Since opening this French restaurant in Marylebone, brothers Chris and Jeff Galvin have gone on to open three more restaurants in the capital including the Michelin-starred Galvin at Windows and Galvin La Chapelle. Star status may have evaded Galvin Bistrot de Luxe, but that’s beside the point: the food here is nothing short of sensational.

The Venue
Picture a classic French bistro and you won’t be far off the look achieved at this Marylebone restaurant. Dark wood-panelled walls, rippled leather banquette seating, globular, frosted light features, penguin-suited waiting staff and framed copies of Le Petit Journal, a Parisian magazine published up until the Second World War, combine to create a convincing scene.

The room is shielded from prying eyes by frosted windows at the front and extends inwards, taking in cosy banquettes that are ideal for couples and larger tables for bigger groups, before mushrooming into a wider area towards the rear. The kitchen is partially visible back here and there’s a temperature controlled wine room plus the loos which contain more French memorabilia and a signed photo from many of the world’s culinary heavyweights, a gathering that San Pellegrino organised as part of the World’s Top 50 Restaurants awards, with Chris Galvin doing the cooking at La Chapelle.

The Atmosphere
With surprisingly judicious prices, Galvin Bistrot de Luxe is popular with a broad range of ages – you’ll see everyone from groups of twenty-something guys to doting granddads carrying their grandchildren out the door at the end of a family meal. Guests are, on the whole, fairly formal but this isn’t exclusively so and it’s definitely more relaxed than a fine dining experience. Service is textbook and has a certain Gallic self-confidence: tell your waiter that a dish is amazing and he’ll knowingly give a little nod and reply with a simple ‘we know’.

The Food
Having ratcheted up a number of stars and awards in their careers as chefs at some of the best restaurants in London, you might think that prices are going to be prohibitive at this restaurant, but you’d be wrong. A two course set lunch costs around £20 and hearty mains can be yours for less than the same price, that’s less than some gastro pubs charge these days.

Signature dishes are always a good way to go and never has this been truer than by taking the manager’s advice and opting for the crab lasagne (£12) for starter: a wobbly tower of wonderful flaky crab meat is neatly dissected by wafer-thin slices of freshly-made pasta, and sits surrounded by a groan-inducing bleurre Nantais sauce. It’s perfection on a plate.

Mains are peppered with seasonal dishes, seafood and quality game and meat. Another recommendation of pithivier of quail and pigeon again comes up trumps. In layman’s terms this is kind of like a posh pasty, with a golden brown pie sliced in half to reveal the pink, juicy meat. Served on an oval fish plate with flawless mash, whole baby carrots and rosemary gravy, it’s another delectable dish.

The banana, toffee and peanut hot soufflé at Galvin at the Windows is one of the best desserts in London. Fact. Galvin Bistrot du Luxe provides another: the apple tartin. This is a slice of delicate pastry and caramelised apple served with a dreamy splodge of thick cream on the side. The best bits are the chewy edges of the tart – absolutely stunning.

The Drink
Aperitifs are rotated on the menu and may include a glass of prosecco sharpened up fresh fruit and Campari (£8.50). They’ve previously won awards for their French-heavy wine list and if you’re feeling fancy allow them to pair your crab starter with a fresh and zingy Picpoul De Pinet from the Languedoc, your meaty main with a ripe and spicy Chateau La Roche Gaby from Bordeaux, and your apple tartin with a sticky dessert wine. Bottles of house wine start from £18.

The Last Word
The Galvin brothers may not be French but their restaurants showcase everything that’s great about French cuisine, at incredibly judicious prices. The overall effect is so intoxicating it even makes habitual restaurant-goers and seasoned foodies go weak at the knees.

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