The French House
Pub · Soho
49 Dean St, London W1D 5BG, United Kingdom
Highlights
Literary Soho pub with French fare, wine, and a no-tech rule
Literary Soho pub with French fare, wine, and a no-tech rule
"Few London pubs are as well-known as The French House in Soho: this place is a classic and the French food follows suit. While the downstairs of this drinking institution is still kept to just that, walk up the creaking 18th-century stairs and you’ll find a red-walled, yellow-lit dining room. This place is made for consumption. Specifically terrine, steak, coffee mousse and, of course, wine." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, sinead cranna
"Few London pubs are as well-known as The French House in Soho: this place is a classic and the French food follows suit. While the downstairs of this drinking institution is kept mostly to that, if you walk up the creaking stairs you’ll find a red-walled, bright dining room. This is London’s finest location for the longest of lunches. Come on a Thursday for impeccable steak frites, rich, boozy chocolate mousse, and, of course, wine." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, daisy meager
"The French House is guaranteed to be rammed pretty much every night of the week and though that can be a little annoying if you’re arriving after 6pm, it’s kind of what this whole institution is about. Drinkers are still seated on a first come first served basis but this is Soho’s oldest old school spot - so expect a number of gregarious regulars to have set up shop from midday sharp. Wine and champagne are, as they should be, the drinks of choice." - jake missing
"French in name and menu, but decidedly British in nature, The French is less of an institution and more of a genuine source of London-wide pride. The Soho boozer’s cosy upstairs dining room is similarly wonderful, and has the air of a place that has seen thousands of glasses spilled and hundreds of thousands more poured. The menu is a mix of British and French techniques and combinations. Confit garlic and goats’ curd on toast, say, or apple crumble and calvados custard. Thursday is steak frites day, with pink rib-eye and peerless crispy homemade fries." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, daisy meager, sinead cranna
"Soho’s most-loved and lauded drinking hole has been around since 1891 and is always packed to the rafters. But that’s part of its charm and it’s a pub that’s steeped in tradition. Only half-pints are served, screens are frowned upon, and taking a bar seat when it says ‘reserved’ is the act of a witless tourist. Many of The French’s regulars have been posting up for a few decades and, as long as you aren’t fussy about standing and have the street smarts to grab a nook or a cranny when you see one, you’ll get comfortable very quickly." - jake missing
