Mon Plaisir is preparing for refurbishment
Founded in 1943 by two brothers before being sold to maitre’d Alain Lhermitte in 1973, Mon Plaisir in Covent Garden is the oldest family-run French restaurant in London. Mr Lhermitte passed the restaurant down to his family in 2017 (he died in 2022) and it’s now under new family ownership. And the new owners are ready to give Mon Plaisir a refresh – though the original dining room and copper-topped bar will be staying put – so they’re auctioning off a range of the venue’s classic French interior decorations.
Clocks, art posters, signage, cockerels and more are available to buy at the auction, which is running until 11th January. Speaking about the auction, Steven Stockton, of Catherine Southon’s Auctioneers and Valuers, said it was “a rare opportunity to acquire an affordable slice of London gastronomique history. 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!”
Key Information
Dates | Until Sun 11th January 2026
For more information | catherinesouthon.co.uk
Dining and Cooking