Café François: Maison François team announce follow up in Borough Market

The Maison François team are set to open a follow-up to their popular St James’s brasserie this autumn, as they launch Café François in Borough Market.

Described as a modern French canteen drawing inspiration from Parisian cafés, Californian delis, and Montreal bistros, the new opening will offer a menu of typical, affordable French dishes, with a few nods to more international, global influences. The two-storey, all-day café, which will overlook Borough Market, will be operated by founder François O’Neill, executive chef Matthew Ryle, with head of operations Ed Wyand leading the front of the house. On the ground floor will be a deli counter and rotisserie, while on the first floor will be an open kitchen, visible through a glass wall, and two additional dining rooms.

Offering breakfasts of sweet and savoury pâtisseries, sandwiches and what are described as “hearty egg dishes”, the deli is likely to be busiest first thing. As with Maison François, there will be a bakery in-house, though at Borough Market it will be visible to customers. In homage to Maison François' now-famous dessert trolley, the pâtisserie will be on display in custom-designed cabinet in the dining room. For both lunch and supper , rotisserie chicken is offered, sliced to order — it can be added to sandwiches and baguettes — as well as salads with mustard dressing, steak sandwiches with Béarnaise sauce, and Bánh Mì with roast pork belly and pickled vegetables.

Elsewhere, the open kitchen will serve brasserie classics like Toulouse sausage with lentils, Vadouvan curry of monkfish, and whole lobster frites for sharing.

Both wine and cocktails will stick to the café’s broader ethos, with wine director Daniel Illsley steering his cellar towards international and sustainable wines. The cocktail list will focus on classics, with an emphasis on cold and quick serves.

“Following the opening of Maison François, we had our eyes on a second site and couldn’t have found a more perfect location,” said O’Neill of the opening. “Borough Market 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!”

Café François will open in the autumn. For more information, follow @cafefrancoislondon