After the incredible success of Pollen Street Social, Jason Atherton’s first restaurant after leaving his post at Maze, you could be forgiven for thinking his second venture, Little Social, would be a smaller, less-fabulous version designed to up the covers and reduce quality. Well you’d be wrong. Far from being the short, ugly younger sibling, Little Social is the gorgeous, warm and deliciously romantic one you secretly prefer…

The menu itself is simple, with five choices per course, but even what might sound like a simple dish will consistently surprise. Small flourishes of genius transform the otherwise wholesome, expertly prepared and thoroughly tasty dishes into something seriously special. We won’t ruin the surprises, but Irish ox cheek with roasted bone marrow and horseradish mash was a huge hit, and who knew soup could be so theatrical? Aside from the standout Parisian cuisine, the cocktails are adventurous, the staff are charming and the atmosphere is relaxed, with an underlying air of confidence that, in our opinion, is thoroughly deserved.

We won’t be at all surprised if Pollen Street goes the way of Rue du Nil when the eponymous Grégory Marchand moved in – we predict diners in the know will be searching for “Rue de Atherton” before long…