The best restaurants serving French food in East of England

Another great meal at Auberge Du Lac, from the minute you walk in the door you are made very welcome, with the friendliness of the staff you know you are in for a relaxing evening. We got here very early at 5 pm as we wish to enjoy the views before it got dark. So the waiter asked if we would like the courses to be spread out so we get more atmosphere when other tables are taken. The food is amazing, from the welcoming snack and the hot freshly baked bread to the desert and coffee in the lounge with petit fours. We had the Wednesday supper club deal so the bill only came to £110 with a bottle of wine, this is fantastic value, we always treat going here as special, but at these prices should go more often, I am spending more than this in pubs. Very much looking forward to our next visit.

Lovely Sunday lunch, each course was delicious. Staff were very friendly, service was excellent Highly recommend

Had an absolutely fantastic lunch at Benedicts in Norwich with my wife. We went for the three-course set lunch, and wow—it was amazing from start to finish! The absolute star of the meal was Cod main. Just incredible. The wine selection was spot on, with plenty to choose from, and the staff? Next-level brilliant. Super friendly, attentive, and really knew their stuff. It’s always nice when service is this good. Every dish was explained to us upon delivery. If you're in Norwich and fancy a meal that feels special but still totally relaxed, Benedicts is 100% worth it!

Enjoy a perfect ribeye steak in a warm atmosphere

Tulip was brilliant. She was attentive to the needs of all the customers. She kept us updated, paid attention to our needs and was very speedy. She was an excellent host.

I had the pleasure of dining at Cote Bishop's Stortford, and it was an unforgettable experience from start to finish. The food was exquisite—every dish bursting with authentic French flavors, beautifully presented, and perfectly cooked. However, what truly made the evening special was the outstanding service, especially from Adam. Adam went above and beyond to ensure we had a fantastic time. His knowledge of the menu and wine pairings was impeccable, and his warm, attentive approach made us feel genuinely welcomed. He anticipated our needs before we even had to ask, adding a personal touch that elevated our dining experience to another level. If you’re looking for an authentic French culinary journey with top-tier service, this is the place to be. Be sure to ask for Adam—his hospitality is second to none! We’ll definitely be returning soon.

Tasty food, pleasant atmosphere and nice staff who knew how to accommodate food intolerances. I definitely recommend it if you are in Watford.

Just had a lovely business lunch at Cote St Albans. The restaurant has had a complete make over and reminds me of a typical French brasserie which is very welcome. We were served by a very professional, friendly and knowledgeable waiter called Nikhil. They were offering a good weekday offer on steaks, if you ordered two steaks you received a complimentary bottle of house wine! We ordered the cote de bœuf for two which was cooked medium rare to perfection, was full of flavour and very tender, it came with two sides of your choice and truffled Hollandaise, we upgraded our wine and had a very pleasant bottle of Merlot from the Languedoc region and they discounted the house wine from the bill total. The only very small complaint was that we had two bloody Mary’s, while they were very tasty unfortunately they did not have any Worcestershire sauce which was disappointing, however the manageress dealt with the matter brilliantly, not only did she take the cocktails off the bill but she also sent an email to head office asking if they could supply Worcestershire sauce to the branch. I seriously was not expecting her to do that and it was a very pleasant surprise. We will definitely be returning and I can only highly recommend the restaurant!

Tasty food. The chicken jalfrezi was my favourite!

The food is great but what we love is the service….a particular thanks to Dorian who has served us several times…always brilliant! My daughter’s birthday and we had Prosecco and pudding on Cote…lovely touches, much appreciated!

A lovely evening. Great atmosphere, staff and food. We always visit when at Center Parcs. Highly recommend for a relaxed meal

Really lovely food, delivered at a good pace and friendly and efficient service. Thanks Kirsten! Really good value too

I had my plane-loving little boy’s birthday brunch here and it was fantastic. Great food, very easy to organise and we all had such a lovely time. Very much recommend!

My husband and I had a delicious vegetarian lunch in a delightful, cosy setting here on Friday, with friendly, efficent service. Great location just outside the centre of St. Ives with plenty parking, and fabulous, old country house style beautifully refurbished. We had tomato risotto and two wonderful puddings - an excellent chef! We were also grateful that our main waitress was wearing a plastic visor. (I do feel strongly about this when people are standing directly over us and our food - it is simple hygiene and good manners and I wish other restaurants would do the same.) Our only two points for improvement are: 1) please provide more vegetarian and vegan options, and label these clearly - we like a choice too, and 2) more people should be there - it is great!