Bistro Gourmand in Brighton and Hove

Sunny day called in after seaside walk to sit outside for a lite snack. Limited to around 16 seats outside. All food made by owner chef Frank. Freshly prepared I had a lovely cool salad Nicoise with white wine. Cash only no plastic!

Been going to Bistro Gourmand (otherwise known as Chez Franck) for some years and it's consistently excellent - don't know how he manages it. Since the beginning of February the Bistro's been closed for freshening-up but is reopening in time for the Easter weekend; and after a peek the other day I was reassured to see the authentic French ambiance has been well preserved. It's friendly, with wonderful food at very reasonable prices. Franck is tolerant of clients practising our poor French, and well-behaved dogs are welcome!

An absolute gem. The closest thing to a French bistro outside of France.

This restaurant is a gem. You need to book well in advance as always busy. The place is quirky but intamate. The food is amazing and have never been disappointed. Thank you for a nice evening as always 😊

Had a lovely lunch there on Thursday with seven of us, celebrating a birthday. We had a fine round table. Franck was a very genial host. The food presented to us was excellent as was the service & at a very reasonable price. It's a one man show with Franck taking the orders, cooking and serving. All with a bonhomie. I said " I don't know how you do it!!" Franck replied mischievously, " I don't know either!!" And was off, to prepare another dish. Highly recommended. Thank you for a lovely casual afternoon. Will be coming again. Rakesh and family

1st.class food/drink+very comfortable. Have eaten at the bistro a few times always good.

Very pleasant meal with very friendly staff and a very extensive menu. A small bistro maybe 28 covers with a cosy atmospere and very competitive prices. Food well presented and enjoyed by all (we were 7). Worth a visit!

This small Bistro are normally closed on a Monday Evening but agreed to accommodate a group of 11 of us for 8 pm. At 6 pm I phoned to increase the party to 18. In spite of the short notice the service and food quality were both excellent from this hard working chef and his partner.. The venue is central to the village and the decor whilst shabby/chic is very interesting. The menu choices are varied and and there is something for everyone's choice. The prices are reasonable and the only slight downside(which i wasn't told when booking) it that they only accept cash or cheques, this mean't several rushing to the nearest A.T.M machine .All in all a delightful evening, and we recommend this Bistro with confidence.

Very pleasant meal with very friendly staff and a very extensive menu. A small bistro maybe 28 covers with a cosy atmospere and very competitive prices. Food well presented and enjoyed by all (we were 7). Worth a visit!

This small Bistro are normally closed on a Monday Evening but agreed to accommodate a group of 11 of us for 8 pm. At 6 pm I phoned to increase the party to 18. In spite of the short notice the service and food quality were both excellent from this hard working chef and his partner.. The venue is central to the village and the decor whilst shabby/chic is very interesting. The menu choices are varied and and there is something for everyone's choice. The prices are reasonable and the only slight downside(which i wasn't told when booking) it that they only accept cash or cheques, this mean't several rushing to the nearest A.T.M machine .All in all a delightful evening, and we recommend this Bistro with confidence.

This restaurant is definitely an absolutely hidden local favourite. It is small, the atmosphere charming and food completely authentically French and absolutely delicious. We were both surprised and delighted by our visit and look forward to coming back.

Simple excellence and a great experience.

A remarkably consistent degree of excellence in food and service within a genuine French environment. Very wide choice of menu and wines. The tender steak surpasses expectations and the dessert ice creams and sorbets are first class.

Great place, staff work hard and yhe food is great.

What a fantastic restaurant! I actually forgot how to really enjoy a restaurant with no time limits. On Saturday night, we had the table for as long as we wanted with no rush or pressure to eat and get out. The ambience really was to sit, eat, drink and enjoy the night and we certainly did. It is not very often oxtail is on the menu and it proved a fantastic choice. It was cooked to perfection and the meat fell off the bone. Our friend’s veal chop was amazing and again cooked to perfection. There so much good variety in this restaurant, it is difficult to chose but know what I will be trying the next time or then again, who knows what great specials will be on offer. Food and the service was excellent and the recommendations were spot on. Looking forward to the next visit.

We had a beautiful birthday lunch here. Delicious food, well presented and a very very affordable pricing. Lovely environment and atmosphere. Dog friendly inside and out

Would be nice to have vegan options. But an authentic French venue, with a charming proprietor

Excellent food freshly cooked Vibrant atmosphere Traditional French cuisine personal service from staff who care about your enjoyment of the food.

We have been to this restaurant a number of times either for lunch or dinner. We can say without any exception that the food delivered has always been top quality along with the service, an excellent menu and drinks list and a very relaxed ambience. My wife and I booked for a Friday evening table for 2. We both chose crayfish and avocado as a starter and then for mains lamb shank and braised oxtail in red wine. I will highly recommended the lamb shank but everything was top class. All washed down with a quality bottle of house red +. The restaurant was full which is always a good sign considering the current climate. This is not a fast food establishment so you will need to set aside a few precious hours. Please note - you will need to book.

It was ok..but how can you run a restaurant with This restaurant has so much potential and the few staff are very accomodating but most of the menu wasn't available.. on a Saturday night?! However the meals served were tasty.

I had a very tall order as my Wife really wanted Coq Au Vin and living near Haywards Heath after searching I very quickly found that I had very little chance of making her wish come true! Naturally I started looking across the Brighton area as it is close by to us. After an extensive search I broadened my search area and came across what can only be described as an absolute gem!! Not only was my Wife's Coq Au Vin to her absolute delight, so was my Rib Eye Steak, as were our Mussels for starter and then our absolutely delicious deserts. The service was nothing short of exceptional for the entire meal. We will be returning for sure as we both now would like to work our way through the menu. Absolutely exceptional!! Thank you so much.

Lovely independent family run restaurant.

Seems as though the owner doesn't want custom, rude dismissive, seems to select his customers. Typical of this place, Rottingdean. So no I haven't tried it, tried to book a couple of times, the owner put me off. Better off getting the Chinese next door at least they smile are courteous etc. Sorry not sorry.

Authentic style family run bistro with the chef Franck cooking up a delicious evening meal. No set menu but a la carte dishes were reasonably priced. We enjoyed the atmosphere and the housewine was excellent. Shared our starters of baked camembert and ratatouille tart which helped the wait for the main courses of pheasant, magret of duck and halibut. Vegetables minimal. Desserts were amazing. Service personable but slightly slow due to the fact everyone arrived at 7 30pm so we were the last to be served. Obviously frequented by locals. We will definitely return.

Great food, great service and lovely ambiance. Central Rottingdean location with A varied, interesting menu. Highly recommended.

One of the best restaurants we have ever been too and certainly the best French restaurant. We were warmly welcomed by Sue, who has worked for Franck (owner and chef) for several years. We were able to choose where we sat as we arrived early enough. The evening did not disappoint. Freshly cooked, local and well presented food accompanied with a very good French red wine. Very good value for money. Three courses and a bottle of wine and still change under a £100! (note, cash only). This was our first visit and certainly won't be our last.

Nice enough, but service is quite French in style, and cash only and only chalkboard menu, limited opening times and reservation options. A bit of step back in time 50 years or so

Beautiful French style cuisine. The food was delightful and reasonably priced. The service was lovely. Such a find. Would highly recommend and will definitely return.

Très bon accueil, les plats sont très bons. Le service est fait en français merci pour cela. Je recommande ce restaurant si vous passez par ici.

Approx 2 miles out of Brighton city centre on the main coast road you will find Rottingdean , just off the Main Street you will find this magnificent restaurant , the food is cooked to order and you will not find anything frozen its all fresh , I had the veal Chop and my friend had the monkfish it was excellent, the wines are very good and the service is faultless , we will be back and very soon .

Had to wait over half an hour for main meal!

Wonderful typical French atmosphere .seating inside and out. Great staff led by Franck. Food superb. Lovely place to go for a light lunch or full on dinner.love it. Of

7.30 Friday night experience. Fabulous food, very cosy vibe. Brilliant service slick friendly on point. Only three staff one waitress coped with everything. A well oiled machine.

Delightful ambience, service friendly and attentive. Food was excellent with very ample portions. Will certainly return!

Great apmosphere good food good wine must book

This restaurant is definitely an absolutely hidden local favourite. It is small, the atmosphere charming and food completely authentically French and absolutely delicious. We were both surprised and delighted by our visit and look forward to coming back.

Four of us dined here last night, it was a lovely experience. All the tables were booked for 7:30 and I wondered how the chef & staff would cope with all the parties arriving at once. They did - very efficiently, clearly a very well organised operation. Our waitress was friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. The menu was up on the blackboard and was extensive - we all had different starters and mains and all were beautifully presented, piping hot and delicious. All our dishes arrived simultaneously. Dessert options were listed by our waitress and we shared two. The profiteroles were lovely, the raspberry slice looked divine. A very enjoyable evening with delicious food and good company. We will be back!

There are so few places nowadays where the atmosphere is truly relaxed. The welcome is laid back and understated but that is just how a meal should be. There are seasonal menus showing the changes from warming hearty stews to light and delicious Fish dishes. (We’re now waiting for the Bouillabaisse!) All with that clever French touch that means clean plates all round. The two of us shared three dishes: raclette with a lovely selection of cold meats and pate and mixed leaves, calamari in a delicious tomato sauce with crunchy French bread to mop it up and a light flaky ratatouille tart. Delicious! The blanc de blanc fizz hit the spot as did the well rounded house red. Available by the glass or bottle. People just pop in for a drink or a chat! We finished the meal with an unusual take on an apple tarte tatin. Nothing seemed overpriced and very good value. The service is friendly and not rushed. Food appeared as it was needed, all freshly cooked, so with the eclectic interior, it was a lovely experience. May be one of Rottingdean’s best kept secrets. You’ll need to park and walk as there is very limited parking nearby, but Rottingdean is worth a little exploration. No you can’t see the sea from Le Bistro Gaurnand, but let’s be fair, you’ll be here to relax, enjoy the food in this very French ambiance and meet up with friends who share these values. Speaking of which, in these overpriced post Covid days, this little gem is still very good value. Three delicious plates of food, fresh bread and butter, one shared pud with ice cream and two glasses of wine for less than £40 with a tip. The proprietor and wife are interesting, attentive and charming. What’s not to like?

An unassuming exterior will lead to a wine glass full of France to savour. Quite honestly some of the best restaurant food I have experienced in the UK. Expect a varied and recognisable menu. Everything cooked to perfection. Expect efficient and personal service Expect the dishes to be hot, tasty and filling Expect the deserts to be excellent The drinks to be cool as expected And the price to be reasonable. I thoroughly recommend this restaurant.

Visited for the first time for lunch 28/10/21. Small, intimate, relaxed ambience. It was like stepping into the chef's and hostess's home ... so welcoming. Food excellent and extremely reasonably priced. In future will be our go to lunch venue (and will try dinner too if we can get a booking... it is so very popular). Highly recommend.

Amazingly good food and friendly. Love the place

Friendly. Excellent quality meals.

A special, charming & magical place. Only sampled lunch. Delicious food, not 'fast' food! Check Franck is open. Lunches & dinners. Different menus. I'd say very reasonable for the quality.

A superb French Bistro, privately owned and served by the owner

Disappointing first visit. Food is basic but tasty. The downside of this place is that the service is so terse. Was left feeling that the staff were doing us a favour in serving us, and felt to be a 'hinderance' to the restaurant. They are very precious in their closing times, and the table opposite us were only given about four minutes to order, before they were told "the chef needs to go soon". They don't accept cards (which is not made clear when booking). We wouldn't be returning, and I couldn't seriously recommend, as the staff aren't friendly enough for us.

Though I'm not exactly a local, I go to Franck and Sue's wonderful restaurant fairly often. It feels authentically French, and they welcome well-behaved dogs! The food is very good to excellent - never a "bad" meal - and the atmosphere is friendly and welcoming. On occasion I've brought a birthday cake for a friend, and Sue has discreetly hidden it until the Happy Birthday moment....But as a very few reviewers have complained of "slow" service, it's worth noting that the owners' approach is likewise very French: food with friends is to be savoured at a leisurely pace and they don't mind if you take your time - you'll never be hassled to finish up, unless you've really overstayed and they need to close. Bravo, la famille!

We would like to have dined here but the phone went unanswered many times.when it was answered we were told it was not open till Thursday. However we walked past later that day and it seemed to be open. There is a notice outside indicating that they open when they feel like it. It might be humourous or just typical french arrogance

Recently moved to Rottingdean. Been planning to eat here for ages; but hadn’t got round to it. Made it for lunch today; why didn’t we come before! Lovely staff. Good location. Fantastic good - Prawns Provençal delightful; Crayfish and avocado salad refreshing and light. Savoury salmon Crepes for 2 of us as light lunch and wonderful fish of the day (Halibut) grilled to perfection. Great house wines. Delicious Calvados! Won’t be long before we’re back! Thank you Frank and team.

Real French bistrot near Brighton!! You feel like you are in the heart of Provence! Definitely recommend it for any lovers of french cuisine!

Lovely food, staff and experience. Came with my wife on a Saturday evening. Extremely friendly and welcoming staff. Sue couldn't have been more friendly and helpful! Food was great, wild boar terrine was excellent. My wife had the mussels, which went down well. Generous portions all around. Both had the ribeye for mains, which was extremely tasty. Best part all around is that nothing was rushed, just a nice evening to relax and enjoy you time, unlike many restaurants these days where they are trying to squeeze in a second sitting. Overall, and amazing restaurant to visit for a welcoming, tasty and relaxed meal or evening out, as it should be.

Great food and great value. it was a lovely day for it too!

Came with my wife on a Saturday evening. Extremely friendly and welcoming staff. Sue couldn't have been more friendly and helpful!Food was great, wild boar terrine was excellent. My wife had the mussels, which went down well. Generous portions all around. Both had the ribeye for mains, which was extremely tasty. Best part all around is that nothing was rushed, just a nice evening to relax and enjoy you time, unlike many restaurants these days where they are trying to squeeze in a second sitting. Overall, and amazing restaurant to visit for a welcoming, tasty and relaxed meal or evening out, as it should be.

Food was amazing and nice people

Lovely food, huge portions, great atmosphere. Needs more veggie options - none of the mains were vegetarian, but we were able to get by with starters

Very nice, excellent food and service

Great food in a very relaxed atmosphere.... Will definitely visit again.

Very nice food and friendly staff.

Booked a table for 2 for lunch, fortunately on one of the few sunny and warmish days this May as it was still alfresco eating only.I usually have two starters rather than a main and this visit was no exception. My crayfish and avocado cocktail was superb, very fresh and tasty ingredients, beautifully presented and a generous serving. My 2nd starter was smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on lightly toasted focaccia bread. Again it was superb and very generous serving. My friend had very similar plates and thoroughly enjoyed them. Needless to say that we were pleasantly full up and so had no room for desert regardless of how yummy they looked. Bottle of tap water and tasty fresh bread and a carafe of their pretty good house wine completed our meal.Service was friendly and efficient and understandably on the slow side as food is freshly prepared.Check out opening times / days and recommend booking in advance as it is very popular but small.

We were lucky enough to get a good table at short notice one Friday evening in December for five of us to celebrate my wife’s birthday. Due to COVID restrictions Franck has reduced the covers to get good social distancing and therefore the restaurant was full with 15 persons. Franck had already been very helpful on the ‘phone by assuring us he could cater for a vegan in our party and he was true to his word with a generous avocado salad and roasted aubergine with a selection seasonal veg.For the rest of us the Foie Gras was good, certainly a very generous proportion, with restaurant-made toasted flat breads accompanied with a recommended desert rosé which paired well.Main courses are very generous with traditional uncomplicated veg and we enjoyed confit duck cassoulet (authentically seasoned), Moules et Frites, Halibut and Dover Sole.We didn’t notice the wine list but both the house red (Bordeaux-style) and house white (Burgundy) are inexpensive and perfectly quaffable.Great atmosphere and excellent service throughout and blissfully free from pretentiousness. The whole experience reminded us all of happy, relaxed meals we’ve enjoyed in French Routier restaurants, usually discovered impulsively and found all over France.Bistro Gourmand is highly recommended for good, honest fare, produced well and served with friendliness and style.

Last night we had a take away from here. I have never ever had such a good take away. I ordered in the morning and collected at 5-30 Hot and beautifully packed . We had an amazing feast. highly recommend

6 of us Went to Bistro Gourmand for Lunch today .Wonderful menu and very good food.Highly recommended

Great service and good food. The chef was very accommodating. Just what i needed after a disappointing experience elsewhere in the morning.

Beautiful food, friendly staff and a wonderful restaurant

I love this place so much I don't really want to tell too many people! They deserve an excellent review though so here it is, just don't tell everyone!

Wow! What a delightful find, Sunday afternoon with wine food & sunshine felt like holidays. We'll be back..

The best place to eat in Rottingdean, hands down. The food may take a while to arrive but when it does it’s absolute perfection from top to bottom, produced with love and finesse. There genuinely aren’t enough superlatives for how good the food is here... Seriously just go (they do takeaways).

my family have been regulars here for years and every visit has been spot on! The food, the service everything. The portions are huge and everything is cooked to order, this place is a hidden gem!He is now doing takeways (due to covid) and we were not disapointed on Saturday. The same excellent quality and big portion sizes! This is by far the best restaurant in Brighton, and long may it continue!

The restaurant is closed at the moment but is still doing takeaway meals which is great during these difficult times.The food was outstanding and piping hot and ready on time,all we had to do was email the day before and request a time to collect and the food was boxed whilst i waited.As i said the food was wonderful starters and main courses foie gras and raclette to start,lamb shank shared between the two of us and was more than enough.Will definitely be using this take out service again probably this weekend !

if you can get a table- go! Fresh, excellently cooked food. My only complaint is that we have tried calling for a birthday meal in January but we have not been able to get through. I highly recommend this place - a good old-fashioned French bistro - its perfect.

One amazing restaurant. Food is really nice, great atmosphere.

A Hidden GEM. A WONDERFUL little French restaurant hidden away in the village of Rottingdean.It is worth phoning as in the evening it is always booked up. More chance at lunchtime where they have an inexpensive delicious menu, but still phone first This is a little slice of France. Don't go there in a hurry, order a bottle of wine relax and have a delightful experience. 90%of the diners are locals which tells you a great del. We all come back over and over again. Enjoy!

A group of 7 were booked in for Saturday night dinner and we were blown away by the quality and extent of the menu. It is all beautifully home cooked and the service was exceptional. House wine is very reasonably priced, and this was, we reckoned, the finest overall restaurant we had visited as a walking group in 25 years of being together. Well done - and keep it up!

Very pleasant meal with very friendly staff and a very extensive menu. A small bistro maybe 28 covers with a cosy atmospere and very competitive prices. Food well presented and enjoyed by all (we were 7). Worth a visit!

This small Bistro are normally closed on a Monday Evening but agreed to accommodate a group of 11 of us for 8 pm. At 6 pm I phoned to increase the party to 18.In spite of the short notice the service and food quality were both excellent from this hard working chef and his partner..The venue is central to the village and the decor whilst shabby/chic is very interesting. The menu choices are varied and and there is something for everyone's choice. The prices are reasonable and the only slight downside(which i wasn't told when booking) it that they only accept cash or cheques, this mean't several rushing to the nearest A.T.M machine .All in all a delightful evening, and we recommend this Bistro with confidence.

I was born in southwest France, and the Bistro Gourmand is simply for me the best French restaurant in the entire Brighton & Hove area. A true gem. Excellent food, very good wine, generous portions and a great service.

We found Bistro Gourmand by chance on Wednesday lunchtime after discovering that The Trellis was closed. What a piece of luck! The three of us enjoyed widely differing meals, all freshly prepared and delicious, served at a leisurely pace while we enjoyed the sunshine in the outside seating area. Definitely a place to come back to, as we want to sample some of the other wonderful-sounding (and very French) items on the menu. The interior of the restaurant looks very inviting, and we though about coming one evening. We were told, however, that for an evening meal we would have to book weeks in advance. And the prices are not ridiculous.

The food was extremely well cooked every one enjoyed it immensely well recommended

Food delicious, host willing to go out of his way to make our visit all we could hope for. Defintely recommended.

It's actually some of the best food i've had. The chef is French and puts his all into every dish. The restaurant is small so you need to book about a month or more in advance to get a table as its only open a few days a week. The only complaint i have is that i can never get in!!

We had a lovely meal here with friends , service was very good, atmosphere relaxed, food was delicious.!!

This restaurant is a hidden treasure. Had a wonderful lunch time experience - sat outside as the weather suggested summer had arrived. We both had crayfish starters and then mains of coq au vin and duck with a very nice bottle of house red. Great value for money and cooked to a very high quality. A fantastic restaurant for food, wine and a chilled out experience. Highly recommended.

Wonderful food. Really excellent quality and service. Good balue for money. Have been thete twice and both times it became warmer as the evening went on. Could do with some ventilation but maybe that's just me! The scallops were fantastic but try the monkfish too and you will not be disappointed.

Brilliant! - all the more in a place where kitchens close down at 8:00 pm - we offered to eat anything available, but ended up with meltingly silky foie gras, in generous portions, and a wonderful, warming bouillabesse. As we arrived at nearly 10 it was by special dispensation of the owner/chef Frank that they made room for us. Excellent price-quality ratio.

Why do we willingly pay out for mediocre restaurants when there are places like this?!

Visited on gorgeous sunny day and sat outside. Yummy food - we had goats cheese & crayfish starters and then good old chicken coq a vin and beef bourguignon.

wonderful food, lovely staff and great atmosphere, highly recommend it 😎

Hands down the best restaurant in the Brighton area, but you do have to book in advance. Cracking value for money.

Fabulous French cuisine in an intimate setting. Great selection of food to choose from, we had Wild boar terrine and Aubergine starters, followed by Beouf Bourginon and Roasted Venison

What a pleasant surprise. The Bistro has an unassuming ambience and delicious food. We arrived at 13:50 (struggled to find parking). This put real pressure on the kitchen, as it closes at 14:00. However, they went above and beyond to accommodate us. Will certainly return.

Went here for lunch and everything was perfect. The steak was rare as requested and tender. I am glad I did not have a starter as I wouldn't have managed the entrée. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone.

Amazing - will definitely return. Authentic food

Always Had good food here and booked really early as generally gets booked up quickly. Nice menu main meal venison for me and lamb shank for husband was absolutely yummy all freshly cooked by the wonderful owner. This place is a hidden gem and has a wonderful ambience and good service to match

Excellent meal, good value service and friendly place to eat! Will definitely be visiting again! Wine very reasonable!

Now called Cafe Franc very enjoyable meal with a nice atmosphere

we had such a lovely meal, the atmosphere was delightful, and the staff could not have been more friendly and helpful..

Super little french restaurant and very reasonably priced.

We hadn’t been for a while and had booked well in advance. Advisable. The food, service and ambiance was first class. The menu extensive and authentically French. (Five different fish mains available). Expect a relaxing and un-rushed evening. It’s such a rare gem.

A lovely French styled bistro, relaxed atmosphere with excellent food and friendly staff.

Merci au chef... C’est comme à la maison !

Amazing food, very friendly owners, really good value. Highly recommended. Will definitely be back! Try the Calamari to start and rib eye for main. And make sure you tip as they don’t charge for service