Cafe Rouge

Hampstead, United Kingdom

3.1

Open now

11 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+44 20 7435 4240
Website:
www.caferouge.com
Address:
38-39 High Street, Hampstead, London, NW3 1QE
Hampstead Village
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
300 ftHampstead
420 ftHeath Street
510 ftFitzjohn's Avenue
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
No
Take-out
No
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Bike Parking
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
Full Bar
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
Free
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
Yes

Today

Today 8:30 am – 11:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Hampstead) 9:33 PM Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Business hours

Monday 8:30 am – 11:00 pm
Tuesday 8:30 am – 11:00 pm
Wednesday 8:30 am – 11:00 pm
Thursday 8:30 am – 11:00 pm
Friday 8:30 am – 11:00 pm
Saturday 8:30 am – 11:00 pm
Sunday 10:00 am – 10:30 pm

Description

Specialties

Our chefs and our food are at the heart of everything we do. Duncan McKewan, Executive Chef, is constantly checking our kitchens of excellence and liaising with head chefs to ensure all our authentic dishes are the best. We use great fresh ingredients, traditional French kitchen cooking methods and classic Rouge recipes all day every day.

History

Established in 1989.

Café Rouge was launched in Richmond, London, in 1989 by Karen Jones and Roger Myers, foodies on a mission to recreate real French food and wine in a Parisienne bistro style setting. Rouge was also the fave hangout for Bridget and friends in ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’, the novel that helped make us a household name. Today we continue to recreate core classics like Steak Frites, Poulet Breton, Moules and Confit de Canard as well as croques, salads and baguettes available to enjoy… with a gorgeous glass of French wine.

THE VENUE

One of our most popular Café Rouge locations has had a petit makeover! As well as some new changes to the décor, we’ve also got a fantastic new food and wine menu filled with delicious innovative takes on the classics and dishes inspired by different regions of France. Come down after a walk in the heath and relax over a glass of your favourite red! Located in the bustling High Street and just a short walk from Hampstead tube station on the Northern line.

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Vicinity

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11 reviews of Cafe Rouge

No registration required
Place rating: 2
Riverside, CA
We went for lunch today and ordered from their «Menu Rapide.» The service was certainly not «Rapide.»
The Croque Monsieur was made from ordinary white bread and was barely warm when I received it. It was pale and pasty. The Mac au Fromage was hot but dry. The soup of of the day was good.
Place rating: 4
London, United Kingdom
It was a lovely evening for outside dining and chose a table at this venue. The service was prompt and the food tasty. As it is a French restaurant everything had that flare… Including the waiter!
The location is perfect and the building suits, would go again and again!
Place rating: 2
London, United Kingdom
The best thing this branch of Café Rouge has going for it is it’s location. This stretch of Hampstead High Street could easily be in Paris with loads of pseudo-​French cafes lining both pavements.
Café Rouge is one of the original chains of this type and hasn’t really changed since the 90’s, I think even the menu is still more or less the same. Perfect if — like me — you are a fan of croque monsieur.
Still, today’s visit was an utter disappointment from a service point of view. The restaurant itself was empty with everyone favouring the outdoor tables and a rare sunny day in London. Makes you wonder why the staff were so reluctant to come outside …
No problem going inside to order a coffee, but being ignored when you are ready to pay is no fun. Each time the waiter came outside he chatted with a couple of guys at another table, even stopping for another chat with the long-​awaited bill in hand. Needless to say he didn’t stick around to take the payment — the only reason he received a tip was because I ran out of time, leaving my money on the table.
PS apparently there is free WiFi but it didn’t work today.
Place rating: 3
Calgary, Canada
When staying with a friend in Hampstead, we wanted to get a late dinner. Everything was closing down on the High Street, so we decided to give Café Rouge a try. The service was fast and efficient, and the food was great. Definitely a place I would come back to.
Place rating: 2
London, United Kingdom
It’s November and I’ve made the mistake of taking my breakfast al fresco. So yeah it’s cold, but not as cold as the service from the staff in this place. After waiting 20 mins to be served I enquired as to where the waiting staff were. I was intercepted by man the air of the last Bourbon kings of France and proceeded to divert me from my path, I quickly told him that I was waiting outside and asked for a menu which he gladly gave and returned to my seat. After another 10 minutes a lovely lady asks me what I had wanted… But she had only served me because two gentleman had come outside for a tea/​coffee. I ordered, and received my order in good print timing but there was a small problem.
What I had ordered was a ham and cheese omelette, what I got was a salmon and cheese omelette (btw who actually likes salmon & cheese, sounds like a frightening prospect). So I asked for it to be changed but got a distinct feeling that it was begrudging and that maybe the chef was a bit miffed. I was too hungry and cold to care. So gobbled it up, paid my bill with but consumed with indignant perturbation. No need for the snobbery. Paying customer and all that. Omelette was nice though… Just hope they didn’t think i was a random tramp making myself at home outside Café Rouge Hampstead… that stuckuppery was unfounded unnecessary.
Place rating: 3
Stockton-on-Tees, United Kingdom
Went to Café Rouge because I like french food. The Cage Imaginaire nearby was fully booked so I came here. Le Cage is superb but more expensive 20% more.
The food is good at the Café Rouge but being a chain its fairly standard. The square potato thing was out of a mould I am sure.
I had beef bourgignon for the main and the meat was nice and sauce good but nothing fantastic.
Had a tarte tatin for dessert which was also OK but not fantastic. The starter was unmemorable but probably pâté knowing me.
Some café rouge’s are better than others! Staff were busy and relatively unfriendly because of it.
I had the impression they didnt want our custom. However I think if you visted on a quiet night it would have been better. No half bottles of wine so had two large glasses instead. Meal including drink was £40 of which £28 would have been food!
Its a chain so its going to be adequate rather than great.
Place rating: 4
London, United Kingdom
Having lived out of the UK for much of last year, it is a treat to see London and the rest of this grey and peasant land with fresh eyes. One of the aspects of this that I particularly enjoy doing is visiting a lots of places that I would not normally have visited around London and the wider English towns.
Well, doing these things, it is often necessary to grab a bite to eat. Sometimes there is also the need to go with standard chain restaurant high street grub. Café Rouge has been one of those great companions during this time of exploration.
In particular, the one in Hampstead has been the favourite that I have visited. Obviously, there is the hokey French touches to the décor and design of the place, and the ‘Ello ‘Ello accents that dog the staff. However a lot of the prix fix menus offer really decent food for a very reasonable price. Some of my favourites here when they have it, are the Toulouse sausage salad, the escargots, and the garlic mushrooms. Anybody who knows me knows that I do like to attack bread when is at arm’s-length and Café Rouge does great bread!
I must commend Café Rouge on the operating a very slick, well put together operation that does seem to be fairly consistent across the most of the outlets in England.
Place rating: 3
Sonoma, CA
I’ve been meaning to visit this location of Café Rouge for quite some time now. As I walk by this restaurant often, I have always thought that this location was especially quaint and inviting, more so than the others I have seen.
So we went for dinner and snagged some outside seating in the front of the restaurant, which is quite lovely. It is definitely a prime location to do some serious people watching. Bur we sat outside for about 10 minutes before we were greeted or given any kind of service. However, when we were serviced, our waiter was kind and helpful. I ordered the ½ kilo of the mussels and a side salad. Overall, I was somewhat disappointed with my meal. The salad was fine, just typical for a side salad, but the mussels were not very good. The seasoning was nothing special and the size of the mussels themselves were extremely small. However, the portion of even the ½ kilo «starter» was quite large.
Overall, my experience dining here was «meh.» If I come back again I doubt it will be for food but instead just a enjoy a coffee and the cute atmosphere.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
It’s a Sunday night. What can we do? hmmm Hampstead. so off we go, grab a crêpe and head to Café Rouge, as we had already eaten we were just looking for somewhere to hang out.
Our two friends were waiting for us at a table. We sat down, and had to wait 10 minutes for someone to come and take our order. We ordered a round of drinks and just started talking. We then managed to get the waiters attention and ordered more drinks and a crème brule. The crème brule was good, but not fantastic, it was still really cold inside :(well it still tasted good.
After the crème brule and drinks we decided to leave, we stayed about an hour. Although the service wasn’t fantastic, we have been here on many occasions and the food is always very good and the service is good also. The chips are great and so is their breakfast :)
Place rating: 3
London, United Kingdom
Café Rouge on the Hampstead high street is inviting, cozy, accommodating and what matters to most of the working class… AFFORDABLE! It’s a great menu with friendly service. It gives that cheers vibe… like everybody knows your name. It’s made me loyal to the entire chain, like if I’m in a different city and there’s a Café Rouge. then I’m good!
Place rating: 4
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Yes, the Café Rouge in Hampstead is part of a chain. But once inside it doesn’t really feel like it.
There is loads of space but it’s used well. You can pop in just about anytime for meals, coffee, desserts, or whatever takes your fancy from the French inspired but unpretentious menu.
The usual choices include steak frites, poulet Breton, salmon fishcakes, and mussels. There’s always a special on offer but someties it’s so popular that it sells out.
The atmosphere is warm yet lively — there’s often a buzzy feel on a Sunday afternoon as shoppers take a break from the temptations of Hampstead High Street. Diners of all ages are welcome and so are groups.
Edith Piaf, of course, is often heard warbling through the air and the waiting staff are all fluent in French. (They’re also quite nice about my lack of fluency! More than you can say for a ‘real’ French café!)
A safe choice for a nice meal in a pleasant surroundings.