Top Best French Restaurants in Crystal Palace

"Occupying what used to be the headquarters of Christian Dior, Sketch is chic, glamorous and trendy. In the Michelin Guide 2020, it was elevated to the maximum three stars, putting it in an elite group alongside Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester. The Lecture Room & Library, at the top of the Grade II listed building, offers haute-cuisine by the extraordinary chef Pierre Gagnaire in a plush setting of studded ivory leather walls, ornate plasterwork ceilings, and rich furnishings in purple and crimson."

"Perhaps the most Instagrammable restaurant in London, Sketch boasts distinctive powder-pink interiors set in an 18th-century Mayfair townhouse. The Wes Anderson-esque space, the work of Paris-based interior designer India Mahdavi, comprises pink walls and matching scalloped, pink-velvet booths, completed by artworks courtesy of David Shrigley, who also designed the restaurant’s flatware. The food is equally well-designed, described by the restaurant as “site-specific sculptural works."

"Just as famous for its interiors, French chef Pierre Gaignaire’s Sketch flagship is one of a select number of London restaurants with two Michelin stars. So the cooking belongs to a certain tradition, offering the likes of whole pigeon, pigeon terrine, beetroot, buckwheat crepe, and cherry for £54. It recently celebrated its 15th anniversary, which means neither Sketch’s sort of finery nor the boldest of bold designs have yet to fall out of fashion."

"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."

"Located in the heart of the city, Coq d’Argent is within close proximity to St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and the Southbank. The French restaurant and brasserie serves an all-day French menu and evening cocktails in the midst of a unique heated rooftop garden. A little bit of paradise amongst the skyscrapers.coqdargent.co.uk"

"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."

"Whilst French restaurants are often known for meat and cheese, Gauthier does things differently. There are two entirely vegan menus to choose from, including a seven-course vegan tasting menu for £65. Featured image: @bonvivantrestaurant"

"Winner of the Best Vegan Menu at the PETA Vegan Food Awards in 2016 and since popping up on many of London’s best restaurant lists, this fine dining restaurant is known for inventing a vegan alternative to foie gras."

"A romantic evening doesn’t have to mean candle light, rose petals and feeding each other oysters – in London, anything goes. So, for couples who are a little bit cooler there’s Bob Bob Cité, the second venue from the creators of iconic Soho haunt Bob Bob Ricard. Hidden away on the second floor of the Leadenhall Building in Bank, this 21st century take on a traditional French brasserie will dazzle your senses."

"If you’re looking for cool restaurants in London, book a cosy booth at the futuristic Bob Bob Cité, a traditional brasserie with a 21st-century feel. Order some bubbly with a single touch of a button, and hey presto… If you can tear yourself away from the gaze of your date amid all the bubbles, select from modern takes on French classics."

"It was five years in the making and that really shows in this sequel to Bob Bob Ricard. Easily one of the most stunning rooms in town, this restaurant also features one of the best French chefs in town, Eric Chavot. The menu here is upscale French food, with dishes including Daube De Boeuf Provencal and Grilled Lobster Thermidor."

"Bon Vivant, an unassuming French restaurant with classic Parisian outside seating and sumptuous interior design, is a lovely, low-key option in Bloomsbury. The staff hail from all over Europe and are led by a French manager, who ensures they all partake in French lessons after joining his team, so as to keep things feeling as authentic as possible. And it works, particularly alongside the oh-so-French menu, which sees classics given a modern update: think escargots (snails) doused in a buttery mix of garlic, so that the parsley and shallots drip down your chin and need mopping up with a warm slice of the restaurant’s homemade bread."

"Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all on the cards at Bon Vivant, which also includes such delights as bavette steak and an Earl Grey crème brûlée. Yeah, we’re drooling too."

"More a place to come for a full brunch or to eat a filling main course, this ‘deliciously french’ bistro also serves delicious homemade brioche, Croque monsieur/madame and homemade desserts, baked the French way. You can enjoy a range of tarts or see what Antoinette’s cake of the day is!. 30 The Market Building, Covent Garden WC2E 8RE"

"The Langdon Down Museum of Learning Disability is housed in the building that Victorian doctor Dr John Langdon Down lived and worked in. In this building, Dr Down researched and took new approaches to caring for people with learning disabilities. The museum today highlights exhibits about the work of Dr John as well as Normansfield Theatre and the Royal Earlswood Asylum."

"Boasting an impressive selection of breads, rolls, pastries, cakes, and freshly made sandwiches, family-run Rinkoff Wholesale Bakery certainly knows its stuff. However, setting aside the traditional, its recent foray into the delicacy known as a ‘cronut,’ a cross between a croissant and a doughnut, has been met with enthusiasm. Titled the ‘crodough,’ Rinkoff’s take on this hybrid snack includes nine different flavours."

"Established in 1911, Rinkoff bakery is a family run business in the heart of Whitechapel. With over a hundred years of honing its baking skills, Rinkoff bakery is sure to sell you the perfect doughnut. Crodoughs, a gorgeous croissant-doughnut hybrid is Rinkoff’s most renowned menu item."

"Bakery/Cafe , Jewish"

"Restaurants Snack bars Soho. They say: ‘When baking bread is your passion, it’s a short but gratifying leap into the endlessly creative realm of cakes, brownies, cookies and madeleines.’. The sweet stuff:A big ol’ range, running the gamut from lemon drizzle cakes and sour cherry chocolate scones to shortbreads and biscuits."

"You can find GAIL's in numerous different locations, but the King’s Road one makes the list simply for its classic black shop front that reminds us of a Victorian apothecary. Its cinnamon buns are a little crispier than the traditional soft dough kanelbulle but still delicious, and their chocolate pecan brownies are possibly the best in London. Various locations; gailsbread.co.uk"

"GAIL’s is extremely popular among the London crowd, and it’s easy to see why. One of the best desserts in London is the gorgeous Lemon & Rose cake. It is quite small for the price you pay, but the flavors are unbeatable."