SOHO · £££
The French House
4.51,990 reviews
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The tiny upstairs dining room at 49 Dean Street, where Neil Borthwick (ex-Merchants Tavern, married to Angela Hartnett) cooks a short, hand-written daily menu of robust French country food. Twelve covers, two sittings, a room that's been Soho's living room since 1891.
FrenchHistoric SohoTiny dining roomLong lunch
Real Talk
What to actually expect.
Upstairs only is bookable
The famous downstairs pub is walk-in (and famously no-phones, half-pints-of-beer-only). The dining room above is the bookable bit. Reserve via frenchhousesoho.com, diary opens 60 days out.
Tiny room, tight rules
Seven tables, max party of six, two sittings per service. Not a long-lingering room on a busy night. Lunch is the connoisseur's move.
Daily handwritten menu
No menu on the website; the day's list goes up on Instagram. Lovely if you trust the kitchen, awkward if you've got a fussy eater in tow.