Cocotte Richmond

You know that feeling when you walk into a French restaurant and immediately sense they're not mucking about? That's Cocotte. Set just off Richmond's main drag, it's got the warm lighting and close-quarters tables of somewhere that prioritises food over Instagram angles. The menu reads like someone actually spent time in France rather than Googling 'classic bistro dishes'—think properly rendered duck confit, silky pâtés, and sauces that taste like they've been tended to. It's busy most nights with a mix of locals and people who've travelled specifically, which tells you everything you need to know.