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Le Cafe du Marcheone star

22 Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BX

£49.00 French Clerkenwell, Barbican
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Square Meal Review of Le Cafe du Marche ?

‘Everything French food should be – homely, unpretentious, well cooked, well presented’, comments one reader with nodding approval of the wares at Le Café du Marché. Hidden down a cobbled alleyway opposite Smithfield Market, this place has barely changed in the past 25 years & the dining room still resonates with Gallic cordiality. Agile waiters glide gracefully between the tightly packed tables, & you sense that Serge Gainsbourg would approve of the wine bottles stacked atop the upright piano. The handwritten three-course menu is endearingly rustic & reasonably priced – open with potted rabbit & beetroot salad, before woofing down daube of duck leg with red wine & prunes. Desserts are equally unpretentious offerings such as cappuccino pannacotta. If you fancy a change of scene, Le Rendezvous next door is handy for a post-prandial drink.

Overall Diner Rating

8.1
Food & Drink
8.0
Service
7.7
Atmosphere
8.2
Value
7.4

Based on 12 ratings. Rate it!

Customer Reviews

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  1. John A.

    ( 50s, Male, United Kingdom )

    April 2011

    Always authentic french country atmosphere, but with that typical french arrogant service which is so annoying but not bad.

    Food this time was good but not outstanding- venison not aged enough. again (this seems to be happening all too often these days) the portions were on the small side

    • Overall: 6
    • Food & Drink: 6
    • Service: 5
    • Atmosphere: 8
    • Value: 6
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  2. Pa C.
    Silver Reviewer

    ( 40s, Male, United Kingdom )

    This place is just great. Its everything French food should be – homely, unpretentious, well cooked, well presented and served well. Coete de bouef for 2, Duck Confit, Chicken Tajine is all very very good and served with a simple salad or fresh vegtables.
    From the look of the new website it also looks like they now offer a very good priced set menu. It is in my opinion the best French place to eat in town and for a relaxed but also elegant setting this is the place to go.

    • Overall: 9
    • Food & Drink: 8
    • Service: 8
    • Atmosphere: 9
    • Value: 7
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
     
  3. Www.bycost­ello­⁠.com
    Gold Reviewer

    ( 40s, Male, London )

    Just looking at their web site, it looks like we ate in the café section, although I didn’t know that there were different sections. Something you’d think they’d ask when you book.

    The menu is in French, so for those of us lacking our French O-level it makes ordering a little tricky. Fortunately with my fake Allo Allo style French accent I bluffed my way through.

    For starters I had Jambon cru, figues et gorgonzola, which sounded much more exciting in French than it looked on the plate, but as ham and cheese go, it was quite good. For main I had one of the specials, cod in a prawn and seafood sauce/ broth. A passion fruit sabayon finish me off. All in all very good food, and pretty reasonable at £33.85 for the 3 courses.

    • Overall: 8
    • Food & Drink: 8
    • Service: 8
    • Atmosphere: 8
    • Value: 9
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  4. Claire H.

    ( United Kingdom )

    Editor's pick

    This is one of my all time favourite restaurants. Every time I've visited, it's been a lovely experience all round. Everything about it, from the rustic charm of the interior and the cobbled street leading up to it, to the lighting and gentle piano playing in the background, makes an evening feel special. The côte de boeuf is consistently good and always cooked exactly as requested, and the accompanying potato dishes and vegetables or salad of the day are always of optimum freshness and quality, and cooked or dressed to perfection. Other dishes I have eaten there, including the fish soup, chick pea salad and fish of the day have been good, if not excellent. They have a fantastic and extensive wine list, and the sommelier recommends well. The waiting staff are always pleasant and helpful, and I like the nack they seem to have of judging when you need attending to and when you want to be left alone. I also like the way they care to state that they do not use GM ingredients on their menu. I could nit-pick about the food being a little too salty for my taste or about the service on the odd occasion, but essentially it's a trusty place that never lets me down.

    • Overall: 10
    • Food & Drink: 8
    • Service: 9
    • Atmosphere: 10
    • Value: 8
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
     
  5. Robert B.
    Gold Reviewer

    ( 50s, Male, United Kingdom )

    Service is very erratic and sometimes typically French. I am not a fan of the set dinner menu, which I think is too limited and not very good value. Lunch offers a better experience.

    • Overall: 6
    • Food & Drink: 7
    • Service: 6
    • Atmosphere: 7
    • Value: 6
    6 of 9 people found this review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
     
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    Essential Details for Le Cafe du Marche

    • Cuisine: French
    • Area: Clerkenwell, Barbican
    • Price: £49.00
    • Wine: £18.95
    • Champagne: £41.00
    • Lunch: £28.50/34.85 (2/3 courses)
    • Dinner: £28.50/34.85 (2/3 courses)

    Location of Le Cafe du Marche

    Customer Reviews

    Been to this restaurant? Write a comment

    Write Your Review
    • 1Win fab prizes with free monthly prize draws!
    • 2See your views in print.
    • 3Collect your thoughts in one place.
    • 4Be rewarded with an Editor's Pick.
    • 5Rate restaurants and share your views.

    Diner reviews for Le Cafe du Marche

    1. John A.

      John A. ( 50s, Male, United Kingdom )

      May 2011

      April 2011

      Always authentic french country atmosphere, but with that typical french arrogant service which is so annoying but not bad.

      Food this time was good but not outstanding- venison not aged enough. again (this seems to be happening all too often these days) the portions were on the small side

      • Overall: 6
      • Food & Drink: 6
      • Service: 5
      • Atmosphere: 8
      • Value: 6
      Was it helpful to you?
       
    2. Pa C.
      Silver Reviewer

      Pa C. ( 40s, Male, United Kingdom )

      July 2010

      This place is just great. Its everything French food should be – homely, unpretentious, well cooked, well presented and served well. Coete de bouef for 2, Duck Confit, Chicken Tajine is all very very good and served with a simple salad or fresh vegtables.
      From the look of the new website it also looks like they now offer a very good… More

      • Overall: 9
      • Food & Drink: 8
      • Service: 8
      • Atmosphere: 9
      • Value: 7
      1 of 1 people found this review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
       
    3. Www.bycost­ello­⁠.com
      Gold Reviewer

      Www.bycost­ello­⁠.com ( 40s, Male, London )

      October 2009

      Just looking at their web site, it looks like we ate in the café section, although I didn’t know that there were different sections. Something you’d think they’d ask when you book.

      The menu is in French, so for those of us lacking our French O-level it makes ordering a little tricky. Fortunately with my fake Allo Allo style French… More

      • Overall: 8
      • Food & Drink: 8
      • Service: 8
      • Atmosphere: 8
      • Value: 9
      Was it helpful to you?
       
    4. Claire H.

      Claire H. ( United Kingdom )

      June 2009
      Editor's pick

      This is one of my all time favourite restaurants. Every time I've visited, it's been a lovely experience all round. Everything about it, from the rustic charm of the interior and the cobbled street leading up to it, to the lighting and gentle piano playing in the background, makes an evening feel special. The côte de boeuf is… More

      • Overall: 10
      • Food & Drink: 8
      • Service: 9
      • Atmosphere: 10
      • Value: 8
      1 of 1 people found this review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
       
    5. Robert B.
      Gold Reviewer

      Robert B. ( 50s, Male, United Kingdom )

      September 2008

      Service is very erratic and sometimes typically French. I am not a fan of the set dinner menu, which I think is too limited and not very good value. Lunch offers a better experience.

      • Overall: 6
      • Food & Drink: 7
      • Service: 6
      • Atmosphere: 7
      • Value: 6
      6 of 9 people found this review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
       
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