Café Lapérouse London

Last Updated on February 15, 2025

Luxury Paris Brand Lapérouse Debuts in London

*Closed* January 2025

Gastronomy geeks like myself may well be aware of Lapérouse, the iconic Parisian restaurant that opened in 1766. The restaurant has an extraordinary literary and cultural history, it’s where Victor Hugo, Zola, Maupassant, Baudelaire, Colette and Proust would hang out. Serge Gainsbourg met Jane Birkin there; it was a favourite of Winston Churchill, Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles, and did I mention that in 1933 it was the first place to be awarded 3 Michelin stars?

As well as its gastronomic achievements, the restaurant was known as being a prime location for illicit liaisons with mirrors in its many private salons scratched by the diamonds on the rings gifted to the ‘cocottes’ by their wealthy customers, to determine if they were fake or not. Whilst you may have heard of Lapérouse the restaurant, you would be forgiven if you hadn’t heard of the French navigator also called Lapérouse. The French luxury and hospitality and entertainment Moma group bought up the original restaurant and reinvented it as Lapérouse, Maison de Plaisirs with an emphasis on the private salons and bar. It has become a hotspot for the jeunesse dorée of the Parisian scene. They have also created an upmarket all-day dining brand called Café Lapérouse, for which designer Cordelia de Castellane has taken inspiration from the original restaurant and from the naval chap – think of him as a French Captain Cook – with outposts in Paris, St Tropez and London with new openings slated for Jeddah and Miami.

So enough of the backstory! The London Café Lapérouse is situated in the swanky new OWO redevelopment of The Old War Office in Whitehall. To keep the dual Lapérouse themes going the London outpost has two distinct options that echo the Parisian offer.

The “Salon Lapérouse” is situated in the OWO building, only opens for dinner (no kids allowed) and is a grown-up space which echoes the ‘mother’ restaurant. With an upbeat pianist keeping the energy levels high, it’s a place for youthful hedonism and high jinks. The interior is sexy Parisian boudoir-style with red damask tablecloths, silver candlesticks and crystal chandeliers.

But in the courtyard of the Raffles Hotel is the all-day “Pavillon Café Lapérouse” which is tonight’s destination. It’s an amazing construction, looking like a cross between a Bedouin tent and a spaceship. With an outside terrace for the summer, it’s certain to become a destination for breakfast, brunch or cocktails. And with the same menu as the Salon, it’s an ideal spot for a relaxed and sophisticated dinner.

There is a central shell-encrusted circular Tiki bar which gives a tropical feel that reminds us of the Comte de Lapérouse’s nautical adventures. The seating is great fun – kitsch 1920s scalloped turquoise chairs and bar stools, and there is a swirling foliage motif on the carpet Tables are set with white linen and charming little brass lampshades. There’s a low-key buzz to the room as we enter with cool West Coast grooves interspersed with French classics on the stereo.

We start things off with a glass of Veuve Cliquot Carte Jaune Brut. It is crisp and yeasty with white fruit notes and a delicate mousse. A perfect aperitif.

For our starters, we stick to a salmon theme chosen from the ‘Fisherman’s Delights’ section of the menu. Hand-cured and smoked Imperial salmon fillet comes in thick slivers. It is a top-quality piece of fish, lightly smoked and clean tasting.

Warm blinis are served with a tangy, citrus-infused sour cream and a generous portion of salmon roe creating a scrumptious mouthful.

To match our main courses we wanted something full-bodied – Domaine Marc Morey  Chassagne-Montrachet premier cru En Virondot is made on some of the northernmost slopes of Chassagne-Montrachet by Sabine Mollard, Marc Morey‘s granddaughter. It’s smooth and buttery with a gorgeous mouth feel. If you’re feeling flush, you won’t regret splashing out.

For a perfect early winter’s dish, juicy corn-fed chicken breast, plated with a light cream sauce studded with soft nuggets of earthy morel mushrooms and a waxy pomme purée, is a great option.

Seabass ‘Dugléré is one of the staples of French fish cooking. The Lapérouse version sees a lightly poached fillet doused in luscious butter, diced tomato, white wine and parsley sauce. A side dish of Madras rice lightly spiced with lemongrass does a sterling job of mopping up the juice. A side dish of mixed vegetables took me back to the 1970s when they were obligatory in UK dining rooms along with long hair and flares!

The Laperouse chocolate soufflé has been on the menu since 1776! The fabulously rich soufflé is served with vanilla ice cream which melts into the chocolate very satisfyingly.

‘Angel’s Profiteroles’ turned out to be ‘Angel’s Profiterole’ but you won’t feel short-changed…It’s more of a profiterole sandwich with the choux pastry sliced in two, with a filling of vanilla ice cream and then covered with chocolate sauce.

Named after the road on which the original Lapérouse is sited, the Grands Augustins vanilla crème brûlée is rich and creamy with a perfectly burnt sugar topping. It’s also huge – don’t try it on your own unless you’re really hungry!

Café Lapérouse London is a go-to place for classic French cooking in a luxury setting, and with impeccable service led by Antoine Sahyoun and two distinctive ambiences to explore, it’s a great space for a central London treat, a night out with friends or a date night.

Café Lapérouse London
The Old War Office – OWO Courtyard
7 Horse Guards Avenue
London, SW1A 2EX