Acclaimed French chef Cyril Lignac brings Paris’s best kept secret to London with the opening of Bar De Prés Mayfair this May…
As the foodie scene continues to reopen, we are pleased to announce a new name to the scene. Acclaimed French chef Cyril Lignac is opening Bar des Prés in Mayfair on the 22nd of May. Moving to London from Paris, the original Bar des Prés first opened in November 2016 and soon became the capital’s best kept secret. Tucked away in the the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, it soon garnered a dedicated following, enticing in local fashion and film folk.
Eat
There are some differences between the Paris and London versions. In Paris the menu originally only served raw food, but in London will offer Franco/ East Asian cuisines that are both hot and cold. Elegant seafood will sit on the menu alongside refined meat dishes, including: Scallops with caramelised miso; ‘Galette Craquette’ (crunchy crab galette); Madras curried crab with avocado; Satay fillet steak. Cyril’s dessert menu honours his mastery of traditional French pastry – in revisiting the gamut of French patisserie classics the menu comprises his take on French toast, Chocolate tart, and Vanilla and pecan praline mille-feuille.
Drink
Bar De Prés Mayfair is also the perfect spot should you wish to indulge in a cocktail or glass of wine or two. Their carefully considered wine and cocktail programme takes cues from Cyril’s French background and the inspirations of this new London home. The wine list features near to 250 references of French pours, highlighting the complexity of wines from Burgundy to Bordeaux and beyond. Cocktail wise, you can experience drinks from its Parisian counterpart – such as the Germanopratin and its euphoric blend of gin, Saint-Germain, cucumber, lemon juice and Champagne – as well as creations exclusive to London, including the Mayfair Sour: Yamazaki whisky, lemon juice, ginger syrup, coconut batida, tonka bean.
The space
The intimate space at Bar De Prés Mayfair houses 100 covers across two floors, including counter dining. Designed by Sagrada (Dover Street Arts Club), here is a restaurant to relish Cyril Lignac’s clean, precise, original dishes created from seasonal, exceptional produce. Set within a small and charming 18th Century building on Albemarle Street the restaurant will combine a bold blue exterior with discreet gold signage and touches of warm polished timber. Instinctive and unforced, the intimate interior space has been meticulously designed and showcases stunning counter-dining bars on both Ground and Basement floors. Key elements of the interior design include elegant custom-made furniture and vibrant peacock embroidered upholstery – a signature feature of the Parisian restaurant.
Cyril Lignac says, “I have always adored London, its culture, its energy and lifestyle. I naturally wanted to open a restaurant in London to spend more time there, but also – most importantly – to integrate myself in the community, discover a new way of working, a different sensitivity, and a new type of creativity”.
His entrepreneurial flair has resulted in him now owning four restaurants in Paris, (Le Chardenoux, Aux Pres, Ischia and Le Bar des Prés), alongside a sophisticated cocktail bar Dragon, and his highly commended Chocolaterie and Patisserie stores.
Cyril is firmly established as one of the best-loved chefs in France and expanding to London has always been his ambition, continuing to do so, even in these unprecedented times.
To find out more
Bar De Prés Mayfair
bardespres.com
@cyril_lignac
Bar des Prés
16 Albemarle Street
W1S 4HW
