Founded by Solynka Dumas and Julian Oschmann, with a kitchen led by Holly Hayes (previously of 40 Maltby Street - I love to see a female chef at the helm), Elsa (formerly July) is a chic little neighbourhood restaurant and wine bar in Fitzrovia celebrating dishes from the Alsace region of France.
Though it only opened in 2024, the on-trend bistro already boasts a Bib Gourmand for its regularly changing, hyper-seasonal menus that champion sustainability and provenance – two of the most sought-after elements in London’s current dining scene. As you can imagine, I was very excited to give it a visit.
Interior of the back room at Elsa in Fitzrovia.
DesignMyNight’s Review Of Elsa In Fitzrovia
Need To Know:
- Address: 10 Charlotte St., W1T 2LT
- Area: Fitzrovia
- Cuisine: Alsatian
Ambience & We Think Perfect For
- Atmosphere: located on Charlotte Street, Elsa is surrounded by some equally cool culinary hotspots – we’re talking Michelin-starred The Ninth, Big Mamma’s Circolo Popolare, Norma and more. It can be hard to stand out among such big names, but Elsa does it in swathes. It was intimate, cosy and undeniably chic: inside at the front, where we sat, there were just a few small tables lined with banquettes that combined mustard-coloured leather with pastel orange velvet, and chairs made with dark wood and rattan, some of which sat next to tall windows overlooking Charlotte Street and the restaurant's little outdoor terrace. Plus, the unique artwork, low lighting, flickering candles and really fun but chilled tunes, like Khruangbin, completed the modern bistro atmosphere
- Perfect For: date nights, chic dinners with friends, a relaxed glass of wine
Service & Price
- Service (Out Of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Value For Money (Out Of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Cost: around £140 for two, including a three-course meal and drinks for two
Menu Highlights
Spritzes (left), and devilled eggs and pork rillette (right).
Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Pork rillette (£7) – if I see rillette on the menu, it's getting ordered. The beautiful, spreadable pork meat was luxuriously fatty and so soft; I slathered it in heaps onto the accompanying rich, brown toast, popping on cornichons which cut through the fat
- Cod’s roe devilled egg (£7) – two egg halves came filled with the most delicious and rich fish mousse, topped with little gems of roe
- Salad of salt cod, blood orange, fennel and pine nuts (£12) – my highlight of the evening. Salty, meaty fish with a decent bite was complemented by a light aniseed flavour from the soft fennel, plus extra saltiness from the black olives, all freshened up by the juicy sweetness of the blood orange, tears of fresh mint and sea herbs. A simple yet marvellous combination of flavours and textures I’ve never had before, but absolutely adored
- White asparagus, fried polenta, goats curd with an egg (£28) – though this dish unfortunately turned up lukewarm, it was still a great celebration of seasonality. The asparagus had a perfect bite, and paired so well with the tangy goats cheese, and the fried polenta mopped up the generous pool of butter. However, I think it needed a tad more seasoning, such as some citrus, herbs and salt
Salt cod salad (left) and white asparagus main (right).
Drink: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Cherry spritz (£13) - while we perused the menu, we enjoyed a couple of spritzes to help us ease into the evening; this particular tipple was perfectly balanced, with a heady tartness at the end of each sip
- Potato Land, Matthias Warnung, Grüner Veltliner, 2023, Kamptal, Austria (£12 a glass) - bright with citrus and delicate stone fruits, with a light hint of spice, this creamy, minerally pour was an absolute delight
My Overall Experience At Elsa Fitzrovia
Though there was a little room for improvement on the mains, I still had a wonderful time at Elsa. The drinks were excellent, the vibes immaculate, the service top-tier, and the other dishes - they were subtle, seasonal and filled with joy. It seemed perfect for everyone and anyone, with date nights, old friends catching up, and girly dinners around us, and I'll definitely be back to give those mains a second whirl.
