Craving a little joie de vivre? While holidays across the Channel are a little trickier than normal, this new brasserie and wine bar is bringing the very best of French drinking and dining to St James’s. Maison François is the new venture from François O’Neill, Ed Wyand of Hackney wine bar Verden, and former Isabel head chef and MasterChef: The Professionals finalist Matthew Ryle.

The space itself will be divided into two parts, with an all-day brasserie occupying the ground floor and a subterranean wine bar. Maison François will serve up Loch Ryan oysters, terrines and charcuterie alongside classic French dishes such as ratatouille, poulet rôti and ravioli dauphine, with an old-school dessert trolley to round off the experience.

Of course, guests may want an aperitif or two after all that feasting, and there’s no better place to head afterwards than the dedicated wine bar downstairs. Frank’s will feature over 250 curated bottles, including sherry poured from the cask, offering something for everyone. Furthermore, the space has its own chef serving up slices of terrines, charcuterie and pâté en croûte, as well as housing a glass-fronted wine room that can be hired for groups of up to 16 guests.