The French do it so well. Unlike the Brits, across the Channel, the idea of the casual all-day establishment where customers can be as at home with their coffee and croissant in the mornings as with their glass of wine later is already well-established. The good news is that Comptoir, the latest offering from Xavier Rousset’s expanding empire, brings the concept to Mayfair – and does it exceptionally well. The venue replaces a hairdresser which had undoubtedly seen better days, and looks to be an astute move by M. Rousset ahead of next year’s arrival of the Elizbeth Line at nearby Bond Street Station. Despite having only been open for three weeks, the place already feels like an established neighbourhood favourite and seems busy at all times of the day. Customers clearly like the relaxed vibe of the place, its central counter with seating, the exposed brick walls and the Moorish style tiling on the floor. I had already dropped in for a glass of wine on a previous occasion, but a recent weekday lunchtime allowed a comrade and me to sample Comptoir’s fare as well. Before describing the food, it is worth spending a moment on the wine. For lovers of the grape, this is definitely a place to consider. Not only does Comptoir have a list that changes every few days and where everything is available by the glass, but also there is a shop in the basement containing more than 2,000 bottles. These can be consumed on the premises (for a corkage fee) or taken away. On our visit, we enjoyed an excellent glass of Roussanne from California followed by a Sicilian red. Both contained abundant depth and flavour. Onto the food, and there were absolutely no complaints. The menu here is simple, comprising at lunchtimes a range of soups, salads, fish, meat and cheese. We enjoyed some of the most tender and flavoursome boquerones (Spanish anchovies) I have sampled for some time as well as Comptoir’s charcuterie platter – good value at £15. We ended on a high, with a superb piece of lemon tart, which packed a zesty punch. I’ll be back and am looking forward to warmer weather too. Sitting outside (especially when the Crossrail detritus has been cleared), it may even be possible to imagine one might be in France…