The French House: what to order and when to go

The French House is a pub with a dining room at 49 Dean Street, Soho, and it is Grade II listed. The house rules are short and have not changed: no music, no machines, no television, no mobile phones. You come to talk.

A little history

It opened in 1891 as the York Minster. Wikipedia says it was designed by Alfred W. Blomfield and opened by a German publican, Christian Schmitt. After Schmitt died in 1911 his wife Bertha ran it until 1914, when she sold to the Belgian Victor Berlemont. The bill of sale is still on the wall. His son Gaston was born in the pub that year and ran it until 1989, when Lesley Lewis took over. Per Spitalfields Life, that makes three publicans since 1891.

The wartime story is that it was the Free French drinking headquarters, and that de Gaulle's “À tous les Français“ speech was written here. Treat that as legend, but it is a good one to have in your head with a glass in your hand. The pub has long drawn writers, artists, actors and playwrights, and the walls carry the memorabilia.

What to order downstairs

Beer here comes in half pints only, except on Pints Day, 1 April, when the first pint is poured at midday in aid of charity. Nobody agrees why. Time Out has pointed to a 1920s fight with sailors and smashed glasses, others say it keeps people chatting, and Londonist reports the pub itself stays tight-lipped. Order a half of Meteor, the French lager recommended by The Infatuation, which calls squeezing in and ordering a half one of London's great joys.

Prefer a cocktail? Palate Magazine once recorded a French House Negroni at £8, but that review is old, so expect the price to have moved.

What to order upstairs

The dining room is red-walled with white tablecloths. The menu changes daily and there is a specials board. Chef Neil Borthwick is Scottish, and Hardens lists Michel Bras and Phil Howard among his influences. Dishes praised in reviews include:

• Steak frites and rillettes with cornichons (The Infatuation)
• Chocolate and rum mousse, which The Infatuation pairs with sauternes
• Steak tartare and duck breast with lentils from the specials board (Professional Lunch, June 2026), plus a Gevrey-Chambertin it called “stupendous“ and affordable

Menus move, so treat these as a guide to the kitchen's hand rather than a promise. If you can only pick one thing, make it the steak tartare.

When to go

The bar is small and the crowd is a mix of bankers, thesps, drunks and tourists, in The Infatuation's words. Some recent Tripadvisor reviews call it overcrowded and hard to get served in, so evenings are the squeeze. For the bar, go soon after opening, on a weekday, when you have a better chance of elbow room. For the dining room, a weekday lunch is the sweet spot: The Infatuation calls the place London's finest location for the longest of lunches.

Hours and booking

• Bar: Monday to Friday, half eleven in the morning to eleven at night; Sunday, midday to half ten. Check Saturday before you set out.
• Restaurant: Monday to Saturday, lunch midday to 3pm and dinner 6pm to half nine. Some listings give slightly different hours, so confirm on the pub's own site. Check bank holiday opening too.
• Bar seating: no reservations for drinks, first come, first served.
• Dining room: two sittings per service, bookings open 60 days ahead, the largest group is six, and card details are needed. A late cancellation charge applies within 24 hours. Book through the official site or by email.

What it costs

At the time of the August 2025 Edible Reading review, most starters were £12 and mains (excluding sharers) ran £28 to £35. A bill for two including 12.5% service came to just over £226. Hardens puts a three-course dinner with half a bottle of wine, coffee and cover at roughly £67 to £81 a head, and Andy Hayler averaged £85 for three courses with modest wine. Prices change, so check before booking.

The short version

Go for a half of Meteor at the bar early on a weekday, or book lunch upstairs and order the steak tartare. More on the history is on Wikipedia, and the Pints Day story is told by Londonist.