To enter here, ring the gold doorbell. You'll be escorted inside of what appears to have been a multi level residence in past years. It's an extremely charming white tablecloth atmosphere. The food here is excellent and very filling. Servers were excited to discuss the ingredients used and knew quite a lot about each dish. The menu is seasonal and I would definitely go back when it changes. The standalone cocktail I ordered was mid-tier. Next time I would opt for the pairing or stick with water read more

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What a wonderful experience. Vegan fine dining to its best. 10 course of flavor, beauty and delight with great service in a lovely cozy and elegant sitting. Definitely a must try even if you are not vegan! read more

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Might have been one of the best dinners of my life! Excellent vegan food with unexpected flavors! Every single dish was perfect ! The ambiance was so cute. I recommend the grand tasting experience! I wish they had a location in the states ! It was the first time I had to ring a doorbell to enter a restaurant which was a cute touch ! read more

Gauthier Soho - French Near Me - London, XGL

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The food was sublime. Alvin made the service fantastic. We have been here many times and have enjoyed the meal every time but this time because of Alvin we believe our experience was truly elevated. It is a must visit in London. You cannot even imagine that you're having a vegan meal. Make sure you identify this as a go to spot read more

By far the best Vegan Restaurant on Earth. The menus are creative and unreal. The flavors are fantastic! Service is impeccable but not stuffy. Just get a reservation way in advance and go. read more

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What a delightful experience that my husband and I had at Gauthier Soho. We both selected the wine pairing for our tasting courses, which were both indulgent and fun because they were such big pours. Cost about 500 GBP total, which equated to a little over $500 USD due to awesome exchange rate when we visited. My husband has been vegan for over 30 years so this was such a unique experience for him because of the creativity involved as well as it being delicious. As far as ambience goes, it was an intimate setting with simple, classy furnishings. What I did notice was that our sommelier was also our server for most of our courses - probably due to reducing overhead expenses wherever they can. I hope Gauthier Soho continues to thrive as a vegan fine-dining restaurant, and more restaurants will opt for this model moving forward. Good is good and this place served up great. read more

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Best meal I've had in my life, let alone since going vegan six years ago. The service was friendly and well informed. I had the Grand Dîner 11 course with the wine pairing (highly recommended) and it was an absolute dream from start to finish. The pairings were masterful and the meal was perfectly paced and sequenced. I have eaten at other Michelin star restaurants, but this experience eclipsed them all. Much love to Alexis and his genius sommelier, staff and vision for a better future! Much love! read more

Gauthier Soho - Menu 'Grand Dîner' - French Near Me - London, XGL

If it's true that you eat with your eyes first, you'll be in for a treat. Great thought was placed into the plating, and everything was presented really beautifully. What I also loved about the tasting menu is that you can select swap a meat dish for a vegan one if the vegan one looks better or if you are allergic to something on the meat side. I'm so glad I did that with the vegan ravioli. It was the best dish in my opinion, and I still have no idea how the sauce could be so creamy without any milk or cream. I would definitely visit again. The only downside - for me - was that it is a high end restaurant, and so if you're not used to following rules, it can feel a bit stuffy and have this feeling that the staff are judging you haha. read more

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This is one of the odder high end restaurants that I've been to but I'll get to that in a second. We had both tasting menus (omnivore and vegan). The food was good but inconsistent. I would opt for the omnivore version (scallops are a standout as is the cod) as the vegan didn't quite live up to expectations. Given the boom in vegan offerings these days, the food could have been elevated to a better standard. It felt very much like the poorer neglected cousin rather than the star of the show. That said, the wine pairings were the highlight of the meal. We got the opportunity to try a wide range of delicious wines. The sommelier did a great job of describing them too. There are a few oddities to the restaurant. We dined on the first floor and the floorboards are uneven so our table was at a distinct slant. I'm not sure why they haven't repaired this. Also the bathroom is in need of a revamp. The wallpaper is peeling off the walls and what's with the cheap Boots soap and lotion? There was a bottle of Aveeno sitting on the counter. And magazines in the loos!? Weird. The whole place is in need of a refresh. Worth coming? Maybe. Just order carefully. read more

I'm a Texan(so not vegan) and my wife is Australian( she happens to be vegan) and we both loved this restaurant. I was unsure about dining here at first but it truly exceeded all our expectations. I can say, without a doubt, that this is the best dining experience we have ever had. The venue is a simple townhouse, which is incredibly unique, and the menu is intelligently crafted. I highly recommend getting the wine paring. Each course gets better and better and, if you get the wine pairing, is perfectly paired. David was incredibly knowledgeable and hospitable. It is money well spent. I highly recommend requesting David as your server, he is a very experienced sommelier and had so many great wine recommendations. If you come here, you won't regret it and you will be grateful for the experience. read more

Our second visit...last time was in December for the winter menu (excellent service, superb food) so decided to come back for the Spring menu. Service is still fantastic and the food...out of this world. Very well presented, very well thought out menu and just simply delicious. Can't wait to return again! read more

Better late than never! I had booked to take my sister her for her birthday over a year ago but on that day, our celebratory meal was thwarted by the snow, which turned my usual 40 minute drive home into a 6 hour nightmare. Anyway, we finally made it to Gauthier Soho over a year late! Alexis Gauthier is a familiar face and name to fans of MasterChef where he has shared his cooking skill, using intuition and instinct to contestants on the show. Incredibly, there are no measuring or timing devices in his kitchen He opened his eponymous restaurant in a Regnency townhouse in Soho in 2010 and is already the holder of one Michelin star. Amusingly, just like a real house, you have to ring a doorbell to be admitted into the restaurant Fortunately, the welcome was warm as we were ushered into the downstairs dining room - the restaurant does retain its of air of being a house but with the unfussy friendliness of the staff, it did make for a relaxed dining atmosphere, which is my preference My sister and I settled on the tasting menu but substituting one of our main courses for the wagyu beef - my sister had never tried it and I wanted to introduce her to it. We had a nice plate of canapes to nibble on while perusing the menu. We were also impressed that the sommelier was genuinely helpful in homing in on exactly what my sister would like and there was no upselling. Tap water was offered without prompting 1. Yuzu & miso curd, seafood fricasee & smoked broth The dishes arrived dramatically at the table under domed covers, which were whipped off to release a puff of smoke and the broth was then poured onto the curd and fricasee. Interesting idea of the citrus yuzu offsetting the perfectly cooked seafood. However, I think the dish needed a little balancing with more citrus required to combat the umami hit of the broth 2. Foie gras, apple & crisp artichokes, red shallots & sweet vinegar port reduction I love foie gras and hence I loved this dish. The accompaniments served to cut through the rich foie gras encased in a lovely crispy shell 3. Morel risotto, veal jus & parmesan Simple dish but delicious and the morels died in a good cause! 4. Red mullet & langoustine, fennel, confit tomato & Meyer lemon jalapeno-lime juice The langoustine was probably my favourite ingredient of the night - sweet and juicy 5. Welsh lamb - braised shoulder & pink cannon, pommes fondantes & Swiss chard Wonderfully pink lamb skilfully cooked 6. Substitute main course of Wagyu beef, round fries & larded carrots & onions The beef was amazingly tender as hoped for though it wasn't the best wagyu dish I've tasted but I've been extraordinarily blessed to have eaten at some amazing 3 star restaurants 7. Selection of unpasteurised French cheeses These arrived with biscuits and accompaniments 8. Exotic fruits, caramelised pineapple & mango sorbet Probably the weakest dish on the menu where the fruits weren't that exotic for 2012 though it did cleanse the palate 9. Golden Louis XV, praline souffle This was actually 2 desserts in 1 dish. We got a mini souffle which was lovely and light. The Golden Louis XV was a chocolate dessert - wafer interior with a wonderful layer of decadently rich chocolate, which was much lighter than it looked. The Louis XV was topped with gold leaf, which pleased my CTG (Chinese Thrift Gene) in making me feel like I was getting value for menu but I'm not sure about the point of gold leaf besides perhaps resurfacing any gold crowns you might have. It doesn't actually taste of anything My sister and I had a great evening here as well as a top notch meal. Leaving the restaurant felt like leaving a high class dinner party, which reflects well on the ambiance created by the staff at Gauthier read more

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The whole concept of having to ring a doorbell to be let in is a bit cheezy, but I absolutely love everything else about Gauthier. In my opinion, it's some of the best and most affordable Michelin dining in the city...I've come here so often that the staff recognise me which is a bit embarrassing! It's a great option for vegetarians because Alexis Gauthier places a large focus on perfecting vegetables in his dishes/cooking. They always start you off with a selection of canapés - stand-outs include parmesan twists with 'guacamole', beetroot macarons. I also recall I really enjoyed my amuse bouche of chicken liver terrine on one occasion - very classical French cooking! The selection of bread is EXTENSIVE - raisin, bacon/onion, walnut, baguette, sundried tomatoes, sourdough, rye etc - and seriously good. It's even better when it's fresh out of the oven. For starters, the pan fried foie gras is to die for. It's rich, heavy, ridicuously filling, but if you like foie gras it's a must try. The risottos are also delicious though filling - I've tried black truffle, beetroot and chanterelle mushroom ones before - three separate dishes don't worry - not all mixed together! They're sizeable portions but delicious. My favourite main course of all time has to be the Barbary duck breast with carrots and honey glaze. It sounds simple, but my goodness, I think it's the best duck I've ever eaten. The sous-vide halibut is also stunning - so flaky and soft. Gauthier is known for the Louis XV tart from his days with Alain Ducasse. I've never had the opportunity to try the original one, but this one is pure chocolate/hazelnut heaven. There's praline inside, mousse, dark chocolate, different layers (5 if i I counted correctly)...yum. The mille-feuilles are also delicious - the puff pastry is perfect! The marshmallows, mini lemon tarts and truffles served as petit fours are fabulous as well. Every time I've been to Gauthier I've easily spent 3 hours in the dining room. It's very romantic in the evening, perfect for dates or special occasions. Service is impeccable, and there's free filtered still and sparkling water! It definitely achieves the vibe of being invited into someone's home for a meal - you'll be well taken care of at Gauthier. read more

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One of the best meals I've had in London, and a very reasonable price for London. A fantastic evening from beginning to end. Met a friend at Gauthier Soho after it was highly recommended to me. He was about an hour late due to problems with the Underground but they were happy to seat me and did not make me feel uncomfortable waiting for my friend. The meal was quite worth the wait. Went for the tasting menu as everything looked so good did not want the responsibility of choosing. Every course was brilliant and they built on each other. I love tasting menus that are not just a plethora of dishes but a well orchestrated story and Gauthier's was. In addition, I ordered the wine pairings and that was also brilliant. Each wine built on its predecessor and many were very unique (I just ordered three bottles of a fantastic red where I had never even heard of the grape before). First dish was Scottish lobster with lobster tortellini, and the sauce was so good I almost licked the plate. Then we had the dish I was least excited about, poached egg with smoked eel and smoked eel consommé. It turned out great and that's when I knew the evening would be fantastic. The eel tasted like a brilliant smoked fish and the consistency was not at all chewy. Next came boursin cheese with several accompaniments that worked perfectly. The final started was a black truffle risotto, a signature dish and worth the hype. Very strong truffle flavor that melded brilliantly with the risotto. The first main was halibut, simply cooked but tasted great. The main main was venison with a truffle puree. Venison was cooked medium rare and the puree oozed truffles, worked very well together. For dessert, started with an apple and quince crumble with caramelized creme, which was brilliant Finished with a chocolate grenache that was great and had a fantastic texture. Service was excellent and I loved the house. Like a country house in the middle of Soho. As I said, one of my best dining experiences in London (or anywhere). read more

I loved this restaurant! Honestly shocked that it doesn't still have a michelin star. We did the tasting menu, and as you can see from my pics, it did not disappoint (though apologies for the quality of the photos - stupid phone!). Ambiance - 5/5 - Very relaxed and intimate dining room. No fancy art or anything but all very sophisticated Service - 5/5 - Excellent attentive service (though sometimes a bit hard to understand what some of the food is when they describe it because of thick accents) Food - 5/5 - I'm a pescatarian and they were more than happy to swap meat dishes for tfish or veggie dishes in the tasting menu. They also do a veggie tasting menu which looks pretty good. Everything was beautifully presented and tasted great. Hard to pick favourite dishes as they were all excellent but standouts were the lobster, scallop, truffle risotto and parmesan gnocchi (especially the last one - melt in the mouth deliciousness). The only thing I didn't like is that they list the calories on the online menu - I do not really want to know that i'm consuming my daily allowance in one meal! Though I guess it is useful for the more saintly among us. The tasting menu is £75 which considering the quality, seems quite good value to me. Go go go! read more

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I really liked this place, I didn't like the price tag ;))) We took the tasting menu at £68, with accompanying wines. Before that, we had had a kir with amuse bouche. The kinda chips with the avocado were delicious!!! The tasting menu was well sized, small portions so that we could enjoy the whole menu without feeling atrociously sick afterwards. And that's almost a first for me. Usually after such a menu, I feel happy but horribly over-eating :D This was not the case this time. The dishes I preferred in the menu were the truffle risotto with its brown butter & jus - just divine - and the Louis XV chocolate pud. God that was good! The sweets with the coffee were also nice: rose macaron, chocolate truf, almond cake... Overall, it was very high quality food. But simple cooking, and simple presentation. Nothing uber fancy in comparison to other high class restaurant. Which is nice actually. Straight forward flavours, and you see what you eat. But that's also why I only put 4 starts, not 5. More creativity would have been perfect. The wines we had were also very very nice. Well chosen for us, and went super well with the food. And surprisingly not too expensive in comparison to the rest. The location is great, in a vibrant area so that it's easy to go out for a drink afterwards. The interior is very high end, what you would expect from such an expensive restaurant. Nothing eccentric, but just classy and simply smart. The staff was very professional, attentive and very friendly. I would recommend for a very special occasion. Definitively not a go-there-every-week place ;))) Give it a try, and indulge. read more

Gauthier Soho - Amuse bouche - French Near Me - London, XGL

I'm convinced that Gauthier is one of the best French restaurants I've ever been to. From ringing the doorbell to be let in, to the mouthwatering risotto with fresh sliced black truffle, this place is simply perfect. The service was excellent however the waiter was somewhat slow at pouring our wine, which was set down at another table. Also, the atmosphere is a bit foofy but don't let that stop you from coming here to eat one of your best meals! read more

Gauthier Soho - Fois gras - French Near Me - London, XGL

It was yet another cold and gray day. I tucked myself into Guathier Soho, itself tucked into a side street of a side street in central London. The drizzle of both rain and people stopped at the heavy black door, opening into its dimly lit interior. Candles. A rose. Pale walls. Voices murmuring. If I didn't listen too closely - I could pretend they were flirting in French. I've been watching a lot of Chef's Table recently and one motif that I've found across the episodes has been the idea that chefs want "to challenge people - make them slightly uncomfortable." In fact - Dominique Crenn goes so far as to say "I struggled with guests who weren't open." A meat grinder was forcibly strapped onto our table. The central element of the dish was tossed in and mutilated in front of us to prove that it was fresh. It was then poured over a "chutney of plum" bed, topped to give it a strong spice, and finally gorged with crackers. This was called the "carrot tartare." The unique 'tartare' made with nothing more than just the carrots, coriander, shallot, and avocado packed a pop and a pizazz that told me that the pale walls would not come with pale food. My friend and I were taking turns offering up stories of our pasts. Chapters of high schools, first dates, and small towns were interleaved with the chef's plot of aged balsamic reduction, chickpea crust grated lemongrass ice, and wasabi on quinoa bread. 3 candle re-lightings, a mental drive through the suburbs of Georgia, and 8 full courses later - the procession came to an end not less than a full 4 hours after it had begun. Overall, I enjoyed the tasting menu. The carrot tartare was the kind of challenge I expected a one Michelin Star restaurant to attempt. There were dishes that were easily meant just for indulgence too, like the risotto: heavy and drenched in truffle oil. Or the chocolate mousse with a thin sheet of gold. But like the carrot tartare, many were meant to make us fully aware of the present in the restaurant and on our palettes. By the end of the night, the murmuring voices had all but disappeared. The drizzle outside had come to an end. And my first experience at Gauthier Soho was quite a success. read more

The place only has about 7 tables so it's pretty intimate, plus they have real fireplace so it's very romantic!two thumbs up for a date night. We went for 4 plats and there were compliments of macarons & parmesan flakes as apperitif. Also a compliment, they served us with some scallop paté :) My most recommended was the black truffle risotto--really delish! Their foie gras was to die for! I had the venison as well which was a generous serving for me. All in all, great experience dining here! It's worth the price. Service was amazing and they gave us a free macaron in a nice box to go! read more

Gauthier Soho - Black truffle risotto!! - French Near Me - London, XGL

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We had a superb experience at Gauthier. Like most of the other Yelpers, we went with the nine-course tasting menu and wine pairings. The experience, from the welcome we received upon entering, to the service, food, and beverage quality throughout the meal, to our departure, was welcoming, well-executed, and pleasant. We received a phone call confirming the reservation on the day we were visiting, and verified that we would be coming. I see in other Yelp reviews (by people who never actually got to eat here) that missing this phone call can cause problems, so be forewarned. The restaurant had already been informed of my gf's food allergy, but took some time to ask about it and ensure they understood it fully; admirable thoroughness on their part. The interior is small, dim, and intimate: the perfect place for a romantic meal, and indeed, most of our fellow patrons appeared to be couples. Please don't bring children here, or for that matter, loud people or slovenly persons. The meal was well-paced; we did not find that we were being rushed through courses, but nor did we find ourselves waiting very long between dishes - a difficult feat to master. Portion size was perfect: large enough to get a thorough sample of each dish, but not so large as to feel gluttonous. As one would expect with nine courses, some of the dishes we enjoyed more than others, but they were all good, and most were excellent. The risotto was particularly flavorful and had a sublime texture. The service was competent, polite, capable, and timely. Most of the staff seemed to be Francophones. They were neither snobby nor obsequious, but rather provided fine dining service politely and capably; however, I can imagine how a certain type of patron might feel a twinge in their inferiority complex. The wine selections were all delightful - even the fortified wine that came with dessert, which is normally a category of wine that I detest. In the event you dislike one of the choices, just say so, and they will cheerfully and swiftly replace it with one that you like better, as they did for my gf when she found one of the selections not to her liking. In sharp contrast to the Yelper who complained about having their milestone events ignored by the restaurant, we cannot relate: they honored my birthday cheerfully, but also tastefully and with restraint. We saw another couple get the same treatment for their own event. To those considering dining here in conjunction with an outing at one of the nearby theaters, I say "don't." This meal is a show all of its own, and ought not to be wedged before or after some other performance. Instead, reserve your booking, expect to spend several hours, and make a night of it. read more

Even though I gave it two stars, I hate this place with a passion of a thousand suns. Opentable thinks it's in the top 3 of London restaurants, so we were really excited to try this supposed hot-spot. And it was, they were really busy, especially at our 10 o'clock reservation time. We arrived, as I always do, on time, and were ready to get seated and eating. Nope. We were invited to wait in the wine cellar with a glass of wine, and they led us to a maybe 6 ft x 4 ft room surrounded by wine. Not so much a cellar but a prison cell. There was a small table with some empty wine glasses and olive pits. I think at one point ages ago someone did enjoy some wine here, but it wasn't us, and it wasn't going to be us. We sat here waiting 20 minutes as my temper simmered. Soon after, a well-off older gentleman and his party came in, and were also directed to the wine prison cell with no wine being served. After only a few minutes, he rightfully complained (he also had a reservation), and was sent some complimentary champagne. Um, hello?!? No one offered me any, so I was that guy, and asked...no, demanded it. We were given glasses, but it did nothing to quell my anger. 45 minutes after our reservation, we were finally seated. Only to be literally ignored for another half hour. You'd think I was kidding, as I know it sounds like I'm exaggerating, but all of this can be collaborated. We asked numerous people for a menu, but they said "I can't do it, I'm not the waiter, I'll get your waiter." Finally, about 1.5 hours after we arrived, we were given our menus. I won't go more into detail about how terrible the service was, but we managed to stay for 4 courses, skipping dessert. The food was actually decent - I remember a foie gras course being good, but there were more off-putting memories. *English skills were really lacking here - almost no one spoke English well. Here! In London! In England! *It was clear that employees had been trained to do their job, and only that. Therefore, if it was one person's job to clear plates, that's all he did. Even if he wanted to help you with something, he couldn't. *We got stiffed on food. It was late, and they were probably running out - but I clearly saw 3 scallops on another diner's plate, whereas my dish only had 2. Yes, I noticed, I just didn't know what to do. *This place smelled. Bad. We may have been right next to the kitchen, or a ton of smelly cheese (we were), but the whole place smelled off-putting. My sister thought it smelled like a bathroom or someone's BO. The only redeeming quality about this place was the guy in charge of pouring water. He was incredible. This was his only job, and he did it so freakin' well. My water glass never hit the halfway mark, and he was sneaky fast at getting out of the way. I think he knew service was going terribly - at one point, we made eye contact and he kind of gave me a look that said "yeah, I know it's bad, I can see your plates sitting here for a long time, but I'm not allowed to help you clean it up". You couldn't pay me to go back there and eat. read more

Gauthier was a very enjoyable meal - I found that the service was attentive from the get-go (we were never left waiting or wanting; the time between courses was perfect), the food beautifully executed, and the entire dining experience to be a bit more intimate (in a good way!) than the typical Michelin star venue. A number of reviews below already highlight the culinary items on the Tasting Menu, so in lieu of providing another summary, I thought best to describe why Gauthier gets a 4* instead of a 5* from me. And that rationale falls under two main categories: 1/ Apart from the signature "stars of the show", the rest of the menu is delicious but not particularly memorable. The Black Truffle Risotto was sublime. Really, really tasty; I would rank it among the top dishes that I have ever had in a restaurant. Almost as good was the Louis XV chocolate praline dessert: light, rich, crunchy, and decadent. But failing these clear highlights, I struggle to remember other items from the menu. Obviously, I could look these up quite easily - but I find that the mark of an incredible meal is the tastes, smells, textures linger with you for weeks and months after eating. 2/ Wine Pairings were a disappointment, especially if (like me) you went for the full 8 glass option. While there were a couple of enjoyable surprises (a rich, spicy Uruguayan Red with the Venison plat principal) - I found most selections to not be terribly interesting. The most egregious example of this was a glass of NV Dow's Tawny to go with the cheeses. Not that I didn't enjoy the Port. I just expect a bit more creativity out of the sommelier. read more

I was invited to the soft launch of the restaurant a couple of weeks back. The start wasn't too auspicious as our names weren't down despite me phoning to check our reservation earlier that day. However, the food surpassed all expectation and put paid to any minor gripes. Loved the option of a tasting menu £70 or smaller 'plats' 3 £27/ 4 £35 / 5 £36. Eyes bigger than bellies as usual we ordered the full 5 and were stuffed after 3. ummmm.. And everything we had was absolutely delicious, the service spot-on (as you'd expect); it was somewhat lacking in atmosphere, but not enough to drop a star! The herb & ricotta ravioli were little parcels of loveliness; the wild garlic risotto dense, cheesy and filling; the sweetbreads richer than Donald Trump and the marrow that came with the angus beef was sublimely unctuous. Is it that wrong to love eating FAT?? Yes, probably, and i don't think my heart nor my thighs will thank me, but sod 'em! I had the mille-fueille for dessert, which was silly because that's what i have all the time and i had complete plate envy for Ollie's souffle! All the more reason to go back!!!!! As if i ever needed one. There's also a perfectly reasonable lunch menu (2 courses £18; 3 courses £25) with the best bits of the dinner menu to choose from. I don't think there's agoing to be too much of a wait for that coveted michelin star!! Oh, and just one thing, I cannot believe I've been so remiss as to leave off the bread. I don't actually think I've ever reviewed the bread in a restaurant before. It's not something I generally even notice. But BOY, grab as many as you can and smuggle them home, and then grab more and smuggle them to me. The bacon and onion roll is like biting into the BEST bacon sandwich EVER after garnering the WORST hangover ever. The wild garlic roll is what Pizza Express dough balls aspire to be. Serious Hollywood A list stuff going on here!!!! Anyway, my gushing enthusiasm is just getting embarrassing. Go. read more

If I had to use one word to sum up this restaurant it would be...DIVINE. I had the 8 course tasting menu and every course was absolutely delicious, flavours I'd not experienced before..and all were.....DIVINE. I'm lacking articulation on this one and beginning to salivate just thinking about the food! So I'm going to leave it there but needless to say I'll be recommending this restaurant!! :) read more

While in London, recently, we went to this very upscale French restaurant in Soho. Everything was amazing!!! The wait staff and sommelier were perfectly attentive, without being cloying, intrusive, or pompous. We ordered the tasting menu with the wine pairing. Unfortunately, the meal was three weeks ago, so i don't recall specific dishes, but each dish was delicious, with an excellent array of fish, beef and lamb. The portions were perfect to experience the flavors without becoming engorged after the multiple courses. The appointments were lovely. The building was lovely, with multiple floors and rooms, enforcing a romantic and intimate atmosphere. As a side note, we were seated next to a very proper looking pair of ladies. Eventually, I noticed the woman sitting next to me was a tranny. As an American in London, it often seems that upscale establishments can be a little, uh , prim. So, it was cool to have a little funk element in all the elegance. The only downside was the the freakin' pound. Hahahahahaaha! After the exchange rate, the meal was around $500 USD for two. Nevertheless, it was an exquisite experience. read more

A lovely treat for a special occasion. Having walked past frequently I finally got to try it out at our team christmas meal in the private dining room. The cosy setting put a smile on my face as soon as we walked into the pretty townhouse, and were ushered through the first door on the right to find two beautifully laid tables and a roaring fireplace just for the 16 of us :) The food was deliciously tasty though beware the portion size isn't very generous. The Christmas group menu had afforded us 3 choices per course which we'd had to pre-order and I was smugly happy with what I went for. Scallops teamed interestingly with pear to start and a roasted guinea fowl main, followed by a cheese course (auto extra star - I'm a sucker for a good cheese plate) and traditional xmas pud (which it seems nobody in the entire world seems to like anymore except for me!). The main selling point though was the service and the little touches. Our waiters were extremely attentive in refilling wine, water and bread, and moved around unobtrusively in what was a fairly cosy space. I loved that we had personalised menus to mark our places printed with the courses we'd chosen, so the staff knew exactly which course to deliver to whom. Well, at least until my boss decided to shuffle every other person around after main course which completely confused them for dessert but hey ho! I'm sure we were a very loud party and I can also only apologise to the lovely waiters for what they may have witnessed during our secret santa present opening session, which err may or may not have involved onesies and edible underwear... hmm enough said I think. True professionals! read more

I'm in a tiny room; I looked around at the floor to ceiling stacks of alcohol around me. Yes, my table for dinner at Gauthier is in the wine room. This is what I get for only making reservations the day before I guess? I'm here to have a farewell dinner with one of my friends who finished her 3 months secondment in London and moving onto New York before finally returning to Sydney. It was while searching for a place to eat that I discovered that Gauthier currently have a 2 for 1 offer on their tasting menu. With an offer like this, no hesitation from the dinner party. So back to the wine room, it was both cool and weird at the same time. Weird as we have the wait staff coming in regularly to pick up bottles of wine and we can hear the clinking of cutleries and dishes sent out from the kitchen. We started with a tray of canapés. The beetroot macaron was a mini flavour burst followed by crème fraiche wrapped in smoked salmon which was unmemorable. Sticks of Parmesan Crostinis was dipped into a narrow glass holding a confit of onions and mustard. I couldn't get enough of this; those sticks vanished quickly trying to mop up all that confit. Foie Gras Royale This got mixed results with the dinner party. I actually like it. You get the taste of the foie gras without it being overpowering. The broad beans cuts through the heaviness with the cherry and port granite adding sweetness. It could do with a bit more of the cherry and port granite though. Scallop, parsley jus The scallop was cooked perfectly and was great by itself. The accompaniments don't enhance and in fact mutes the fresh and sweet taste of the scallop. Summer Truffle Risotto I tend to steer away from risottos as this tends to be cooked badly in a lot of places. Am happy to say that the risotto here is really good. It might be a touch too al dente but I don't mind and in fact like that it gives a bit more texture. The truffles perfumes the air around you, this is one amazing risotto. Wild Sea bass & Tiny Squid It took nearly 30 minutes before our next course, the sea bass arrives. In fact, I was wondering when looking at it what the 30 minutes was for and after tasting it, the same thought still rings in my head. Crispy & Soft Piglet Wafer thin crackling that is light and crunchy, that was what I remembered most about the piglet course. Selection of Unpasteurized French Cheeses It is unusual when dessert takes up 3 courses of a tasting menu. We started of with three cheeses. Each were quite mild with the boldest being the blue cheese. Nothing too exciting. Mini Chocolate fondant, Warm Soft Cherry White Peach Souffle, Champagne Sorbet I wasn't excited with any of the desserts. They were all good but not spectacular. Gauthier does good solid French food and I would still recommend it. The risotto is really amazing but everything else I probably wouldn't miss too much. It is incredible value with their current offer for the month of August only. Do jump and book it before it is over. read more

Hubby and I came here with a gift voucher, and what a lovely gift it was! We had the 3-course lunch menu with wine. The service is great and the restaurant is intimate and comfortable. Our starters and mains were paired very well with wine recommendations, all very nicely and thoroughly explained to us. The food was very good, but it is hard to say any specific tips or recommendations. Hubby and I had different choices, and we each liked ours, so I'd say it's safe to go with whatever catches your eye! The portions are surprisingly generous and the food does fill you up, unlike some other French restaurants I've been to. Though their dark chocolate tart sounded incredibly enticing, I went with a blood orange sorbet because it sounded like a light option after a fairly heavy meal. I'm so glad I went with that option because it was delicious! There were even surprise breadcrumbs that were light and perfectly sprinkled throughout the dish. Good place to go for a special occasion or if you're craving some fine French food! read more

Firstly, the service is exceptional. We had such a fantastic evening and a lot of this was down to the service we had from the staff. Our somelier (who's name I did manage to get) was amazingly knowledgeable. We came with a group of 5 and were given a small private room which worked out great as we were so loud :) We ordered the tasting menu with the 4 glasses of pairing wine (there was an option for 8 glasses but thought that was perhaps too many). Food-wise, it was very good without being exceptional. But the menu overall worked really well together. My favourite was the pork belly - which was so beautifully soft and succulent with a crispy skin... delicious! I'm not sure about their choice for crockery though - it seemed very dated. But will definitely go back. read more

It's not often that you find yourself at a restaurant that appears to be run by a food fetishist. In the same way that someone might caress and inhale the leather of a shoe before begging for the sharpness of the heel to give the sensation that it shall puncture the skin Alexis Gauthier does this very same thing with his cuisine. Gauthier cooks by using instinct as demonstrated on BBC's Masterchef a few weeks ago. He has a good grope, sniff (and possibly a sly lick) of his ingredients before making them work together in harmony. He has quite an extensive style of bringing out the intensities of individual ingredients and has a way with vegetables like no other. My Beloved and I had a rather memorable date to remember last night. There is something slightly kinky about Gauthier. You have to ring a doorbell before they let you in and then you are led up some stairs (in my case) to the table. The dining room when I first entered was quiet, with exception to two other people talking in hushed tones. There were a lot of waiting staff and although there was a sense of formality it wasn't so stuffy that you found yourself wanting to say 'excuse me' every time you were to do something like breath or take a sip of water. First thing I have to give good points to, is the fact that they serve filtered still or sparkling water for free. The snacks offered were an interesting array of beetroot mousse, smoked salmon mousse with caviar on top, peanut bread sticks with guacamole and some garlic crisps that were served in a martini glass with flavoured salt. To look at it was visually appealing as well as everything having little explosions of flavour. The bread too was phenomenal, and I would recommend the chorizo bread regardless of whether or not you have vegetarian inclinations. Just think of it as veggie chorizo and you will be transported to the tree in eden in no time. Our amuse bouche was some poached halibut which was delicatein flavour and was almost like eating a kiss. For my starter I had some crab which sat on a clam jelly and had a light cream sace which was striped ever so neatly on the plate. All the elements together were the work of a true alchemist. In the jelly there was definitely an echo of lime in there as this gave a wonderful citrusy note to the rest of the dish and cut through the richness of the crab. It was a very well balanced dish in terms of the flavours. My beloved ordered Tortelini, which had lobster inside and was served with squid in an asian inspired broth. It was described as a 'Lobster and Lemongrass Consommè' yet it had a depth of flavour that definitely swept you to the Orient. It was clean, light and perfectly formed. A bit like her. Unlike my dish which was a calculated transformationwhich is a bit like me. To continue I had some Wild Sea Bass which sat on some white asparagus and was cooked with cep mushrooms and garlic. It was heaven. Skin perfectly crisp, every other element was identifiable and just built up flavour layers in my mouth. Gauthier was in full throttle now. His flavours were working overtime in my mouth, I felt I had been groomed into having a delicate massage and now I was starting to get gently punched in the back in rhythm with all of the flavour bursts happening in my mouth. For my companion, she ordered the Halibut which was a bit of a wild card but a wonderfully tasting one It was cooked confit style with lime and kumquat. This was served with a spring onion and pea volutè. It melted and zinged in the mouth in a way an expensive date should do. You wanted more yet you knew you had to eat daintily and take your time to appreciate every flavour in place here. To follow I had the guinea fowl which came with what I feel was too many mushrooms and I have to say I think the portion size was too big. But I rather a generous chef than a stingey one. It was very rich and unctuous and all the elements worked. The mushroom with asparagus and pomme mousseline but there was quite a lot of it. The meat was beautiful and rich and very well cooked. It is worth eating if you are starving and want a serious meat fix. My Beloved ordered lamb which I was amazed by. Perfectly pink it was served with aubergine and red pepper and a delicate sauce. I never knew thyme could work so well with lamb but Gauthier has pulled it off. For pre dessert we were given some rhubarb with ginger which was truly sensational and was the perfect palate cleanser. I didn't want a dessert as I felt too full but I 'helped' my partner try the signature dessert which was the Golden Louis XV and next time I am going to have that and maybe half of someone else's as this was a chocolate disk of joy. It had melty and complex textures and flavours provided by the hazelnuts inside but the very dark smooth chocolate all blended together in harmony. I adored it. The Petit Fours were imaginative. There was a black truffle truffle but for me the star of read more

Really good food. Enjoyed the tasting menu. They have a separate vegan menu which my companion said was excellent. The reason for four stars and not five as I was presented with the bill and abruptly told they needed the table. It put a bit of a dampner on the what was a really lovely meal read more

Stuck up and horrible customer service. In London for business and made this reservation based on the high Yelp ratings. It was the only reservation we made for our entire trip and we were looking forward to the experience. On the way to the restaurant, one hour before our reservation, I received an email stating our reservation had been cancelled. I called immediately and was told the reason was they were unable to confirm and the phone number left on the reservation was incorrect. Knowing that to be untrue I pressed for a factual explanation and asked them to explain how our table mysteriously disappeared. A different (more senior?) staff member picked up the phone and said the same thing. I told him there were no missed calls on my mobile phone from the restaurant (or anywhere in Europe in fact) and asked him to confirm the number they supposedly called. Not surprisingly they were unable to recite it to me. No apology given, just the same party line about the table being gone and unable to accommodate. Net net: there are so many restaurants to choose from in the city to blow your per diem. Skip this one. read more

We were huge fans of Alexis and, in particular, Roberto, from their Roussillon days. We followed them to Gauthier Soho. We were not disappointed. A number of the staples made their way across -- the reliable (and delicious!) risottos and the breads. Only minuses were: haphazard service (although the maître d', and Roberto, are always solid), cold decor, lack of music/warmth in the dining rooms. Everything else is a plus: the two cosy dining rooms, the subversive/campy restroom prints, the charming off license, the transparency on wine pricing (and such reasonable prices!), the food, and of course the wine list. Roberto, who has so much personality, imbued the extensive and reasonably-priced wine list with his own personal touch. For cheese lovers, the wine and cheese pairing is highly recommended. We did notice that the menu recently got re-priced upwards -- but for the quality of the cuisine, the prices still offer a great deal. read more

This is a true gem. Tucked away in a gorgeous townhouse just around the corner from the buzz of Soho and Leicester Square, it is a little oasis. The cooking is beautiful. I went recently for lunch, which I would highly recommend: you get a beautifully balanced cuisine for a fraction of what you'd normally pay in the evenings. One of my favourites in the area! read more

My husband and I had a late night dinner at this French restaurant in Soho. It is located in a Townhouse -- very cozy. The food was excellent, as was the service. This is a perfect spot for an before or after the theatre. Kitchen closes at 9:30 so you would need to be out of the theatre early. Then menu is on the low end of expensive but not out of line with a restaurant of this quality. read more

Our family was visiting from California and carefully choose Gauthier Soho to celebrate both a 50h birthday and 20 year wedding anniversary and we couldn't be more disappointed. Service was an after thought, we were stuck at a back table and had to ask for many things and when the waiter did show up, his attitude was stuffy and awkward. The food was meh, especially for the prices; it felt very mundane and robotic, there was no soul in the food; it felt tired. Lastly, there was no mention of our celebrations even though I sent emails ahead of time letting them know about our milestone celebrations. Very disappointing, would not recommend. Save your money and go elsewhere. London has many food options, especially for fine dining. If I could give a zero rating I would. read more

Hmmm. For the kind of money we paid, was expecting a lot more. It was a nice evening, and it wasn't "bad". First, the much vaunted service. Yes, there are heaps of waiters, but they've got this old-fashioned French restaurant hierarchical thing going on, where e.g. the bread and water boys do only that, the sommelier is the only person you can speak to about your wine, or touch your wine bottle... when this works, great, but the evening we went they were tieing themselves in knots a little and the whole service was uncoordinated. E.g. aperitifs coming up after the first course; wine being delayed; the second course being served about 30 seconds after my wife left for the bathroom; signalling to various waiting staff numerous times before the appropriate person could be summoned. This is BS guys, if you run your service like this, you need to be all over these kind of things. The food: one *outstanding* dish (aspagus eel broth thing, properly blow-away cooking), the rest forgetable (and, actually, given this meal was a few weeks ago, I've actually forgotten the rest of the meal, goes to show!). As a result, we were not particularly impressed. If you're going to blow £75+ per person on a meal, it needs to be great all round, and this wasn't. Sorry! read more

A beautiful setting in an old townhouse Excellent wine list -- Inconsistent food Inattentive staff -- partly due to the layout of the restaurant but mainly due to not caring much -- the folks who actually deliver the food work hard and are apologetic about the folks who are supposed to take orders. Was very disappointed as at these prices you expect a lot more read more

Absolutely beautiful restaurant where nothing is too much trouble. While this restaurant does offer meat options, this would be the perfect place to dine if you're vegetarian too. They do gorgeous veggie dishes, which aren't just your usual 'pasta' fare. They get creative with flavors and ingredients, the staff are incredibly well versed in the menu options and are always more than happy to help in any way they can. They offer a private dining room upstairs, but even the main dining room is very chilled out and great for catching up with friends or a romantic date. read more

Excellent attentive service and fine cuisine. We sampled the 7 course taster menu. Would advise avoiding eating for a week before. Only downside was quiet atmosphere. It's like eating in someone's front room. read more