The French House

"The French House has been around for donkey’s years. Although bits and bobs have changed about this Dean Street pub since 1891, much of the experience is steeped in tradition, from only serving half pints to the no screens rule. The French is all about consumption and conservation, and once you’ve squeezed into the picture frame-filled bar area, got yourself a drink, and found yourself a spot, you might not ever want to find the door." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing

"The only thing that’s going to get you off your phone is a hard-and-fast rule and a time machine. Find both in The French House, a historic pub and dining room with more stories than a Glossier influencer trip. The internet has been cancelled by this Soho spot—"no music, no machines, no television, no phones". The result is long lunches fuelled by crispy half-pints of Meteor and hearty French cooking. A dopamine hit comes not from likes and reposts, but from a creaking staircase, white tablecloths, tinkling champagne glasses, and peerless steak frites Thursdays." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna

"49 Dean Street, Soho, is one of London’s best-known, much-loved, and dependable institutions of happiness and hangovers. That’s because it’s home to The French House and has been for donkey’s years. The floorboards and wooden bar of this boozer have seen things. Some good, some bad, and some that look like Hugh Grant recreating his mugshot. Legendary downstairs bar aside, you’ll want to go up to the dining room: a little yellow-lit boudoir with a daily changing menu of Anglo-French classics like rillette, braised oxtail, and paris-brest with chocolate sauce." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, sinead cranna, rianne shlebak

"The French House has been around since 1891 and we’d wager it was still a nightmare to squeeze into then. Soho’s most-loved and lauded drinking hole is always packed to the rafters after work. But that really is part of its character, and this is a pub that’s steeped in tradition. Only half pints are served, screens are frowned upon, and taking a bar seat when it says reserved is the act of a witless tourist. Many of The French’s regulars have been posting up for a few decades and, as long as you aren’t fussy about standing and have the street smarts to grab a nook or a cranny when you see one, you’ll get comfortable very quickly." - jake missing

"Few London pubs are as well-known as The French House in Soho: this place is a classic and the French food very much follows suit. While the downstairs of this drinking institution is still kept to just that, walk up the creaking 18th-century stairs and you’ll find a red-walled, yellow-lit dining room. This place is made for consumption. Specifically terrine, steak, coffee mousse and, of course, wine. You’ll be leaning over the table and stage whispering conversations before you know it." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, sinead cranna