French Style Dining at Brasserie Le Duc, Roppongi

Located in the heart of Roppongi just next to Roppongi Hills, Brasserie Le Duc is hard to miss. Its concept is informal yet elegant and stylish dining that is very approachable for guests throughout the day. With a range of modern French bistro cuisine and a variety of wines, it's a great place to visit if you feel like top quality food at somewhere laidback but just a little bit special.

With its outdoor seating, surrounding foliage, signature wine red color on the seats of the chairs and along the walls—not to mention an open kitchen and bar—Brasserie Le Duc has the chic atmosphere of a Parisian cafe or restaurant. On arrival, I settled at a table by the window and had a look at the lunch menu, which is available from 11:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. on weekdays.

I started with a lamb stew (¥1,200) that comes with a small salad and tea or coffee. It was similar to a standard beef stew in terms of taste and texture, but what really stood out was the slightly mild hint of curry, which gave the dish a rich, deep flavor. Slices of baguette come in a small basket with free refills, while the simple fresh salad is lightly sprinkled with French dressing.

One of Brasserie Le Duc’s signature lunch dishes is the beef sirloin steak for ¥1,600 yen including French fries, a small salad, slices of baguette, and tea or coffee. It’s been on the menu for years and is cooked to perfection, with a texture that is firm, juicy and tender. It’s a great lunchtime option for those who are particularly hungry, and if you don’t feel like French fries, the staff will happily replace them with a bigger salad. For those of you who are really health-conscious, Brasserie Le Duc also does a classic delicious niçoise salad for a little under ¥1,000.

In the early evening the menu changes and a range of appetizers including marinated olives (¥550) and an assortment of salami and prosciutto (¥1,200) become available, not to mention an extensive wine menu. The atmosphere also transforms from calm and relaxing to more vibrant and cheerful, as people come in from work together with colleagues or to catch up at the bar for a drink or two with friends.

Whether it’s for a weeknight dinner, a weekend brunch with friends or a light supper after work, Brasserie Le Duc is a great place where you can sit back, relax and enjoy a range of dishes. I’ll definitely be back for the stylish and down-to-earth atmosphere, but even more so for that beef sirloin steak!

The Deets

Address: 6-2-31 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Tel: 03-6804-5377

Open: Cafe open Sun–Thu, 11 a.m.–12:00 a.m. (last order 11:30 p.m.); Fri–Sat, 11 a.m.–12:30 a.m. (last order 12 a.m.). Restaurant open daily, 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. (last order 2:30 p.m.) and 6 p.m.–12 a.m. (last order 10:30 p.m.).