Harden's says
High-ceilinged, chic newcomer – opened in September 2020 – that sits in a shiny new St James’s building (‘The Marq’). It’s a site which those with long memories may still recall as Green’s (long RIP). The longish menu of small plates and rather ‘haute’ brasserie dishes (with deserts from a posh trolley) is a witting homage to the grand brasseries of Paris, Lyon and Alsace. But the more substantial options are not served at prices we associate with the term ‘brasserie’. If you’re counting the pennies, head for the basement wine bar, Frank’s (see also).
Harden's survey result
Summary
This “smart bit of France in swanky St James’s” is becoming an established favourite in the West End thanks in large part to its elegant and “buzzy” setting and the fact that it is “well organised”. The classic menu of “French brasserie classics” has “lots of crowd-pleasers”, but opinions divide on the results – to critics it is “a little expensive for what it is”, but fans feel “the food is top-notch” and ratings tend to support those who say this is “a place for serious cooking, not just a big café”. Top Tip – “the dessert trolley is an utter treat”.
Summary
“Paris comes to St James’s” at this “beautiful and buzzy” two-year-old, which has been one of the more impressive arrivals of recent years (it opened in autumn 2020). “Proper, well-executed French-brasserie food” (snails, crab salad, roast chicken, veal, steak and chips…) – “such a relief after all of the faddy nonsense dominating the London restaurant scene” – is delivered by “first-rate” staff throughout the day, from breakfast onwards. And together with the “amazing” high-ceilinged interior, the overall combination makes for a superb “all-round experience”, if one “with prices to match the location”. Top Tips – “the best dessert trolley in London!” and a “fun” basement wine bar called Frank’s.
Summary
“A modern, London take on a classic French format” – this high-ceilinged, “super-cool looking” newcomer opened in September 2020 and sits inside a “beautifully fitted out” new St James’s building (‘The Marq’ – on the site that once was Green’s, long RIP). The longish menu of “classic” small plates and more ‘haute’ brasserie dishes (with desserts from a posh trolley) is a witting homage to the grand brasseries of Paris, Lyon and Alsace – but the more substantial options are not served at prices we associate with the term ‘brasserie’. There’s also a basement wine bar, Frank’s (see also). Top Tip – as well as the expected wine list, there’s also a “fun cocktail selection, which is unusually comprehensive for a restaurant of this high level of cooking”.
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Have you eaten at Maison François?
34 Duke Street St James's, London, SW1Y 6DF
Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £47.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £0.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 15.00% |
34 Duke Street St James's, London, SW1Y 6DF
Opening hours
| Monday | 11:30 am‑12 am |
| Tuesday | 11:30 am‑12 am |
| Wednesday | 11:30 am‑12 am |
| Thursday | 11:30 am‑12 am |
| Friday | 11:30 am‑12 am |
| Saturday | 11:30 am‑12 am |
| Sunday | 5 pm‑12 am |
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