Emily Roux is much more than just culinary royalty — she is a cofounder of Caractère in Notting Hill and an expert on the capital’s finest French food. Taking cues from the French classics that made her father, Michel Roux, and grandfather Albert Roux famous, the kitchen — helmed by her husband, Diego Ferrari, with Roux marshalling the stunning pastries across the pass — adds a modern twist, and the restaurant earned its first Michelin star in February.
Introduced to a new audience by the recent Apple TV series Knife Edge, Roux reveals to us the French restaurants in London she frequents — from feasts to casual lunches — as well as what to order when you’re there.
1. Joséphine — oeuf meurette, garniture grand-mère
Joséphine bistro, Marylebone
This is a dish I came across in Lyon when I was at catering college. It’s a famous classical recipe that seems simple on the face of it, but isn’t. You need to have a beautifully poached egg; it’s boiled, but for only 6-7 minutes, and then the shell is very delicately peeled off, so it’s like a poached egg in boiled-egg shape. The yolk is still runny and it’s covered in crispy lardons, onions, mushrooms and a very heavy reduced red-wine sauce. Claude’s [the chef Claude Bosi] team at Joséphine do it so well and it’s even on the menu du canut [“silk-worker’s menu”: traditional Lyonnais bistro fare]; that followed with saucisson brioche and you’ve got two delicious courses for only £24.50.
Joséphine, Chelsea and Marylebone; josephinebistro.com
• Read more restaurant reviews and recipes from our food experts
2. The Ritz — crêpe suzette
This dish is executed fantastically well at the Ritz. There’s no better place to eat a crêpe suzette in my opinion. Again, super-simple. You just want a deliciously light crêpe, a good amount of booze, orange juice, sugar and zest. A lot can go wrong with a crêpe suzette but in the Ritz the beautifully trained front-of-house staff stage the dish like a piece of theatre or ballet.
The Ritz, Piccadilly; theritzlondon.com
3. Scott’s Richmond — roasted shellfish for two, lobster, scallops, tiger prawns, with garlic butter
The roasted shellfish extravaganza at Scott’s Richmond
HELEN CATHCART
We love the Scott’s in Richmond. It’s just on the river, so it’s got a real wow factor when you come in. Diego and I aren’t that fond of oysters, so we like to order the roasted shellfish platter. It takes your breath away when the seafood stand is placed on the table. Everything is cooked to perfection and you get a portion or two of fries for all the garlic butter in the dish. [The head chef] Tom Fraser is beyond talented in the kitchen.
Scott’s Richmond; scotts-richmond.com
4. Corenucopia by Clare Smyth — gratin dauphinois or pommes boulangère, fondant 
Corenucopia, Chelsea
WARREN DUPUY
I’m very lucky to have already eaten at Corenucopia, Clare Smyth’s new luxury bistro in Chelsea. She’s got an entire side menu dedicated only to potatoes and there are loads of French classics in there. I love dauphine potatoes, but she’s got more, such as pomme Anna with smoked crème fraîche; dauphinois potatoes; and then a couple of less-French dishes, such as hasselbacks cooked in beef fat and black pepper, which are also delicious.
Corenucopia, Chelsea; corenucopia.com
5. Bouchon Racine — bavette steak with Saint-Marcellin sauce
Bouchon Racine’s bavette steak with Saint-Marcellin sauce
ROMAS FOORD FOR THE TIMES
Saint-Marcellin is a cheese — one of my favourite cheeses. It’s super-runny, strong and delicious. Bavette is my favourite piece of meat to eat: it’s got so much taste and if you cook it properly with a really good sauce, you’re on to a winner. Sometimes it can be quite tough, but the team at Bouchon Racine cook it perfectly, and personally I love the depth of flavour you get. At Bouchon Racine you find the bavette draped in a sauce made with Saint-Marcellin and it’s utterly heavenly.
Bouchon Racine, Farringdon; bouchonracine.com
6. Chez Antoinette — croque monsieur
Croque monsieur at Chez Antoinette
There are one or two of these restaurants in London. They do a very simple croque monsieur with brioche bread, which I’ll quite often stop in for and eat by myself for a quick lunch. Béchamel inside, a bit of nutmeg, salt and pepper. It’s basically a ham and cheese toastie but taken to the next level with the béchamel sauce and some Dijon mustard too.
Chez Antoinette, Covent Garden and Victoria; chezantoinette.co.uk
7. Trinity — tarte tatin
You have to preorder this one but it’s a French classic that’s well worth it. It’s a dessert that always wows if you’ve done it properly, with apples, pears or whatever you want to do with it. If you choose the right fruit in the right season, it’s not overly sweet, because you don’t need to add mountains of sugar to get the caramelisation. Adam Byatt’s version is ceremoniously brought to the table in a copper pan and you share it between a few of you at the table. Who doesn’t love puff-pastry desserts?
Trinity, Clapham; trinityrestaurant.co.uk
8. ArtSpace Café — any viennoiserie/pastry 
Claridge’s Crest at ArtSpace Café
JUSTIN DE SOUZA
ArtSpace Café is part of Claridge’s, with Thibault Hauchard leading the pastry team there as executive pastry chef. Everything they do is impeccable — pain au chocolat, croissants. Hauchard is an incredible pastry chef. It’s a bit on the steep side, so one for a special occasion rather than your daily breakfast pitstop.
ArtSpace Café, Mayfair; claridges.co.uk
Dining and Cooking