French
CASSE-CROUTE
For a taste of rustic French cooking you don’t have to cross the Channel, just the Thames (and that’s only if you’re not already in South London) to get to Casse-Croûte in Bermondsey. It’s classic bistro vibes, including checked tablecloths and a menu du jour, in French, chalked up on a blackboard. Expect dishes like rabbit with mustard, bavette with green beans & bernaise sauce, sole meuniere, vanilla mille-feuille and tart au citron, and French (what else?) wine to wash it all down with.
ORRERY
French cooking is the name of the game at Marylebone’s Orrery, and there’s a good selection of the fancy classics alongside some more modern dishes. Chef-patron Igor Tymchyshyn proves his pedigree with dishes like Dorset crab, wasabi, avocado & mango; butter soft tournedos rossini with celeriac; chicken parfait, apple, onion crumb, toasted sourdough; and a rhubarb dessert with fruit cooked three different ways. Of course, the twenty-four page wine list and the legendary cheese trolley are reasons enough to visit alone and even though the food is fine dining you don’t feel too fussed over.