Chez Bruce

“An SW17 legend… sets the local standard… special every time”; local fans never tire of Chez Bruce’s sociable, neighbourly attributes, its high-achieving sense of style or its “consistently superb” Michelin-starred cooking. We also approve of Bruce Poole’s egalitarian approach and the fact that he can produce top-end cooking without eye-watering price tags, fawning service or reverential pomposity.

Eating here is all about having a good time and enjoying great food in surroundings that are underplayed but sophisticated (think neatly laid tables, polished wood floors and striking modern art on pastel walls).

The kitchen’s remit is gusty, generous and immensely flavoursome Euro-inspired cooking – the kind of food that pleases, excites and soothes in equal measure. It’s an ever-changing seasonal feast, but the menu might take you from starters of sautéed duck hearts with pearl barley, roast new season’s garlic, smoked sausage and parsley to desserts such as a seasonally tweaked Arctic roll with poached peach and blackcurrants or buttermilk pudding cheekily partnered by a slice of lemon drizzle cake, lemon curd and strawberries. 

In between, the big-hearted approach could yield prime cuts and earthy platefuls such as wild turbot accompanied by fresh coco beans, cucumber velouté, pickled apple and samphire or rump of veal with ragù-dressed hispi cabbage, crisp polenta, courgette purée and girolles – manna indeed for the well-fed burghers of Wandsworth. Chez Bruce is also famed for its prodigious cheeseboard, and we reckon its “fantastic” assortment deserves much more than a passing sniff.

Brilliant staff and knowledgeable, “old school” service add to the all-round feel-good factor here, while the monumental 600-bin wine list is a treasure trove of classy bottles offering tantalising diversity, style and quality at drinker-friendly prices. In short, Chez Bruce promises “a great night out!”

Bruce Poole was born in Guildford Surrey. After several years in hospitality, he started cooking at Bibendum, followed by The Square then Chez Max and finally his very own Chez Bruce in 1995. Since then, there have been many awards, recognising the culinary prowess of this Wandsworth restaurant. That being said, there is no resting on laurels at Chez Bruce. Poole, along with head chef Matt Christmas' sole focus is the business, and as such rarely appears in the media. It's an old school restaurant in the best of ways, where service is extremely efficient while remaining knowledgable and friendly. Regular staff tastings are key, so that every member of the front of house team knows the menu personally. So much so, in fact, that the staff offer other dining recommendations for London and further afield. 

You'll notice from the menu here that the menu is very much up to date. Starters might include miso-glazed aubergine with ginger, puffed wild rice, sesame, shiso and soy or a lobster ravioli with bisque, pickled fennel, brown shrimp and samphire. You will, however, see more traditional first course options like rabbit rillettes with Armagnac prunes and toast, or deviled lamb's kidney with crisp tongue. Similarly, main courses at Chez Bruce are traditional, featuring the likes of veal rump or stuffed pig's trotters. Unpretentiously, this Michelin-starred restaurant also offers options like steak and chips (admittedly a Chateaubriand with hand-cut chips). 

There are usually around seven dessert options like creme brulee, yoghurt parfait with blood orange and pistachio or Yorkshire rhubarb trifle, not to mention the famous 'grande assiette de fromage Chez Bruce'. There is a huge selection of wine here with plenty by the glass, ranging from affordable half-bottles to a magnum Chateauneuf du Pape. Head sommelier Victor Barre is more than happy to guide your choices.