Mr Lhermitte passed the restaurant over to his family in 2017 before his death in 2022.

Now Mon Plaisir is under new family ownership who are planning a refresh of the decor – but leaving the original 1943 dining room unaltered and keeping the copper-topped bar.

Steven Stockton, of Catherine Southon’s Auctioneers and Valuers, said the auction is “a rare opportunity to acquire an affordable slice of London gastronomique history”.

He added: “Since 1943, Mon Plaisir has been at the heart, and stomach, of Covent Garden.

“Everyone I speak to seems to have a Mon Plaisir story, all given with a deep fondness.

“One London-based French couple told me they loved it because it reminded them of home – the food being great, the interior stylish and the waitresses oh so rude!”

A timed auction will begin on 28 December and end on 11 January.

Dining and Cooking