Côte St Martins Lane - (Near Westminster, South East)

2 /5 Nicola Burns: Quality of food has seriously gone down hill. The adult burger was presented awfully- looked like a kids meal- with a cheap bun, and even cheaper chewy meat- with no garnish or salad on the side. I’ve had better burgers at a fair. Even noticed other diners who had the burger were just eating the chips. Service was very slow and there only seems one waiter for the majority of the restaurant. Very disappointed as used to love côte.

1 /5 Vilina Teasdale: Lunch was really cheap and not tasty. The mashed potatoes were probably made from some kind of powder — they had a big gluey lump. The sauce tasted like gravy granules, and instead of wild mushrooms, I got cheap supermarket ones. What happened to the famous selection of “five wild mushrooms”? I used to really enjoy that! I asked about French fries, and the waiter said they’d changed the menu and now only serve chunky chips. Why? Isn’t this supposed to be a French restaurant? I then asked for mashed potatoes instead, but was refused — apparently, they only come with certain dishes. I ended up ordering something I didn’t really want just because I preferred mash to chunky chips. Instead of properly cooked, aromatic, and delicate spinach, I got a cheap, half-wilted version — the kind I could easily buy from Lidl and cook myself at home. There was no heart in this meal at all. The service was average, and we spent £107 on what turned out to be a very disappointing lunch. The only highlight was the Crémant — it was excellent. Unfortunately, the tip was already included in the bill, which was a shame, because we really didn’t feel it was deserved. When I asked why they’d changed the menu, the reply was shocking: “We make more money on this new menu.” Well, I’m afraid if Côte has turned into an embarrassing imitation of a greasy fish and chip shop, my friends and I won’t be going back. There are plenty of amazing places in London that still care about food and service.

3 /5 Steven (My Channel): I visited Cote St. Martin’s Lane this evening, anticipating a charming dining experience, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to expectations. While the setting was cosy and inviting, the service felt rushed and lacked the attentiveness one would expect from a more refined establishment. The staff offered little in terms of menu explanation or recommendations, which made the experience feel more like a casual eatery than a sit-down restaurant. To begin, we ordered the French onion soup, which was disappointing. The onions were insufficiently caramelised, leaving them underwhelming in both flavour and texture. The broth, too, was underseasoned and lacked the rich, savoury depth that should define this classic dish.” For the main, I opted for the sea bass, which, while fresh and well-cooked in terms of texture, was somewhat lacking in flavour. It would have benefited from a bit more seasoning or perhaps a zingy sauce to bring out the natural taste of the fish. My companion chose the steak and chips, but found it rather lacklustre. While the steak was cooked to the right level of doneness, it lacked the charred, caramelised crust and depth of flavour that a good steak should have. The chips, though crispy, were unremarkable and lacked seasoning, making them feel more like an afterthought. For dessert, we had the chocolate praline tart, which was overly sweet and sticky. The texture was rather cloying, and the sweetness overwhelmed the intended praline flavour. The vanilla ice cream on top was also a disappointment, tasting more like sugary syrup than real vanilla, which only added to the imbalance.

5 /5 David Stephens: These are my views based on my experience The moment we arrived we could see this is a well run restaurant. Our drinks and meals were excellent, good portions and well priced. All the team were polite and helpful. The only let down were the toilets, they need to be checked more often, I used them once and it was a mess, tissues allover the floor and wash bowls. My wife said the same about the ladies toilets too. I did notice the downstairs dinning area, so bigger gatherings are well catered for. Thank you all at Cote, we will be back.