Top Best French Restaurants in Richmond

"Straddling a fine balance between ritzy and trippy, WOW factor prevails during your visit to sketch. You’ll bypass several mind-boggling tearooms that seem to conjure an Alice in Wonderland of the future, and pause upon entering an oversized white capsule resembling a UFO. So what happens at this intergalactic party?"

"Pierre Gagnaire's uber chic Mayfair restaurant is certainly for special occasions - it's one of the most expensive meals in town. There are multiple dining rooms within the building, all with very different looks and menus. There are also incredibly instagrammable loos."

"Sketch kept popping up (from other sites, friends, IG) but the site doesn’t seem to let me make reservation for one. were you traveling alone, and did you have that issue?"

"Coq d’Argent’s rooftop garden is an oasis of greenery in the city|© Dalston Roof Park. Find a slice of bucolic paradise in the centre of the City of London at Coq d’Argent, which brings the charms of the French farmyard to the top of the appropriately named No 1 Poultry building, complete with a heated rooftop terrace. The food is rich and refined, dedicated to the French classics of the belle époque – think cutlets of veal smothered in sauce or a fillet steak stuffed with mushroom duxelles – belt-busting stuff that’s best ordered just after payday."

"If you haven’t been to Coq d’Argent yet, then you best make sure you get there this year. Surely, you’ve seen the massive rooftop lawns overlooking Bank Junction and the rest of the City on Instagram before. But it’s far from being one of those tourist destinations where you get to see across London but then are inevitably underwhelmed by the food and drink options."

"Coq d’ Argent is my go-to rooftop bar when Mother Nature isn’t playing her part. Come rain or shine, you’ll be safely tucked away on their cosy covered terraces. It’s also one of the most spacious and greenest rooftop bars in the city."

"This high-ceilinged, architecturally stunning former chapel makes an impressive backdrop for French-minded fine-dining, with doting but not disruptive service sealing the deal. This Spitalfields spot is romance at its most classic, and is a haven from the busy streets of east London. Lovely lighting and a particularly good wine list make it an alluring room to while away hours over a glass or several."

"The first of two award-winning French restaurants from the brothers Galvin. Under the high ceilings of St Botolph’s Hall, the seven-course Menu Gourmand will satisfy your appetite for £85."

"This newly opened French bistrot – located just next door to Galvin La Chapelle in the heart of Spitalfields – features the type of big French dishes that you're unlikely to have cooked in lockdown. Think cassoulet and slow-cooked beer braised pork cheeks; the kind of food that gives you a hug from the inside. Their outdoor seating benefits from having ample cover to keep you sheltered if any weather crops up as you tuck into classic French dishes and delicious wines."

"Head over to this pretty Spitalfields restaurant where they'll be serving up a phenomenal brunch spread every Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy free-flowing prosecco or Champagne alongside three courses of delicious food including eggs benedict, miso-glazed aubergine and french toast."

"Head to Galvin Bistrot & Bar, where Michelin-starred chefs Chris and Jeff Galvin will take you across the Channel to French bistrots of Paris and Lyon with their menu of elegant eats, handpicked wines and stylish decor."

"Somewhat bemusingly, it claims to be the oldest French restaurant in London despite only being founded in the 1940s. Still, the menu is brimming with classic French dishes, so we’ll forgive this apparent fib."

"Doing for French brasserie food what its stablemate Strada did for trattoria-style Italian cuisine, Côte mixes smart, glossy interiors with a menu of pure-bred bourgeois classics from moules marinière to steak frites. ‘Formule’ breakfasts, ‘plats rapides’ and a thoroughly Francophile drinks list complete the picture. Flagship site: 8 Wimbledon High Street, SW19 5DX"

"The Bistro at the Bleeding Heart has been there for years and took its name from the courtyard on which it’s situated. It’s said that 400 years ago a beautiful woman was ripped apart by a jealous lover. When she was found, her heart was still pumping blood all over the courtyard!"

"Classic French cookery and old-world interiors combine here to create a comfortable ambiance, making it the perfect spot for entertaining. Expect dishes like moules marinière or lapin à la moutarde followed by chocolate mousse."

"A lovely laidback bistro in the heart of Farringdon, the Bleeding Heart is charmingly rustic. They boast a cute little courtyard, and a wine list of 450 bottles – you’re already on the way, aren’t you?"

"It’s international status as a pillar of British cooking may be slightly overblown, but fish and chips is still a longstanding Friday night favourite. Poppies’s founder Pops has been honouring it for quite some time: he’s been working in the chippie business since 1952. The rockabilly-themed restaurants get their chunky fish fillets daily from a third-generation Billingsgate fishmonger, fry them until the batter is crunchy but yielding, and serve them with fabulously fluffy proper chips."

"This legendary family-run fish and chip shop might have multiple venues now, but at each outlet the ethos remains the same: top-class fish and chips served with a smile. With a dedicated fishmonger in the team, you can expect the freshest fare and expert handling resulting in combinations like a classic cod and chips or something more adventurous such as calamari, scampi or even a seafood platter. With starters, puds and kids’ meals, too there’s truly something for everyone here."

"Open since 1945, award-winning Poppies is one of the tastiest cheap eats in London. Costing from as little as £5.95, Poppies’ menu which is full of secret family recipes, fresh fish, scrumptious savouries, and golden chips will keep you coming back for more. Located in Spitalfields and Camden, Poppies’ will transport you back in time with their newspaper-wrapped takeaways, 1940’s decor and even live music at their Camden fish bar."

"Costa Azul is one of the few Latin American restaurants in Elephant and Castle to specialise in Ecuadorian food, very much with a coastal bias. It’s the seafood that brings groups of people here every Thursday — Sunday evening: in soup, in stews, in rice, grilled, boiled, fried, in ceviche. Specifics: encocado mixto is a coconut rich stew of prawns, squids and mussels on rice; a super arroz marinero is essentially the same again, but mixed in with wet rice to a slightly-drier-than-risotto consistency with a side of sea bass fillet, breaded prawns and crab claws."

"Head to Little Venice for an authentic taste of the Mediterranean. The Summerhouse is a bright, unfussy restaurant with a tantalising seafood-heavy menu. It affords canal-side seating, perfect for whiling away summer weekends watching the boats float by."

"6 floors up from the madness of Leicester Square lies an oasis of calm in the form of the AWAY Spa at W London. The spa is all-white and minimalist, with smooth, sleep lines. A team of celebrity therapists are on hand to help you: from the signature facials by Su-Man and advanced aesthetics of Dr. Wong, expert tanning of James Harknett, to Ruthie Belle's stunning eyelashes and hair styling of Sergio Giannasso."

"This luxe Soho spa at the W Hotel on Leicester Square is the go-to place for glamour, perfectly placed for pampering ahead of a night on the town. Revitalise your body with one of their tailor-made treatments or revive your soul in their sauna and steam rooms. Book a ritual or package for a loved one, including specials for the ‘modern gentleman’ and ‘the entrepreneur’."

"This vibrant and superbly sexy London hotel and spa is an energising experience from the spa to the restaurant. Putting you in the mood to party and recover the next day, it’s a breath of fresh air in the heart of Soho."

"Kind of like the Borough Street Market but with a little more room to breathe and browse, Maltby Street Market is a favourite of both locals and visitors. I know it’s naughty to have favourites, but IMHO Maltby Street is pretty much the best street food market in London – it’s not too corporate, not too slick and the food is insanely good. My biggest recommendations are the steak frites at The Beefsteaks, the ridiculously decadent cheese toasties at The Cheese Truck and gyoza at Gyoza Guys."

"You won't just find your usual street food offering here (although there is plenty of that too). At Maltby, you can also expect some more gourmet twists on traditional dishes, alongside craft beers and fresh local produce - all in a very laidback setting under picturesque railway arches. When to visit: It's open on weekends, Saturdays from 10am-5pm and Sundays from 11am-4pm."

"Found on Bermondsey’s Ropewalk, between the railway arches and the LASSCO salvage warehouse, this heaving strip of a market started taking shape in 2009. Back then, it was just coffee kings Monmouth cupping up for a couple of hours every Saturday. Now, it’s a proper institution, and the main contender to Borough Market’s crown."