Cafe Francois

It was surely only a matter of time before Maison Francois - one of the capital’s best French restaurants - threw its chapeau into the ring with a more affordable brasserie. 2024 will be remembered for, among other things, the proliferation of French bistros and brasseries across London, and great things are expected of Cafe Francois, which has nabbed the prize site in Borough Yards.

It feels huge as you enter. A cafe-patisserie sits at the front, with staff busily making coffee and handing out fresh croissants, but turn left and you’re striding briskly over tiled mosaic floors, sliding nimbly past a legion of staff in fetching orange and dark green worker jackets. Huge Georgian style windows invite light in from all angles, and as you walk around the ground floor, you’ll see the trademark dessert case - permanently ensconced at one end of the restaurant next to a selection of merch (sadly not the worker jackets). Plus, there’s a whole upstairs floor as well, which means Cafe Francois really packs in the covers.

Consider that the bistro runs breakfast and brunch menus, as well as an all-day menu, a deli and a cafe-patisserie. It’s a gargantuan operation, with a mass of moving parts. And yet, everything feels slick - an underrated restaurant skill that Maison Francois has also mastered. Staff are busy, but polite and helpful. The croissants are excellent. Escargots are suitably tender and garlicky, as are crispy frog’s legs in a tangy, Dijon-spiked sauce ravigote. Most of the menu sticks to tried-and-tested classics, but the execution is exemplary. The £19 steak frites might just be the best we’ve had in the capital - the onglet is a perfect melting rare-medium rare, the fries superb, the peppercorn sauce sublime. For that alone, Cafe Francois has earned its place in Borough Market.

Desserts are slightly more of a mixed bag - we tried a sublime tarte aux pommes and a Paris-Brest that was a little dense for our tastes, but you can’t go wrong with eclairs and macarons if you want to finish on something lighter. No matter, though - Cafe Francois will doubtless get better from here, and that signals very good things indeed for Londoners.

The team behind Maison François in London's St James's - a traditional brasserie and wine bar owned by François O’Neill - has headed south of the river with this second restaurant. Café François takes inspiration from California’s delis, Montreal’s bistros, and Paris’ cafés, offering an array of affordable French dishes, as well as dishes that have been inspired by more international influences. O’Neill works alongside executive chef Matthew Ryle and Ed Wyand who head up the front of house. 

The all-day café in London’s bustling Borough Market covers two floors. Downstairs, diners can find a deli counter and rotisserie, while upstairs there is an open kitchen which is visible through a glass wall, as well as two dining rooms. 

At breakfast time, there are a variety of savoury and sweet pastries, sandwiches, and eggs to choose from. The bakery is situated in house, and the patisserie is visible thanks to a custom designed cabinet in the dining room. 

Cafe Francois seamlessly switches into lunch service, offering sliced to order rotisserie chicken, classic salads, escargot by the half dozen, plates of Bayonne ham and steak tartare. If that doesn’t take your fancy, you can also choose a steak sandwich with Béarnaise sauce, or a delicious roast soft shell crab banh mi. Upstairs, the open kitchen turns out everyone’s favourite brasserie classics, from Toulouse sausage with lentils to vadouvan curry with monkfish, or even a whole lobster with fries to share. 

Director of wine, Daniel Illsley, has focused on international and sustainable bottles to create an intriguing wine list, while the cocktail menu sticks to well-loved classics. If you find yourself in Borough Market, Café François is perfect for all dining occasions, be it a quick rotisserie chicken sandwich to go, or a full-blown dinner in its elegant dining room.