Top Best French Restaurants in Thornton Heath

"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."

"There's few other places where celebrity spotting in London goes down to the extent it does at Sketch. Legend for its creative profile in the drinking and dining world, Sketch is somewhere you go for an experience that's wholly unique, scattered with luxury (and a few celebs) as well as some incredible food and drink."

"The Lecture Room & Library, also known as Sketch, was a new addition to to the list in 2020 and continues to keep its stars. It’s also one of the 16 Mayfair restaurants with Michelin stars in 2020. The Library offers a sophisticated French menu, with a seven-course meal priced at £120."

"A haunt of City types (located, as it is, just around the corner from the Bank of England, at the amusingly named ‘No. 1 Poultry’), the grass-lined roof of this restaurant and bar is the perfect place to sip drinks whilst watching the wheels of British financial institutions being oiled. A menu of classic French dishes compliments the English garden party atmosphere. 1 Poultry, London , United Kingdom"

"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"

"Taking up a huge space on the top floor, this is one of the City's most famous alfresco spots. If you can grab a space here on a busy weekday lunchtime, you've done a good job. Also, make sure to find your way onto the lawn out at the back with great views of the City."

"Chris and Jeff Galvin deliver French fine dining that’s both sophisticated and approachable. With six restaurants now under their belt, the acclaimed brother duo have proven that the atmosphere and hospitality of family-run businesses always works best. Michelin-starred restaurant Galvin La Chapelle, housed within the beautiful high-vaulted St. Botolph’s Hall, is the crown in their collection."

"What do you do if you can’t find a unique space for your restaurant on the crowded streets of London?"

"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."

"Otto’s may only have been open for seven years, but it feels like it’s been an integral part of London’s restaurant scene forever. And at a time when restaurants were all about sharing plates and open kitchens, this Grays Inn Road restaurant was properly old school from day one - reintroducing Londoners to the joy of Gueridon service with dishes like the steak tartare prepared tableside. But really there’s only one dish to order at Otto’s - the Canard Presse which is one duck for two guests over three courses of sheer theatricality."

"Properly old-school French, Otto's has carved out a niche for itself because of a serious bit of kit called the duck press. This dish sees the breast sliced, then the rest of the duck (bar the legs) pressed in the special screw press giving a juice to which Cognac and duck liver are added before it's poured over the rare slices which finish cooking in the sauce. Both very rich and very pricey but, by all accounts, like nothing else in town."

"Otto’s is somewhat of an institution when it comes to the best French restaurants in London. They do classic French cuisine which is old-school, traditional and deliciously hearty. Dine here if you’re after lobster bisque, foie gras terrine, French rabbit and veal sweetbreads."

"Less shiny Parisian bistro and more rustic rural French eatery, this bar and restaurant just off Trafalgar Square specialises in low-intervention natural wines, and food to match. Come for a glass, a bottle and some small plates or a full-blown meal and enjoy the likes of cured meats and cheeses, rich fish soups and unctuous rillettes. If you want to get carried away with wine, then you’re in the right place; if not, starting prices for a glass are about £6."

"Split over two floors, Terroirs in London’s West End is both a wine bar and restaurant. Reserve a table on the ground floor to sample fine wines and pick at small plates of charcuterie and cheese, or choose to sit in the cellar restaurant for exquisite three-course meals. Order oysters by the half dozen, sample the bouillabaisse or the red mullet, or, if you’re feeling carnivorous, share a whole black leg chicken or a one-kilogram Angus T-bone steak."

"While the majority of our listed restaurants offer excellent French wines, we thought it worthy to include Terroirs as the stand-out wine destination. This charming wine bar in Charing Cross is exceptionally knowledgeable and passionate about recognising the worth of every bottle. The word terroir actually refers to the characteristic flavour imparted to a wine from the environment it is produced in, such as soil and climate."

"Sir Christopher Wren Hotel & Spa, Thames Street, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 1PX. The prices at this upmarket hotel reflect the historical backdrop (the ramparts of Windsor Castle) and location (overlooking the Thames), but for dishes such as venison and truffle pie or chicken wrapped in pancetta and served in a port wine jus, we think they’re probably justified. The ‘bubbles and jazz’ Sunday lunch is popular with locals."

"This romantic riverside hotel and spa boasts a 4-star rating thanks to its sleek 98 rooms and apartments. Tucked away on a historic cobbled street by Eton Bridge, it's the ideal spot for a bit of R&R thanks to the amenities including a gym, spa treatments, outdoor jacuzzi and sauna. Meanwhile the rooms are bright and spacious yet still cosy, for a homely feel."

"Pros: The location is good, it is great to have breakfast on the Thames and Eaton Bridge early in the morning. The same English breakfast. The parking lot needs to be parked outside."

"When it comes to authentic Italian gelato, Prime Gelato is the real deal. Smooth, flavourful and with just the right amount of sweetness, this is gourmet gelato at its best. Exceptional quality and velvety textures come together to produce real gelato that keeps Italians and Londoners alike coming back."