I remember this building as a bank, but for the past 10 years, Milton Street (in the very centre of town) has housed Pierre Victoire, a fashionable French bistro. A couple of years ago, it was voted the best-value restaurant in the city’s restaurant awards, and I believe it has now stood the test of time and adapted to the dining needs of the city. It’s handy for a pre-theatre meal and offers a special rate of two courses for under £12 if ordered before 7pm. Their fast service will ensure that you make it to your theatre seat in good time
This is a totally informal restaurant that has a resident pianist on the weekend to create a relaxed feel to the place – personally, I found it a bit loud and distracting. The restaurant has tall ceilings and a fresh, airy feel, but somehow it feels a bit clinical and lacks a true ambience.
Service is crisp and efficient, but I really felt that they were making a determined effort to clear our tables for the second sitting. We’d arrived at 5:20pm – a bit early for a night out and were left waiting on the doorstep until the opening time of 5:30pm arrived. It was spitting with rain and none of us were impressed that the staff had seen us but left us waiting. At the other end of the evening, we were ushered away from our table at 8pm, and those waiting for our table weren’t allowed in until we’d vacated the table. It was not the best service I’ve ever had, and in all honesty, it left none of us feeling that we were anything other than part of the restaurant’s production line! But if it’s pre-theatre meals you’re after, it is exactly the kind of service that you want. You pay your money and make your choice.
But the food at Pierre Victoire is great, well prepared and presented, and there is a superb wine list. I didn’t count, but there must have been almost 50 wines in their cellar. Most were moderately priced, but as you’d expect with that range, there were some expensive bottles. I didn’t eat anything out of the ordinary: deep-fried brie, followed by a pan-fried chicken dish, and a French apple pie as my finale.
The restaurant really pushes its Provincial French cuisine and has a reputation as a "hip" place to eat, so most nights this establishment will be busy. Make sure you book.
Apparently, the restaurant holds a more extravagant meal every other Tuesday, billed as a gastronomic soiree with seven courses for a mere £18. I haven’t tried it myself but may consider it one night.
Despite its city-centre setting, parking is real easy at any of the nearby multi-storey car parks, and it’s even easier if you travel by bus, as the bus terminus is only a 5-minute walk away.