Little Felix

There’s the glamorous, gleaming brasserie Felix, which specialises in French bistro fare, then there’s its next-door sibling, Little Felix. A relative newcomer compared with the original, Little Felix focuses on the drinks first, then matches them with classic French snacks designed to share. This is the kind of place to settle in and soak up the ambience while you enjoy a floral, fizzing French-inspired cocktail and graze on oysters, luxe pâté-like foie gras and a daily choice of cheeses. 

And what ambience. It’s all about 1920s Parisian glamour here, so the small tables are dressed with linen and ornate lamps, booths are leather and chairs are coated in green velvet. Around the room, gilded mirrors line the walls, brass accents abound and a dark marble bar is loaded up with more fruit, French cheese and flowers than you can shake a still life at. This is a Merivale venue, so the details make it, from the fridge holding magnums of Champagne and French wines to the jungle prints decorating the walls (here’s a toucan among the undergrowth, there’s a panther lounging on a tree branch). Step inside and step into a different time and place, one that oozes class without ever getting stuffy. It helps that the drinks are pitch-perfect.