Brasserie Rhone

Brasserie is actually the French word for a brewery, but more recently it has become synonymous with good food served without fuss or frills.

The first brasserie restaurants appeared at the outset of the 20th century and were started by breweries to provide simple food and boost the sales of their beers. By the end of the First World War, they were firmly established in Paris and Lyon as places of entertainment as well as dining. Normally recognisable by its Art Deco interiors and tightly packed tables, the movement became associated with entertainment and fun. A meal taken at a brasserie was much less formal than one taken in a restaurant.

Brasserie food is much simpler than the haute cuisine often associated with French restaurants. It calls upon the recipes of the provinces and what is often referred to in France as cuisine de ma grand'mère, or grandmother's home cooking.

The concept of Brasserie Rhône is based on the great brasseries of Paris and Lyon, as the core of the food and wine presented finds its inspiration from the type of cooking of the Rhône Valley region of France. The Rhône Valley runs from the city of Lyon in the north to Marseilles in the south where the Bouches du Rhône runs into the Mediterranean Sea.

The result is a Provençal/Mediterranean style of cuisine drawing heavily on olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, aubergines, fennel, peppers and herbs; and it is about good, simple food at reasonable prices, served by smart, good-humoured staff in an atmosphere of relaxed fun. It is also a style of eating that is widely recognised as providing a healthy diet.