Bébé Bob

Nestled in London’s Golden Square, Bébé Bob is the (ever so slightly) more casual sibling of the iconic Bob Bob Ricard, which sits right around the corner, with its Insta-friendly ‘press for Champagne’ buttons. Don’t be fooled by the seemingly simple, chicken-focused concept - this is Art Deco glamour through and through, where every detail seems touched with gold.

A curved cocktail bar gleams at the front of the restaurant, inviting diners to sip on cocktails and tuck into bar snacks, while towards the back, a crimson hideaway of plush circular booths and bespoke artwork offers an intimate retreat for more traditional dining. The charm of Bébé Bob is its flexibility - a place where you can tailor your experience to suit the occasion. A dollop of caviar here, a smothering of truffle there, and, of course, Champagne to wash it all down.

We start with warm blinis, served with a flower of thick-cut smoked salmon, and a quenelle of crème fraîche - buttery and indulgent, as we lather it onto the pancakes. A beef fillet carpaccio, from the seasonal truffle menu, follows. Shavings of white truffle cascade over wafer-thin slices of beef, elevated by fried capers, punchy gherkins, and creamy tonnato mayonnaise.

For mains, there’s only one rule: chicken, or chicken. The limited menu is exclusively poultry-focused, further narrowed by the fact that two out of four options are designed for sharing. We opt for the signature schnitzel, deep-fried and golden - topped with a tableside scoop of truffle butter, which slowly melts into a puddle over the crisp coating. It’s simple, effective, and indulgent enough that we skip the optional Oscietra caviar upgrade. The paper placemat and cardboard carton holder for our side of truffle fries feel oddly out of place amongst the buckets of Champagne and tins of caviar, but it’s hard to feel too pressed by these miniscule details - it’s all part of the fun.

Cocktails, crafted in collaboration with Ryan ‘Mr Lyan’ Chetiyawardana, are just as decadent, with several following the same chicken theme - Chicken Bone Negroni anyone? We play it safe with the 100 Raspberries Royale, a decadent mix of vodka, raspberry eau de vie, and Moët, with lemon cream paint adding a final flourish to the delicate glass. Chetiyawardana is legitimately one of the world’s great mixologists, so to have him overseeing cocktails here really elevates the whole experience.

Whether you’re celebrating with caviar and Champagne or just craving a top-notch chicken dinner, there’s a place for all at Bébé Bob - as long as you like chicken.

From the team behind Bob Bob Ricard comes Bébé Bob, a well-priced restaurant inspired by a love of rotisserie chicken, caviar, cocktails and Champagne. Open for lunch and dinner, you can find the 56-cover restaurant just off Golden Square, a stone’s throw from Bob Bob Ricard’s original site in Soho. Bébé Bob sees the brand go in a slightly different direction with a more affordable offering. That being said, Bébé Bob is one of the most glamorous rotisserie in existence.

Interiors at Bébé Bob draw inspiration from the Golden Age, from the red and blue colour scheme to art deco-inspired details like soft leather banquets, a bespoke geometric-patterned carpet and glass screens.

Kick things off by working through a unique cocktail list formed in collaboration with Mr Lyan, the most decorated bartender in the world. It features a Red Apple Spritz and Fries & Champagne cocktail, but paired with chicken and caviar-focused bar snacks (like schnitzel nuggets with caviar or lemon cream caviar doughnuts), the Bebe Lyan Martini is the top choice.

Whether on the express lunch menu or a la carte, rotisserie chicken is the focus of the Bébé Bob menu, the website makes that clear: ‘Any dish the customer wants, as long as it’s chicken or chicken.’ Choose between Vendée chicken from Pays de la Loire or Landais chicken from Gascony. Served whole and carved tableside with a chicken jus, you’ll find sides like truffled French fries, mixed leaf salads, and sauteed kale in confit garlic to accompany. Desserts, meanwhile, feature the likes of apple tarte tatin with calvados ice cream and caramel.

In time-honoured Bob Bob tradition, wines here are the best value in London, often below retail price. It’s made for chicken, with half the list dedicated to Champagne and Burgundy regions, and the other to classic wines from the rest of the world.