights like puffed pig skin, smoked ox, beef tartare, and, if you’re feeling brave, calves’ brain. A French man may not steward the kitchen, but it’s truly nailed rustic regional dining. So much so, it announced a second site would be coming later this year just yesterday.
Tables can be reserved for up to six at camillerestaurant.co.uk
Bar des Prés, Mayfair
Vanilla and pecan praline mille-feuille. ©Bar des Prés.
We’ve previously declared Bar des Prés to be one of the most romantic bars in London, but that’s not to say the food isn’t also a destination. Cyril Lignac’s 50s Parisian movie-inspired, French-Japanese fusion spot serves up sushi rolls stuffed with tartare de thon, black cod glazed in miso and truffle and a very artsy-looking beef tataki. A slightly lighter and incredibly welcome addition to our selection of eateries, Lignac’s Mayfair haunt is not to be missed. Neither is the vanilla and pecan mille-feuille, for that matter.
Bar des Prés has just moved to South Audley Street. Reserve a space at bardespres.com
Orrey by Pierre Minotti, Marylebone
First opened in 1997, Orrey has once again graced London’s dining scene, this time with Pierre Minotti in the kitchen. Having previously worked as Executive Chef at Alex Dilling’s two-star Café Royal, Pierre has serious Michelin intent of his own, with many reviews touting him as destined for the 2027 selection. Blending French haute cuisine and seasonal British produce, the menu comes either in a five- or seven-course roaming format. The dining experience begins first in the Salon du Vin, where you’re greeted with Champagne, before being led to the main dining room where you can enjoy bouillabaisse with Cornish mackerel, Trou Nourmand (a traditional palate cleanser) and more.
Book while you still can orrery-restaurant.co.uk
