North Audley Cantine
London’s incredibly popular Mayfair neighborhood is home once again to another up-and-coming restaurant. This time the honor goes to North Audley Cantine, a French-inspired tapas restaurant that has also drawn inspiration from American and Brazilian cultures. Opened by childhood friends Gabriel Cohen-Elia, 27-year-old head chef Jeremy Coste, and David Bellaiche, North Audley Cantine, known locally as NAC, boasts a split-level setup with a 50-seat dining room and mezzanine for groups and a basement cocktail lounge.
NAC features whitewashed brick walls, bronze industrial-style chandeliers, rich hues, and vintage tufted seating; and though it’s ambiance looks mature and refined, NAC is still wholly approachable for guests and regulars. Of the food, Coste told The Telegraph: “We wanted the food to reflect our different backgrounds while grounding it in our common childhood [in France].”
Led by Coste, who graduated from the Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, the menu favorites include the jardinière, a starter of raw and cooked seasonal vegetables like carrots, radishes, and shallots, served in a lemon and olive dressing; seared scallops served with roast butternut squash; sliced Aberdeen Angus tenderloin served alongside chips and chives; Scottish grass-fed hanger steak served with salsa verde; veal schnitzel, grissini crust, and house salad.
