Madeleine — Restaurant in Highgate

A Decadent Evening of Cheese & Wine at Madeline’s, Highgate

There’s something undeniably indulgent about a well-curated cheese degustation, especially when it’s paired with wines chosen to highlight every nuance. At Madeline’s in Highgate, the evening unfolded like a love letter to French culinary tradition — thoughtful, elegant, and brimming with flavour.

From the first pour, the service team set the tone with warmth and sophistication. Each course arrived with a story: creamy triple-cream brie paired with a crisp Chablis, earthy goat’s cheese matched to a mineral-driven Sancerre, and a bold Roquefort brought to life alongside a deep, velvety Bordeaux. The pacing was perfect — enough time to savour every bite and sip, without ever feeling rushed.

What impressed me most was the balance. The cheeses were rich yet never overwhelming, each wine carefully selected to elevate and cut through with freshness or depth. It felt less like a meal and more like a journey — one that reminded me why French gastronomy is so celebrated.

By the final pairing, we were already planning our return. Madeline’s doesn’t just serve food; it creates memories. If you’re looking for a culinary experience that blends sophistication with genuine passion, this cheese degustation and wine pairing is a...

My partner & our pug had dinner at Madeline’s French restaurant as they are dog friendly. There is the option to sit out the front or in the intimate back courtyard (that most do not know exists) with your fur child. The menu has many delicious options as well as daily specials list daily. We chose a daily special 1kg T bone steak 🥩 to share served with crispy garlic potatoes. We added a green salad too. We were not asked how it was to be cooked assuming chef would only do Medium Rare (preferred by most chefs & ourselves). I suggest mentioning how you want your steak cooked as ours was medium. The baguette presentation could be a little nicer but it was fresh & had real butter. The wine list was fantastic & we chose a French 🇫🇷 rose. Formerly Madeline’s did an incredible breakfast but are no longer serving breakfast. Aesthetically it is a beautiful building with exposed brick, stain-glass windows, open French windows at the front & glass French doors that open to the court yard. Service was impeccable, we had a French backpacker who made it all so much more authentic so to speak. Nothing was too much trouble. Very attentive & even made Pumbaa feel special. I live local & will be dining at Madeline’s regularly. P.s Damn...

Having recently discovered the existence of this restaurant (and being lovers of French food), we reserved a table for 4. From the moment we were seated the very friendly and efficient service started. Most pleasingly, we had made a note that it was our friends birthday and she was immediately greeted with a happy birthday. Many restaurants take the details but few make special mentions other than the occasional single candle at the end. The service was genuinely good and authentic, without any airs of graces. It reminded us of a good, buzzy French bistro you might find anywhere in a major French city. It doesn't pretend to be fine dining, though the food is great and it isn't pretentious in any way. The food matched our expectations. All of us ordered the set Christmas tasting menu, both 3 and 5 courses. Each course was well presented and very tasty. We selected the matching wines. The wines surpassed our expectations as pairings can often be a way for restaurants to gouge the customer's wallet. In this case, we started with a well filled glass of Billecart Salmon followed by 4 other glasses of decent, above average French wines. We recommend this restaurant as one of the best authentic French bistro-style...