Maison François team open canteen concept

A modern-day French canteen concept from the team behind Maison François has opened in London's Borough Yards.

Café François draws together influence from the classic cafés found in Paris, delis of California and bistros of Montreal. 

Founder François O’Neill, along with executive chef Matthew Ryle and Ed Wyand heading up front-of-house, have created a menu that pays homage to affordable French classics, while also embracing global influences and flavours. 

"Following the opening of Maison François, we had our eyes on a second site and couldn’t have found a more perfect location," says O’Neill. "Borough Yards has a real neighbourhood feel to it, as well as being a hub for visitors too. We have travelled around different cities, both in France, Canada and the USA, bringing together different iterations of café culture to create something we think everyone will enjoy." 

More on the menu

The café menu features a selection of sweet and savoury patisserie, breakfast sandwiches and egg dishes. All bread and patisserie is created in the in-house bakery, visible to customers behind a glass wall on the first floor. 

For lunch and dinner, hors d'ouevres include crispy frog's legs served with sauce ravigote and tartare de bouef. Grilled cheeses are made fresh, served with French onion soup alongside a Bánhi Mì of soft shell crab. The open kitchen also offers brasserie classics like rôtisserie chicken, Vadouvan curry of monkfish or a whole lobster frites to share.

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