Chez Bruce — Restaurant in London

Often when we decide on a restaurant to visit it’ll be because of reviews on Google Maps, Tripadvisor or the like. However with Chez Bruce that wasn’t the case. We went because everyone who’d already been told us it was brilliant - and they weren’t wrong. We would have visited before, but we mistakenly thought it’d take ages to get there from Central London. In fact, even though no trains were running from Victoria to Wandsworth Common - the nearest train station - on the day of our visit, it was still only around a 30 minute trip by bus.

Our reservation was for lunch at 1pm but we rocked up at midday and hoped we could maybe grab a drink and get served a bit earlier. Instead we were escorted straight to our table - bonus!

We perused the menu whilst munching our complimentary Parmesan crackers. Chez Bruce doesn’t offer a tasting menu so a bit of thought was required, and this led as to a smoked salmon and leek wrap each for starter, one chicken and one pork for main and a carafe of white wine to share. We also had a lovely aperitif of a zingy blood orange Martini each and enjoyed an excellent salty focaccia before the meal began.

The starters were tremendous. Salmon, colour of the deepest, er, salmon, wrapped in a thin, crunchy leek parcel which sat in a sharp and sour sauce, all with a pleasant background of dill. It was joined on the plate by two light, smoky eel croquettes. Our mains were equally as good. My chicken breast had not a hint of dryness and came with a ballotine of chicken leg meat, buttery potatoes and a subtle but delicious truffle veloute. The bite of pork cheek I tried from the other main was so tender it was like inhaling meaty air, and the morsel of apple tart with black pudding reminded me of a tarte tatin, but with a hint of savoury saltiness.

For dessert we both chose creme brûlée and that’s exactly what we got. No bells and whistles, not even a coulis or berries, just silky custard richly speckled with vanilla and a bitter and crunchy but light burnt sugar topping. Perfect. A flat white each after our food and we were done.

Chez Bruce is a wonderfully relaxed and unpretentious place. All our servers made us feel welcome and there was none of the stuffiness of some Michelin-starred establishments. In fact the greatest compliment I can pay Chez Bruce is to say that anyone who might ordinarily feel intimidated and bewildered by a Michelin-starred restaurant would feel at ease here. They wouldn’t be daunted by tasting menus with dishes they might not like. Instead they could just enjoy fantastically cooked and presented food at, for the quality, a pretty reasonable price. We...

Chez Bruce: Effortless Hospitality and Consistently Brilliant Food

Our lunch at Chez Bruce on Friday 25th July was another reminder of why this Wandsworth favourite continues to feel so special. The dining room was busy throughout, the atmosphere relaxed yet lively, and the hospitality seamless. A thoughtful touch on arrival — a glass of champagne offered by Bruce himself — set the tone for what followed.

In the kitchen, Head Chef Matt Christmas and his team continue to produce food rooted in classical technique and guided by the best seasonal ingredients.

Extra Course

Before our starters, we were served an unexpected extra course: Gazpacho Andaluz with Marcona almonds and basil oil. On such a warm day it was a perfectly judged gesture — light, refreshing and an ideal way to begin the meal.

Starters

I chose the Pressed Pig’s Head and Ham Hock with black pudding salad and sauce gribiche — a dish of richness and texture sharpened by the herb‑forward sauce. Lucy selected the Grilled Tuna with tuna aïoli, roast tomato dressing, tabbouleh, basil and courgettes — vibrant and full of summery flavour.

Mains

For my main, the Devonshire Duck Breast was served pink with a crisp pastilla, onion purée, pickled cherries and foie gras — rich yet harmonious. Lucy’s Lamb Rump and Polpetta came with crushed potatoes, sautéed peas, courgette purée and mint — comforting but refined.

Cheese & Desserts

We shared the Cheese Selection (£10 supplement), a generous board of perfectly kept cheeses with quince and crackers.

For dessert, I enjoyed the Cherry and Almond Tart with Clotted Cream, while Lucy had the Strawberry Croissant Mille‑Feuille with Blackcurrants and Rum (pictured) — both a fitting close to the meal.

Wine Service

The sommelier’s recommendations were exceptional. A Portuguese white from Quinta dos Carvalhais (Dão), served by the glass/carafe, brought Burgundian elegance to our starters — not something we would have chosen ourselves, yet a perfect match. For the mains, the 2012 Gevrey‑Chambertin “Vieilles Vignes – Les Jouises” by Frédéric Esmonin (pictured) proved an ideal partner to the duck and lamb.

This was our eighth or ninth visit, and once again Chez Bruce delivered everything we value: confident seasonal cooking, thoughtful wine pairings, and a front‑of‑house team whose warmth — led by Bruce — makes every visit memorable.

We can’t...

This is the saddest review I have ever had to write. Unfortunately, there was nothing redeeming about my latest experience, and this seems consistent with several recent negative reviews I've seen. The food was excessively salty and utterly unremarkable, lacking any elevated qualities. Our veal cheek and Chateaubriand mains were so underwhelming, barely mediocre in fact, that I actually Googled to confirm if the restaurant still held a Michelin star. The atmosphere was perhaps the biggest letdown compared to previous visits. It felt chaotic, with staff rushing around constantly. It appears tables have been added in areas that were previously walkways to other tables or the kitchen. We experienced numerous instances of chairs being bumped by hurried servers. There was a constant stream of clean glasses being carried downstairs on large trays into the kitchen, with several near misses. The tables are now positioned far too close together. I'm unsure if there's new management, but something has clearly changed, and the current environment falls far short of basic Michelin standards. I feel bad criticizing the service, but many of the issues would be unacceptable even at a local pub. Our order was taken procedurally, devoid of any conversation or context. The food, including our veal cheek and Chateaubriand, arrived rapidly from the kitchen and was placed on the table without any explanation of what we were eating. We were left to guess what each dish was, trying to recall the listed components from the menu. Throughout the evening and with every dish, no one checked in to ask how we were doing or how the food was. The sommelier recommended a wine that was five times the price we had indicated, seemingly out of the blue, and then aggressively pushed for the upsell. Even basic courtesy was lacking, such as reaching across my plate while I was eating to place my drink down without a word. In summary, this was a deeply disappointing and sad experience at a place that was once special and excellent. Dine here at...