Maison Francois

The brainchild of restaurateur Francois O’Neill and former MasterChef: The Professionals finalist Matthew Ryle, Maison Francois is an upmarket French restaurant in St James’s which pays homage to the grand brasseries of Paris.

The dining room is a large and imposing space, featuring impossibly high ceilings and an oversized bronze clock hanging from the wall above the pass. However, clever design hacks, including curved banquettes and tables separated by wood panelling and latticed glass, help the room to retain an air of intimacy and stop it from feeling soulless.

The menu of simple yet meticulously crafted brasserie classics is designed for sharing and is written almost entirely in French, so you will need to know your poulet from your poisson. Maison Francois is also the kind of place where you’ll see a waiter zipping past with something delicious and immediately want to add it to your order, a request which the well-drilled staff will be happy to accommodate.

Everything here is well seasoned and often bathed in oil or butter, meaning this is not the place for calorie conscious dining, but rather a restaurant in which to throw caution to the wind and your diet out the window: a slab of pate en croute with a crumbly crust conceals a thick layer of jelly and comes with sharp cornichons that arrive in their own wooden pot, fresh baked gougeres explode in the mouth with comte cheese and a twist on moules mariniere sees it served atop pillowy flatbread which adds an extra layer of indulgence to the famously rich dish.

Maison Francois’ trump card though is its pudding trolley, which is essentially a Parisian patisserie condensed into a multi-drawer chest, filled with layer upon layer of delcatable eclairs, florentines, macarons, Paris-Brest and more. It’s the simplest of ideas but one which lifts the experience of dining here into the realm of pure elation.

If you are not quite ready to leave, head downstairs to the alluring basement bar Frank’s, home to a low-key glamorous design and more than 250 wines, as well as the novel option to pair wines with bar snacks from the same region.

With its sleek service, glowing ambience and skilfully executed dishes, Maison Francois manages to achieve that rarest of feats - a dining room which emits pure joy from the moment you walk through the door.

In an enviable St James’s spot formerly occupied by Green’s restaurant and bar, Maison Francois draws inspiration from the grand brasseries of Paris, Lyon and Alsace with MasterChef: The Professionals 2018 finalist Matthew Ryle taking up the helm in the kitchen.

The name behind the new venture is Francois O’Neill, whose pedigree in the restaurant industry should stand him in good stead. O’Neill’s father Hugh was co-founder of Brasserie St Quentin in Knightsbridge which later became Brompton Bar & Grill when Francois took over in 2008.

Chef Matthew Ryle also has an impressive heritage, having trained at The Dorchester before becoming head chef at Mayfair fashion hangout Isabel at the tender age of 22.

Maison Francois serves a menu of French brasserie classics such as Reblochon gougères, oeufs mimosa and ravioli dauphine alongside a selection of fresh seafood, hearty terrines, patés and homemade charcuterie to keep patrons happy from lunch through to dinner. A wood-fired grill turns out cuts of meat and whole fish, while vegetarians are well catered for with the likes of pea fricassee with broad beans, gem lettuce, Riesling and tarragon.  

For something sweet diners can look forward to the arrival of a traditional pudding trolley serving all the adored French classics: praline Paris-Brest, gateau Marjolaine and a selection of seasonal fruit tarts. The restaurant also houses an in-house bakery serving breads and patisserie, available all day but perfect for breakfast.

The decor is equally traditional, with art-deco chandeliers suspended from the 20ft-high ceilings, mirrored arches and off-white drapery.

Downstairs, Frank’s wine bar offers up rustic sharing plates of cold meats and terrines with carefully matched wines and sherries. Both restaurant and bar are watched over by the eager eye of Ed Wyand, former maître d’ at Scott’s and owner of Verden wine bar, who heads up the front of house team.

According to O’Neill: “Maison François will be everything a brasserie should be – welcoming, fun and hospitable, with classic dishes made with the best seasonal produce we can get our hands on – while also ripping up the rulebook when it comes to service.

“We’ll show great respect for the legendary restaurants we admire, while marrying this heritage with our love for the dining culture of cities across France. Brasserie St Quentin is a hard act to follow, but I’m looking forward to putting my own stamp on the brasserie tradition.”