What: Taking inspiration from the numerous ‘bar à vins’ of Paris’ outer arrondissements, Marjorie’s is a two-floor Frestaurant and wine bar located on Soho’s Foubert’s Place. The restaurant takes its name from the late grandmother of one of the founders and has been designed to be ‘the missing slice of Paris in central London’.
Who: It is the creation of new hospitality duo Michael Searle and Josh Anderson, alongside head chef and business partner Giacomo Peretti. Born in Naples in Italy, Peretti has worked in some of London’s top kitchens, including undertaking stages at Core by Clare Smyth, KOL and Silo before moving to Le Gavroche to spend a year as a commis chef. He held a head chef roles at Temper in Soho, and executive head chef positions at Firebird in Soho and most recently at The Culpeper in Shoreditch.
The food: Marjorie’s menu pays homage to traditional French cooking but through a modern lens with dishes on the launch menu such as chicken liver rocher, hazelnut, and morello; white asparagus, faisselle, acacia, and lemon; escargot, seaweed, and pine nut cream; poached chicken, rice, brown butter; crab tart with a crab bisque; and bavette with egg yolk and girolles. The dessert offer is tight, comprising just three options - hot chocolate mousse with lemon and olive oil; a mille-feuille with strawberry and crème diplomat; and a raspberry and tarragon sorbet, and cheese also plays a big role in proceedings, with a daily cheese board served table-side offering a collection of imported French cheeses from La Fromagerie.
To drink: The restaurant’s all-French wine list is described as being shorter than is traditional and aims to showcase the breadth of wine across the country taking in contemporary, small-batch producers as well as more classic varietals. A handful of wines are also available by the glass.
The vibe: Searle and Anderson have gone for the laid back, laissez-faire style of restaurant they experienced in Paris. On the ground floor is a travertine-topped bar, designed for communal dining and drinking, with the space kept for walk-ins while downstairs the cellar vault room has been transformed into a more dark and intimate dining space with bespoke banquette seating and a large round table in the centre of the room to create an ‘old school’ Soho atmosphere.
And another thing: Marjorie’s is more than a decade in the making, with the duo having planned it since their first road trip around France together in Searle’s old P-reg Vauxhall Corsa in 2014.
26 Foubert’s Place, Soho, London, W1F 7PP