Cafe Rouge - Restaurants in Southgate, United Kingdom
photo or video view all

Reviews for Cafe Rouge

Add Review
jennufcboss

In agreement to Sami the other reviewer, I am not a fan of chain restaurants at all. But also in agreement with Sami, I think the food at Cafe Rouge is far better than normally expected of a chain restaurant, and perhaps the French passion of good cooking is still evident in some of the dishes on offer here.
Portions appear to have got smaller over the last few years, which is slightly disappointing for a gannet like me, but the quality has not diminished. My personal favourite dish at Cafe Rouge has to be the French Onion Soup, which is extremely flavoursome and presented in the traditional way.
It does get crowded, so it's worth booking a table or arriving early, but this adds to the lively atmosphere.

Sami at 15/08/07
Definitely in agreement. Do you live in Southgate?

Add Comment

Sami

I feel guilty for reviewing this place because it's a chain and as a general rule I much prefer eating and hanging out at independent places, but this particular location of Cafe Rouge is an exception. It could be that there's a real lack of places to have a drink in Southgate that aren't full of hoodies/drunk teen-agers etc, but I really like coming here with a newspaper in hand on Sunday afternoons or whenever I have a few hours to spare.

The food is standard Cafe Rouge fare and the portions can be on the small side if you order a salad (even a salad as an entree); however, if you go in with the expectations that Cafe Rouge is a chain, you'll be pleasantly surprised. Even my regular eating partner, who is French, loves it there.

The chain's branding team has done a fabulous job at creating an atmosphere of francophilia in the restaurant. It's the atmosphere that I come for and the ability to order a citron pressé (traditional homestyle French lemonade) and quietly read the newspaper while enjoying the chatter of the people around me.

Granted, I'd much rather prefer an authentic French brasserie/bistro - but I'll take what I can get... I'm not living in South Kensington!

Like everything in this area, if it's popular it's generally packed (since there's not much of a selection) and as it is primarily a residential area, a lot of mothers and babies and young families come to eat here.

The staff is professional, well-trained, and generally quite lovely. Overall I really like this place!

UK > London > Southgate > Restaurants > French > Cafe Rouge