St-Émilion
Knowing foodies adore this spectacular vineyard restaurant, born out of Jean Nouvel's designer revamp of Château La Dominique's wine cellars, 5km north of…
Must-see restaurants in Southwest France
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Bordeaux
To dine à la Gordon Ramsay without breaking the bank, reserve a table at his elegant belle époque brasserie with an interesting Anglo-French hybrid…
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Bordeaux
Follow the hip crowd across the river to this huge industrial hangar on the right bank, France's biggest and best organic restaurant with a gargantuan…
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Nantes
This buzzing neobistro would be right at home in Paris. Market-sourced, modern and wholly creative cuisine by English chef Dominic Quirke (a Newcastle lad…
Bordeaux
Filled with the aroma of soup simmering inside a tupina ('kettle' in Basque) over an open fire, this iconic bistro is feted for its seasonal southwestern…
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Atlantic Coast
Cognac brandy invariably stars in the inventive, veg- and pulse-packed dishes of chefs Nathalie and Delphine at L'Arty Show, an edgy bistro with vintage…
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French Basque Country
For a memorable Basque meal, stop at the Michelin-starred Ithurria, established by the Isabal family in an old pilgrims’ hostel and now run by Maurice…
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La Rochelle
The Basket of Crabs is, funnily enough, a self-proclaimed bistrot de gens de mer (seafarers' bistro) dishing up sensational Marennes d'Oléron oysters,…
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The Dordogne
Folks come from far and wide for chef Vincent Arnould’s refined, beautifully presented creative cuisine of the Périgord. The ceiling soars over the…
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La Rochelle
Opened in the 1950s as a waterfront seafood cafe, André grew so popular it began buying adjacent shops. It is now an eye-catching maze of eight different…
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St-Émilion
A few doors down from the tourist office, this wine bar with fire-engine-red façade is one of the finest places to eat – and inevitably drink – in this…
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Bordeaux
Seasonal market produce and a generous pinch of creativity form the backbone of this bistrot coloré (colourful bistro), tucked down a backstreet lane…
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Bordeaux
Reservations are essential at this Michelin-starred restaurant and wine cellar where vins d'auteur (carefully curated wines by small regional wine…
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Bordeaux
Talented young chef Léo Forget is turning heads in foodie Bordeaux with his striking new locavore neobistro, with stylish zinc bar, mix of rough chip-wood…
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The Dordogne
At Michelin-starred L’Essentiel, it feels like you're dining inside an aristocratic friend’s living room, with floral wallpaper and orange velour chairs…
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Île de Ré
Grab a straw hat to keep off the sun, snag a table overlooking oyster beds and indulge in a plate of freshly shucked oysters, an entire crab, shrimps,…
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Bordeaux
There's nothing flashy or fancy about this hardcore French bistro, an ode to traditional market cuisine with charismatic François front of house and…
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La Rochelle
Lunch local. Between 10am and 1pm buy a dozen oysters from one of the stands in front of the Marché Central, pay and ask for them to be shucked, then head…
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Nantes
Bruno Triballeau, chef at the French embassy in Bogota for 10 years, and his Colombian wife make a formidable duo at this stylish cevicheria. In their…
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Arcachon
Stunning shellfish and seafood to suit most budgets, gracious service and an elegant terrace on the seafront with white tablecloths makes this…
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Lourdes
Ex-TV chef Jean-Pierre St-Martin has established his own gastronomic hideaway in St-Savin, 16km south of Lourdes. Known for blending Basque, Breton and…
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Toulouse
For a no-expense-spared, food-as-art dining experience, Toulouse's double-Michelin-starred master chef Michel Sarran is your man. He's earned an…
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Biarritz
This rustic bakery in a hidden vale 8km south of Biarritz is set in a historic mill that still grinds the flour using the stream that runs beneath the…
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St-Jean de Luz
To spoil yourself, Nicholas Borombo's stellar Michelin-starred address is the place to dine in St-Jean. Known for their modern interpretation of Basque…
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Arcachon
Each year this pop-up beach hut on sandy Plage Pereire is built afresh, much to the joy of local foodies and bons vivants who flock here for tasty seafood…
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St-Jean de Luz
Duck down a side street into this stone-walled restaurant for excellent French food with a Basque twist. There are two options: order grilled fish or…
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Bayonne
Run by renowned chef Sebastien Gravé (who also runs a place in Paris), this is Bayonne's top spot. It's committed to big Basque flavours, but explores…
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The Dordogne
Friendly staff serve you on little Daglan’s central square, promoting an elegant ‘there’s all the time in the world’ feel, while wowing with impeccable…
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The Dordogne
This glass-encased bistro attached to a grand château creates refined seasonal cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere surrounded by verdant gardens. A high-end…
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Toulouse
Beside a tinkling fountain, this busy cafe is a cake lover's dream – though deciding between glistening raspberry tarts, chocolate cakes or New York–style…
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The Dordogne
Details, details, details. Valérie and Jean-Marc Réal get them all right at this small restaurant in low-key St-Martial-de-Nabirat, 8km south of Domme…
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The Dordogne
You simply couldn’t hope to find a more lively Gallic spot. Cutlery clatters beneath classic brasserie trappings – spinning fans, shiny brass fittings,…
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Sarlat-la-Canéda
This eminent Michelin-starred restaurant run by chef Maxime Lebrun is renowned for its creative cuisine, with elaborate menus making maximum use of luxury…
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St-Jean de Luz
For the full-blown French market experience, this tiny corner restaurant hidden away in Les Halles is a must. Pull up a stool at the counter under its…
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The Dordogne
Chef Damien Fagette creates elaborate périgourdine meals using the freshest seasonal ingredients, and friendly staff serve them to the dining room or…
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Limoges
This modish restaurant in a former Carmelite convent is one of the city’s most popular eateries, with tables set among rough brick walls. Sit at the open…
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The Dordogne
It's well worth stopping in the nondescript village of Couze St-Front for the warm welcome and riverside dining at Au Fil de l'Eau. Jazzy tunes tinkle as…
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St-Jean Pied de Port
This two-Michelin-starred restaurant at the Hôtel des Pyrénées is renowned for miles around, and is where chef Firmin Arrambide works wonders with market…
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Limoges
Book ahead for a spot at this romantic modern restaurant that serves some of the best food in the region. Dishes incorporate fresh seasonal produce from…
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The Dordogne
Périgueux’ wonderful street markets explode into action on Wednesday and Saturday, taking over place du Coderc, place de la Clautre and place de l…
