North London has gained a brand-new dining room that feels instantly timeless.

Intimate and low-lit, Oui Madame is a setting in which every detail encourages connection: tables draw people together, the pace is unhurried and evenings are meant to unfold slowly.

This is the latest adventure from Martin Lange, the man behind Salut!, a neighbourhood favourite that made Time Out’s Top 100 London Restaurants three years in a row. Oui Madame is his next act, carrying the same meticulous attention to detail into a new stage, one where European cooking meets classical techniques and the wine list brims with discovery.

Step inside Oui Madame and the atmosphere is immediate. The room hums with conversation and plates arrive with intent. It’s Paris in essence, London in character, designed for nights that stretch out and meals that gather pace.

The kitchen here is led by Canadian-born Jacob Buckley, who ran the stoves at Salut! from 2022 to 2025 after shaping his craft in ambitious Canadian kitchens and acclaimed London dining rooms. Buckley’s style is ingredient-led, confident and finely tuned. He cooks with precision, but the joy is never diluted. “Technique matters,” he says, “but what stays with you is flavour, generosity and intent.”

Snacks lead the way: Tomato & fennel focaccia with whipped basil butter; feather-light Savoury choux with a Comté cream filling & wakame aroma or Sardine bruschetta with grated tomato & micro herbs.

From there, small plates set the tempo. Signatures include the Beef tartare with gochujang, nashi pear, sesame oil, pine nuts & sushi rice (pictured) – sharp, layered and alive – and the Chicken heart skewer glazed with a gochujang glaze & served with a red pepper cheese sauce. The Vegan potato gnocchi with sage-fennel sauce & grilled fennel anchors the plant-led cooking, while the likes of Tuna tataki & yuzu-soy round out the rhythm.

Large plates build momentum. Green potato gnocchi with corn espuma, toasted hazelnuts & crispy sage is both playful and elegant. Ox Cheek with burnt kale, pomme purée, breadcrumbs & jus is slow-cooked and soulful, while the Seafood orzotto with octopus, mussels, clams, smoked yoghurt & herbs is rich and comforting. A rack of lamb with herb marinade & natural jus is generous and inviting, a dish made to share.

Sides come with their own spotlight. Écrasé potatoes with gremolata & umami mayo and Courgette salad with aubergine dressing, tahini & pine nuts bring freshness & bite. For the close, standout desserts such as Chocolate Crémeux with passion fruit granita & chilli tuile deliver a delightful contrast.

The wine list carries the same energy. Built with Halo Wines and True Terroir, it’s here to excite, not intimidate, with most bottles sitting in the high £30s to £60s. Sparkling runs from a bright Rosato Frizzante in Veneto to a crisp Cava Brut Reserva from Penedès. Whites stretch from Portugal’s mineral Rotulo Branco to a creamy Bourgogne Blanc. Reds range from juicy Cabernet Franc in Bourgueil to a bold Primitivo from Puglia and a structured Chianti in Tuscany. There are surprises too – a Georgian Rkatsiteli Qvevris, an unfiltered Langhe Arneis and sweet treats like Recioto della Valpolicella. The list is never static: bottles come and go, so there’s always a new story to taste. And with Lange’s own import business launching this year, expect exclusives that push it even further.

Oui Madame first takes shape inside Sawyer & Grey with a one-year commitment and plans to make the site permanent. Lange is clear: this is not a trial run but a foundation. “We want this to feel like a creative residency,” he says. “Yes, it’s a pop-up, but everything, from the sourcing to the training, is delivered with the rigour of a flagship.”

Open Tuesdays to Saturdays, from 6pm to 11pm, Oui Madame offers something rarely found in London today: a restaurant that values intimacy over scale and craft over spectacle. It’s the kind of restaurant that becomes part of the fabric of a neighbourhood, where people will want to return to again and again.

Oui Madame
290 St Paul’s Road
London N1 2LH
https://www.ouimadame-restaurant.co.uk/