Bébé Bob

The team behind Bob Bob Ricard have made a smart move with this rotisserie chicken-focused concept. Vegetarians and vegans aside, we can’t imagine people’s enduring love for the stuff wavering any time soon, and in a world where we’re all too often saturated with choice, it’s somewhat refreshing to be presented with a menu where the only decision we must make is between ‘chicken or chicken’.  

Simple the concept might be, but staid it is not. Firstly, Bebe Bob is beautiful. The dining room looks like an art-deco installation straight out of a Hollywood movie – all soft edges, royal colours and dim lighting. There’s a curvaceous cocktail bar at the front of space, fitted with dinky table lamps and cobalt leather stools, while towards the back and raised slightly above the main floor, is a crimson hideaway complete with circular booths and bespoke artwork. 

Clearly not wanting to stray too far from Bob Bob’s trademark glamour, the option is there to upgrade your experience to be as lavish as you please. We start with a glass of Taittinger and a trio of caviar, for example, served with warm blinis and a quenelle of crème fraiche. If you don’t fancy shelling out £40 for a starter, there’s a very good prawn cocktail for the more modest price of £12 that’s sweet, vinegary and refreshing. The star of the show – supremely juicy, golden-skinned, deeply-flavoured rotisserie chicken – is some of the best we’ve eaten, while a selection of mix and match sides include oozy truffled cauliflower cheese and crisp chicken fat roast potatoes – both must orders. The dessert list ranges from boozy truffles to chocolate fondant to ice cold lemon vodka shots, as well as a fantastic, layered honey cake finished with bubbly honeycomb and gold leaf.  

Whether you’re looking for an elevated dining experience in central or simply fancy a top-notch chicken dinner, there’s a place for all at Bebe Bob. It’s brilliant fun, and we’d do it all again in a heartbeat.  

From the team behind Bob Bob Ricard comes Bébé Bob, a well-priced restaurant inspired by a love of rotisserie chicken, caviar, cocktails and Champagne. Open for lunch and dinner, you can find the 56-cover restaurant just off Golden Square, a stone’s throw from Bob Bob Ricard’s original site in Soho. Bébé Bob sees the brand go in a slightly different direction with a more affordable offering. That being said, Bébé Bob is one of the most glamorous rotisserie in existence.

Interiors at Bébé Bob draw inspiration from the Golden Age, from the red and blue colour scheme to art deco-inspired details like soft leather banquets, a bespoke geometric-patterned carpet and glass screens.

Kick things off by working through a unique cocktail list formed in collaboration with Mr Lyan, the most decorated bartender in the world. It features a Red Apple Spritz and Fries & Champagne cocktail, but paired with chicken and caviar-focused bar snacks (like schnitzel nuggets with caviar or lemon cream caviar doughnuts), the Bebe Lyan Martini is the top choice.

Whether on the express lunch menu or a la carte, rotisserie chicken is the focus of the Bébé Bob menu, the website makes that clear: ‘Any dish the customer wants, as long as it’s chicken or chicken.’ Choose between Vendée chicken from Pays de la Loire or Landais chicken from Gascony. Served whole and carved tableside with a chicken jus, you’ll find sides like truffled French fries, mixed leaf salads, and sauteed kale in confit garlic to accompany. Desserts, meanwhile, feature the likes of apple tarte tatin with calvados ice cream and caramel.

In time-honoured Bob Bob tradition, wines here are the best value in London, often below retail price. It’s made for chicken, with half the list dedicated to Champagne and Burgundy regions, and the other to classic wines from the rest of the world.