L'Hexagone Bistro Français in Norwich - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

To call this place a French Bistro is like calling Wagama a fine dining Japanese restaurant… not entirely truthful. We have been excited about trying this place way before the Jay Rayner review, but sadly it was a real disappointment. The dishes, all apart from dessert, just fell super short of the classic bistro experience and one cannot help but wonder whether Mr Rayner is the reason. It is the 3rd time I have eaten at a place since he reviewed it positively, and every time it has not been close to what he described. Perhaps due to the increased interest??? The menu is super small, no bad thing, but when the only offering for a starter is something like the various types of Pissaladiere, and they are royally messed up, things are not looking good. A Pissaladiere is a sort of pizza like dough but crispier and thinner, with a classic topping of anchovies, olives and onions… in other words a delicious and special treat which even Côte have on the menu; but what they presented to us was a slice of sourdough, bought in (not homemade) it tasted like, with the correct Provencal toppings though… it made my blood boil. We had travelled from close to London to come to this place, as we often do, being foodies… and let me tell you the carbon footprint was not worth it. The wine list was short but not so great. Norwich is full of great independent wine shops and I feel they could up their game with a little better advice. The little touches of greenery that accompanied the starter and main dish were not even dressed and to be frank had no effort lavished on them. Perhaps a proper little side salad would be nice considering the prices, along with some Bread and Pate to greet us upon arrival, as is custom to serve in any bistro I have eaten in, in France. The main course was a fillet steak for me, perfectly well cooked to my liking but no choice of sauces, just a rather lazily made parsley and garlic butter. The aioli for the frites was nice but I have made better at home. The whole thing just felt lazy and given the wonderful array of dining in Norwich now, I was left feeling a little sad. Luckily, dessert made things up a little and the creme brulee was indeed very well made as was the panna cotta. Would have loved to see a creme caramel or some other french offerings though. Service was adequate to slow but very friendly on this busy Saturday. Our group of 4 was just left feeling a little flat this time round but no doubt the simplicity of the place would suit many people but the starters were unforgivable and so far removed from what Jay Rayner ate. We have had many highs elsewhere in Norwich; Benedicts and The Bicycle Shop being two favourites.

A fantastic Bistro tucked away in the Norwich Lanes. Great food & service - will definitely return

I had a WONDERFUL time here for my birthday 🥳 thank you for making my day so special. Food was delicious 🤤

Fantastic little bistro. Small menu but all options are very tempting. Gemma was an excellent host and made us feel very welcome. We both went for the fillet steak which was expertly cooked and full of flavour. The wine selection was good and the côte de Rhône we chose was delicious. Fab!

Lovely couple serve authentic, tasty french food. Love the open kitchen and situation in the city

Absolutely outstanding food and service, me and my wife had steak and fries, nice and simple all I can say is it’s the best steak and fries I have ever had. Thank you For the amazing service too this is going to be our new dinner date place to go!!

Perfectly cooked steak, delicious wine and friendly service. A fantastic place for lunch.

We very much enjoyed are evening! Thank you very much!

One of the best lunches I've ever had!! I honestly can't remember the last time I was stunned buy the food I've eaten. Its the first time I've truly been taken back to my summers in France. This is the only place to eat in Norwich!!!!!!

Been really liking forward to trying this place... What a gem.. Absolutely superb... Thank you

Intimate restaurant with great decor, lovely ambience and deliciously simple French food. The couple who run the restaurant are friendly, welcoming and really attentive. A small menu which I really liked as I prefer not having too many options, and makes it feel like the choices all come highly recommended. The medium rare Filet steak was cooked to perfection, and the Crème Brûlée was the best dessert I've had out in a long time. I can't wait to go back to try the lunch menu.

Proper gem. Fantastic steak, wine and service and the crème brûlée was delicious. No photos as I was too eager to eat my meal. Thank you L'Hexagone!

Lovely dinner last Friday. Food, service and ambience was spot on.

Wow!! I've never had such a beautifully tender, cooked to perfection fillet steak!!! Actually, that's a lie. I got the exact same last time we came! Fantastic food all round and lovely lovely staff offering fantastic service. We are so lucky to have this on our doorstep. I cantvwait ro return.

I can't praise this place enough. Our first dining experience here. Outstanding. Fantastic food, wine, service and the attention to detail.. outstanding. My new favourite restaurant in Norwich!! A real gem x

Fantastic and friendly service, beautiful food and a lovely atmosphere. Thank you

Amazing food, very delicious! Service 5 star! Highly recommended!

Incredible food served by the most lovely people. Couldn’t recommend it highly enough

A great place and a really great team!

Very good meal, hearty and delicious and the service is as good as the food! I recommend 100%

Perfection A great friendly place, very clean, very well laid out, with a very nice decoration. Served by a very pleasant person. The cook is very professional and knows what he is talking about. The dishes are cooked to perfection. I will come back with pleasure. In one word: EXCELLENT

Great restaurant! The team is welcoming and warm, the little dishes are top notch!! I recommend

Just eaten lunch here. Our first time but definitely not our last. Delicious food and lovely staff.

Delicious food and wine with delightful hosts, looking forward to my next visit!

Fantastic dinner in your amazing family run restaurant. Faultless

Absolutely gorgeous little bistro in the heart of Norwich. High quality food with a very French flair and great hospitality. Long may it continue!

Charming very french and simple. I enjoyed the food and the service was excellent

As close to being in France you can get without being there. Delicious simple food, always a pleasure

Fantastic food, friendly staff, a firm favourite.

Intimate atmosphere with attentative service accompanied by quality food... Great independent family run restaurant that we would highly recommend... Thomas and Gemma have got this on point 👌

My favourite place to lunch in the city 😄

Absolutely love this place , food is amazing, service is excellent and has a lovely relaxed vibe. It’s a real treat!! A little piece of France in the heart on Norwich.

Absolutely love it here! Always such a warm and friendly welcome with wonderful food and wine. Highly recommended to all!

L'Hexagone is a must for beautiful French cuisine and exquisite service! Norwich was in need of a representative for this fine French food in a fine city. I have been a regular here for years and it never disappoints. The food is all fresh, local and seasonal. Walking in at lunch, there is a lighter, more youthful vibe and at dinner the candles and music make it seem like a hidden elegant speakeasy. The staff always welcome our family and cater to our every need, taking the time to chat as well if possible. Booking in advance is the best way to avoid disappointment :)

Booked for an evening meal. Service was excellent but the menu VERY limited and sad to say lacking in flavour. If you want steak and chips (basically all that was on offer) Miller and Carter is a better choice ☹️

We had the loveliest time for our three year anniversary! The service was wonderful, attentive but not invasive, and the food was perfection. Everything was beautifully cooked, I had the fish (salmon) and my partner had the steak, we also shared the prawn starter. The wine menu was wonderfully put together (though as it was a special occasion I stuck to the cremant) and we felt very comfortable the entire time. Thank you so much for making our anniversary a wonderful occasion!

Chef certainly knows how to cook a steak. Great flavours abound in every dish. Wine selection spot on with ample choice to complement every course. Service with a smile, with nothing too much trouble. Overall a truely unique French dining experience in the heart of Norwich.

Wonderful hosts genuinely welcoming, food and wine great a bistro at its best

Ate here yesterday and the service and food was phenomenal. Highly recommend and will be returning again!

We had dinner with friends on 13 May, our first visit but hope it won’t be our only visit. Food was delicious, we had 3 courses. My other half and I shared the prawn starter and that was our only mistake as we should have had one each! I then had the chicken casserole and it was very tasty and the other 3 had steak which they all agreed was lovely. For pudding 2 of us had the crème brûlée, one had the cheese and one had the panna cotta and again we all agreed how delicious it was. The restaurant was lovely and welcoming and Front of House couldn’t have been more professional or friendly.

Fantastic little restaurant off the lanes in Norwich, with superb decor and a simple yet elegant menu. We had all the deserts and entrees either side of mains as the menu looked so good. Would highly recommend and return, especially as the menu is often refreshed.

lovely meal very french as expected

I'm a Frenchie based in Norwich and I can't be happier finding good/quality french food away from home. I recommend this lovely place. Très simple, très bon et personnel adorable. On reviendra prochainement, merci beaucoup!

Always superb food, service and welcome. Thank you Thomas and Gemma

Great meal very friendly people!!

Friendly bistro, a family affair, with delicious food.

Fab lunch, very friendly. Love this place!

Great food, friendly atmosphere, definitely place to go if you are visiting Norwich!!

We have just had a fabulous lunch at L’Hexagone, all three of our courses were delicious. I did have meat envy because my husband’s Entrecôte steak was thicker than mine but it was still tasty. It would be good if they had large bottles of sparkling water but that was my only gripe. The service was charming, we are looking forward to our next visit.

Great food very enjoyable lunch. I gave lower stars for atmosphere because I was cold and sat looking out if the window and the light from the window was blinding, made worse by a dark room. A little heat please and a blind on the window. Thank you.

Great lunch yesterday. Excellent food and service.... really enjoyed the atmosphere. look forward to returning soon. Thankyou

Have eaten at this amazing restaurant and as a chef found it refreshing and chilled. Non pretentious but sexy. Great wine as well.

A 5 start experience all round! Wonderful tasting food.

Wonderful food in a lovely French bistro style restaurant. The staff were charming and attentive. A must try eatery.

Excellent food and good friendly service.

Friendly and welcoming modern bistro with a refined twist, served in an intime setting. Smallish menu but with enough options I feel even starting with the brasserie easy croque-monsieur/madame. As a French expat, I was curious to taste some favourites from home. I had the beef bourguignon, which melted in your mouth, as you want it...and my partner the bavette, which I was allowed just one bite of and would order next time round. Hats off to the butcher and chef of course. We don't often eat meat so this was a treat and it didn't disappoint. Nice to hear it's from a local butcher. Vive l'Hexagone, tatatan.

We love L'Hexagone. Every bite is delicious, every visit. Their fillet steak and crème brulé are among the best I've had. The owners are genuinely lovely; the restaurant is a joy to visit. We can't wait to return.

A Norwich gem offering a limited selection of simple French dishes done really well. Casual-chic atmosphere. Family-run - owners and serving staff are attentive without being overly so.

Without any doubt, hesitation or fear of contradiction this the most wonderful neighbourhood French restaurant preparing dishes of the highest calibre. L’Hexagone say “Simple French Cuisine” but it’s oh so much more. Warm, welcoming and attentive service, a menu including classic French dishes that are executed exquisitely with skill and craftsmanship utilising super fresh ingredients. L’Hexagone provides a welcome antidote to foams, volutes, gels and split sauces, this is accomplished traditional French cooking at its best.

The best croque madame I've ever had, and excellent value too. Fantastic service and a cosy family-feel. Couldn't recommend more.

Phenomenal steak, brilliant service and a wonderful atmosphere. Highly recommended!

Had a very nice lunch here. The deserts are outstanding and the place has a very French style. Lunch mains we had were very tasty and unpretentious. Would come again next time I'm in the area.

mine doesnt look quite same as the other photos unfortunately steak was fine but equally burnt fries on both plates were underwhelming.

We had a dinner in L'Hexagone with my fiance and everything was perfect! Atmosphere and music was matching that lovely place! We were served by a lady which explained all dishes perfectly 😍 Meals was delicious and I had definitely the best Panna Cotta desert ever 😋

Lovely people, location and above all… food! Great for lunch or dinner. You really need to book via call or Facebook or insta. Great independent worth going to again and again.

Fabulous meal for my birthday! We were truly beun'aise!! Well done Gemma and Thomas!

Gorgeous place. Delicious food.

Lovely, simple, French restaurant. A breath of fresh air, a real gem. Best book well in advance, it's very popular, and with good reason.

Lovely venue. Fabulous staff. And the steak ... You just have to try it! Maybe the crème brùlée as well...

I love this place. Great food, happy Europeans enjoying French cuisine. Nice coffee, lovely ambience. 👉🏻🇨🇵❤️🇪🇺👈🏻

Great lunch,authentic cooking,small menu= fresh food Perfect steak/ frites Friendly service

Nice food and great service, but you can get better elsewhere for the same money.

Great food and service 👍 The menu is varied, truly French, and super tasty! Very well located in the city centre.

Everything is magnifique! The food is cooked to perfection & it’s a treat to be able to see Thomas creating his dishes in the kitchen (we love to sit downstairs to soak up the atmosphere). Gemma is the perfect host & nothing is too much trouble. It has a wonderful ambience & is a little slice of France in Norwich. Can’t wait to return!

Magnifique. We had a simple lunch and the Sauté de Boef was excellent. The Salade de Haricot Vert et Oeuf Millet was very good and the cheeses enabled ust to enjoy every mouthful of the good Pinot noir. Many thanks.

Finally made it here for a meal, been wanting to try for so long. Service perfect and food equally so! Can not recommend enough. Great place for all occasions. Make sure you support local business especially when this good!

Thomas & Gemma were delightful!! My partner is French so we visited with my parents & loved it! Very authentic, beautiful flavours & attentive service! We look forward to trying the dîner menu next time!

Great meal and friendly service. We had a lovely time and were made to feel very welcome. The menu is simple (three choices for each course) and is in French but the staff are on hand to explain and translate if necessary. The food and drinks were all delicious and the restaurant itself smells fantastic and is intimate. We'll definitely return.

Friendly, relaxed, great food and service

This restaurant is one of the best in Norwich, there is no photo! Thomas and Gemma are passionate and adorable people! With my partner during our expatriation, we were really able to spend pleasant moments and rediscover classics of French cuisine! If you want a little something or rather a big trip into French gastronomy, I advise you to go eat there. Don’t hesitate to chat with Gemma and Thomas, you will find this very comforting family atmosphere! Friends, we wish you the best for the future and hope to see you again later (perhaps in Paris!) Claire & Arthur

An unexpected treat and, despite the impromptu decision to stop for lunch so close to closing time, we were made most welcome. Our lunch consisted of tuna, cold new potatoes, salad and French dressing; and, pan fried tomatoes, onions and fennel on toasted sourdough bread with fries along with a glass of house white. Dessert consisted of a crème brûlée and a panne cotta with berry coulis. Absolutely delicious and now looking forward to booking an evening meal.

Excellent cosy bistro - great to see a small, focussed menu with each dish beautifully presented and very tasty. Both food and wine reasonably priced. Service was great too. My only bit of feedback would be to ditch the half-English-half-French speak - no problem having an all-French menu but having a conversation with a Brit with the odd French word thrown in does not a French atmosphere make. Just my opinion though.

Excellent from the time we walked in,food and service.Thank you and well done.

Very good meal. Some of the best steak I've ever had (Entrecôte) as well as a great atmosphere. Friendly chef and waitress aussi !

A little gem of a place in Norwich. Great food and service with a decent wine list. Been three times now, twice for lunch and once for dinner with a group of eight friends. Do yourself a favour and experience this fab little French Bistro.

Great atmosphere, good food, and a very friendly waitress.

Very disappointing. I was very excited to eat here as the menu was simple and suggested that it would be delicious. I ordered the porc filet with beans and chorizo. The pork was dry and the broth that the beans and chorizo came in was salty. On the positive side my husband had the sirloin with fries and enjoyed it. Bearing in mind I ate only 2 mouthfuls I was surprised that when the bill came they asked us to pay for my meal (they did offer an alternative which I declined - so you'll probably say it was my own fault)....but I was hoping for a gesture of goodwill.

Fancy steak and fries. Excellent service.

A real gem in the centre of the city. The wife asked me to book a table on a Saturday morning for the same evening. A tall order as this very popular restaurant was fully booked. I left my number with the very helpful staff member just in case there was a last minute cancellation. As luck would have it we managed to secure a table and I’m really glad we did. The food was exceptional, beautifully presented and delicious. The staff were incredibly friendly and accommodating. Due to the nature of this small independent business the opening hours are limited. I suggest you call right now and secure your table as this will prove to be very popular as word gets out and is an absolute must for those who appreciate great french cuisine and quality service.

Fabulous food, wine and service

Went for lunch today. Perfect bavette steak and crème brulée. Lovely owners. Will definitely be back

This is a hidden gem in the heart of the Norwich lanes. Beautiful food. Very French, very simple, very delicious. Superb.

Fantastic food and wine in a great setting, run by friendly, welcoming people.

Very good restaurant Perfect food and good atmosphère Friendly welcome

Formidable! Delicious scallops and boeuf bourgignon! Creme brulee was pretty delish too!

Great little restaurant. Warm friendly welcome when we walked in, lovely atmosphere and delicious food. Will definitely be back.

A tiny menu cooked beautifully washed down with a bottle of red! Recommended.

Great food , service and wonderful atmosphere. Really enjoyed our meal.x

Atmospheric French restaurant with authentic food. Loved the French language menu and the wine selection and the Ardèche wine. Will visit again in future!

Loved it, awesome bavette, wonderful friendly service, we will definitely return.