Gauthier Soho

An illustrious history

Gauthier Soho is named after its founder, Alexis Gauthier – a classically trained French chef whose career has been littered with Michelin stars and multiple awards. From his early beginnings at the two-star Negresco in Nice and the three-star Louis XV in Monaco, where he worked under the influential Alain Ducasse, he progressed to earning his own stars. After moving to London in 1998, he acquired Roussillon, which won a Michelin star in 2000. In 2010, Gauthier opened a new restaurant with a more meat-free focus. It soon achieved its own star, and in 2021, it went completely plant-based as its now-vegan owner removed all animal-products from his restaurants in a bid to change industry practices and influence contemporary eating habits.

Meat-free fine-dining

Gauthier Soho is distinct from many of London’s other vegan restaurants in that its focus is French fine-dining. Customers can book in for the indulgent 8-course Grand Diner or the slightly shorter, but no less delicious, Petit Diner, which consists of a mere 5 courses. Both deliver exquisite French gastronomy via a blend of fresh, seasonal ingredients worked into mesmerising dishes inspired by Gauthier’s decades of experience, including a luxurious vegan caviar and a chocolatey dessert based on one from his days at Louis XV.

An elegant setting

All of this is to be enjoyed in the beautiful Georgian townhouse that acts as the restaurant’s Soho location. Inside, diners can choose from a number of elegantly decorated rooms. Each one can be privately booked, and it is even possible to reserve the entire four-floor building for very large groups. The room’s range in size from the opulent Grand Salon, which seats up to 40 guests, to the intimate Chef’s Room – a truly special place where up to 6 people can have the unique experience of being waited on by their own team of staff while making use of its private bar. Whether big or small, each room has its own individual character. There’s the eccentrically done out Hidden Room, with its selected period furniture, and the retro-looking Games Room, which has a 1950s arcade machine and vintage prints on the walls. Much of Gauthier Soho’s decor, though, has a classy charm, and guests can expect to relax in a gorgeously decorated environment surrounded by finely crafted furniture and fittings.

Attentive staff

In addition to its wonderful location and stunning interior, Gauthier Soho benefits from an excellently trained fleet of staff. They are incredibly knowledgeable about the high-level, contemporary French cuisine on offer and always on hand to help their guests in any way possible. Their polite, attentive service makes for an exceptional dining experience where diners not only feel welcomed, but also exclusively taken care of.

The perfect accompaniment

Alongside the delectable plant-based food on offer, customers can order a carefully prepared wine pairing menu. Specially chosen by head sommelier David Havlik, this complementary selection goes perfectly with the restaurant’s progressive meat-free meals. It also fits in with Gauthier’s vegan philosophy as all of the wines are free from animal products. Although accompanying classic French dishes, albeit reinvented to be totally plant-based, the ever-changing wine menu is taken from places all around the world, not just the chef’s home country.

Brave reinvention

Despite the growth of the vegan movement in the UK and elsewhere, there are still relatively few fine-dining experiences that are meat-free. Alexis Gauthier’s restaurant is one of them, his daring reinvention of a style that began in his native France over 200 years ago bringing culinary indulgence to the streets of London. Whether booked for a special occasion or simply to have an unforgettable experience, Gauthier Soho is sure to impress with its sophisticated, plant-based French gastronomy.