On a Saturday evening in Richmond, every table at Mignonette is taken. The small dining room is warm and inviting. Conversation fills the space and the atmosphere is relaxed. It’s far cry from the formality you might expect from a restaurant with serious Michelin credentials.
Mignonette has only been part of Richmond’s dining scene since September 2024, but it didn’t take long to make an impression. Within three months of opening, it had secured a place in the Michelin Guide, followed by a Bib Gourmand in February 2025.
Behind the restaurant is Michelin-starred chef-restaurateur John McClements, who came out of retirement to open Mignonette with his son James and long-time colleague Glen Toromeni.
Dark wood, leather banquettes and soft lighting give the intimate dining room a classic feel. The welcome is warm and the service friendly. Later in the evening, Glen emerges from the kitchen to say hello and chat to us at the table – a small moment, but one that tells you quite a lot about Mignonette.
The menu is rooted in French cooking, with some more unexpected flavours and combinations woven through. Produce comes from smaller suppliers in Britain and France, with the menu changing to make the most of what is in season. The French-focused wine list follows suit.
I start with the seared Orkney scallop, served with kumquat, miso celeriac purée, maple bacon and sake beurre blanc. The scallop is beautifully tender and succulent, its natural sweetness offset by the crisp, salty bacon. There are plenty of flavours competing for attention on paper, but on the plate they work effortlessly together.
Across the table, my husband chooses the carpaccio of sushi-grade tuna with Ibérico de Bellota ham, passion fruit, guacamole and seaweed salad. The tuna is delicate and fresh, paired with the richness of the Ibérico ham and the brighter flavours of passion fruit and guacamole – an unusual combination that works beautifully.
For the main course, I order the dry-aged Galician fillet steak, served with oxtail ragù, caramelised salsify and bordelaise sauce. Ordered medium rare, it arrives cooked perfectly, while the rich oxtail ragù complements the beef beautifully.
My husband opts for the butter-poached native lobster with red prawns, saffron and sorrel risotto and sauce Américaine. Colourful and beautifully presented, it is a feast for the eyes as much as the taste buds. It proves every bit as indulgent as it sounds. We share a side of hispi cabbage and haricot verts with tahini yoghurt and crispy garlic.
The dessert menu gives us a tough choice. We settle on the caramelised pear tarte Tatin with Calvados cream. Crisp pastry and deeply caramelised pear make for a suitably indulgent finale. We also take our waiter’s recommendation of the burnt blood orange Basque cheesecake with Yorkshire rhubarb purée. Creamy yet surprisingly light, with the slight bitterness of the burnt orange cutting through the sweetness. It’s the perfect end to the meal.
By the end of the evening, it’s easy to understand Mignonette’s appeal. The food is delicious, the atmosphere warm and buzzy, and it’s the kind of place where you want to settle in and stay for another glass of wine.
Two years after opening, Mignonette has clearly found its place in Richmond – and we can see why.
@mignonettebistro | mignonettebistro.com
Mignonette, 109 Kew Road, Richmond, London, TW9 2PN
