Côte is part of a French brasserie chain that has forty five restaurants in the UK, with one situated in central Guildford. It is another one of the great restaurants to be found on Chapel Street, sitting in the shadow of the fabulous Guildford Castle.
Founder Andy Bassadone and Chris Benians first opened the doors to Côte Wimbledon in 2007 but 51% stakeholder Richard Caring cashed in on his shares in September 2013 earning him millions as the business was sold for £100 million to the private equity firm CBPE. However, there shouldn’t be any wholesale changes as Cordon-Bleu trained chef Alex Scrimgeour (who is part of the management team) said at the time,
“Côte has been successful because we offer a great eating out experience; we source quality products and we are always striving to get dishes just right, while keeping prices reasonable for our customers. CBPE understand this commitment and we look forward to working with them as Côte continues to expand and evolve.”
The Guildford branch is a sumptuous mix of elegance and style, with its trademark black exterior combining with wooden flooring, Parisian styled tables and chairs and a simple but chic interior décor. Côte has an intimate charm that makes it a perfect place to take a loved one, whilst also being informal enough to go with a group. Its prices make it one of the top spots to grab a bite in town and the conservatory area is as pleasant as anywhere to eat on a sunny day.
Côte is a modern interpretation of the many famous bistros of Paris and is dedicated to serving authentic classic brasserie dishes with a modern twist. So guests will always find brasserie favourites like Steak Frites, Tuna Niçoise, Moules Marinières and Poluet Breton on the à la carte menu. The menu offers a good combination of light mains such as Risotto Vert, with meat and fish dishes like Rump of Lamb and Roast Seabass, with an alternative grills and steaks option where you can order a 10oz Ribeye with Roquefort Butter for example.
The menu also offers up a mixture of breads and olives, starters that include Calamari, Steak Tartare and Crab Mayonnaise, side dishes like Creamed Spinach and French Beans and ‘Plats Rapides’ which include Cod Goujons and Moules Frites. For dessert, Côte’s crème caramel and crème brûlee are much loved house specialities.
It is also open early every day for breakfast (Monday to Friday, 8am-12pm and 9am-1pm at weekends) where you can treat yourself to something light, a cooked breakfast or even a cocktail! So pop down in the morning and you could find yourself with a granola and natural yoghurt, with a pain au chocolat and a Bloody Mary on the side, or alternatively you could have a Crêpe Complète (warm crêpe with two free range eggs, bacon and shaved Gruyère cheese) and a Café Noisette.
Côte is committed to sourcing high-quality ingredients and having a specials menu that changes fortnightly to ensure there is always something new to delight regular guests and gastronomes alike. It is also worth noting that there is a weekday lunch and early evening menu available (Monday to Friday 12-7pm) that includes two courses for £9.95 or three courses for £11.90. Certainly one of our top tips to get good quality food at exceptional value in the town centre.
James Martin