Fresh fish, locally landed seafood and an authentic flair for French cuisine puts The Guildhall Tavern in Poole at the top of many diners’ wish lists.

Located on the quaint cobbled streets in Poole’s old town this family restaurant, set in a listed building, is a hard act to follow.

This year husband and wife Frederic and Severine Seweryn are celebrating 15 years in business since they opened the doors in 2000. Over the last 15 years their hard work and quality French fare has not gone unnoticed. They are number one on TripAdvisor, have been awarded two prestigious Michelin Forks, are also listed in the Michelin Guide, as well as the esteemed Harden’s Guide and the Good Food Guide 2016.

Head chef, proprietor and father-of-two Frederic, 41, was born in Cannes in the South of France. He trained in the French Rivera at the renowned Cannes Nice restaurant in Marseille, a famous city along the beautiful Côte d’Azur. Frederic came to England 17 years ago and worked in a French restaurant called Le Petit St Tropez in Christchurch for two years where he developed business links within the local community to help him set up on his own.

Fifteen years on, The Guildhall Tavern is a popular local gem that welcomes guests for lunchtime and evening meals. As head chef, Frederic is passionate about bringing French specialities to the seaside town of Poole and works directly with local fishermen, utilising quality produce right on our doorstep.

“We use local fishermen so we always have something fresh and new, we have local Brownsea Island oysters delivered daily. We also have a committed team, many have been with us since the start so they are very experienced and we all have a great rapport with the customers,” says Frederic.

New for 2015 is the beautiful courtyard – the outside space has been utilised to its full potential with flowers, lighting and stylish seating. The attractive, sunny courtyard is very secluded and provides a safe haven for children as it has a gated entrance, can hold up to 35 guests for functions, corporate bookings, wedding receptions and parties, and is the perfect spot for alfresco lunchtime meals.

Space inside the restaurant has been adapted to create an extra dining room with doors leading out to the beautiful courtyard, and there is still an inside function area available for bookings.

Being just walking distance from Poole Guildhall register office, The GuildHall Tavern lends itself as an ideal venue for wedding receptions. Guests can enjoy drinks in the sunny, private courtyard, which is also protected with awnings, retreat indoors for a meal, and then mingle back outside.

Frederic explains: “We can seat up to 60 people in the main restaurant inside. People can book it all out if they wish and we can offer a set menu designed to their budget. When catering for a wedding, we can meet the couple beforehand to design a menu that’s right for them, even the wedding cake!”

Frederic and Severine host popular French Evenings with a special menu, live accordion player and a quiz – upcoming dates; March 19, April 30, May 21.

All their wines are available to take away from Sebastian’s wine cellar. With an extensive menu including house specialities of locally caught fish and meats, plus Fruit De Mer or tailor-made seafood platters to pre-order for delivery, there is an abundance of mouth-watering options.

They also work in partnership with Greenslade Pleasure Boats in Poole Quay, providing food for tours as required.

The Guildhall Tavern, 15 Market Street, Poole, www.guildhalltavern.co.uk, 01202 671717, sevpoole@me.com. Open Tuesday to Saturday 11.30am-3pm & 5.30pm-10pm. Closed Sundays and Monday except for private parties.