La Poule au Pot opened in 1964, on a thriving corner of Belgravia in West London. A small room with wide, street-facing windows, mismatched chairs, and dried lipstick-pink florals slung from above, it was originally owned by the actor Charles Brody. At that time, the restaurant felt more like an extension of Brody’s living room than it did a French bistro. According to lore, back in the 70s, the house wine came in glorious magnums, and waiters would draw a line on the bottle to mark the volume guests drank, then charge accordingly.
In the 60 years since, that unusual alchemy has largely stayed the same. Impervious to trends, lunch and dinner reservations still consistently start with a waiting list. Arrive early for dinner and you’re likely to find the staff muttering in French over their pre-service evening meal.
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