Seafood restaurants in France
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À l'Huîtrière
In 1928 the great-grandfather of the present owners turned to the nascent art deco movement – first exhibited (and named) in Paris just three years earlier – to find suitably elegant decoration for his fish shop on 'Street of the Hunchback Cats'. The sea-themed mosaics and stained glass are worth a look-in even if you're not in the mood to dine on super-fresh seafood – accompanied, perhaps, by a wine or two from the 40,000-bottle cellar. Book ahead for Friday dinner and Saturday.
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André
Opened in the 1950s as a small seafood café, André grew so popular it began buying adjacent shops. There's now a maze of interconnecting rooms, each with its own individual ambience (like a portholed cabin) but all serving succulent seafood caught the night before. You can choose your fanciful denizens of the deep from the display tables outside: 'Hello, Mr Crab, you look tasty. I'm going to gobble you up,' and with that he'll be thrown in a pan of hot water.
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La Bôite à Huîtres
This rickety, wood-panelled little place feels like an Arcachon fisherman's hut. It's a sensation that's quite appropriate because this is by far the best place in Bordeaux to munch on fresh Arcachon oysters. Traditionally they're served with sausage but you can have them in a number of different forms, including with that other southwest delicacy, foie gras. They'll also pack them up so you can take them away for a riverfront picnic.
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Huîterie Regis
Hip, trendy, tiny and white, this is the spot for revelling in oysters on crisp winter days. They come only by the dozen, along with fresh bread and butter, but wash them down with a glass of chilled Muscadet and voilà, one perfect lunch. Add coffee and a glass of Sancerre (€26) or be a devil and have some king prawns too (€27.50). A twinset of tables loiter on the pavement outside; otherwise it’s all inside.
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L'Abri Cotier
It's safer to reserve at this popular spot, just off the quayside; ask for one of the coveted tables beside the panoramic window, one floor up and lording it over the restaurant terraces below. The cuisine is imaginative (try, for example the sea bass accompanied by a basil flan) and the house desserts are a dream (save a corner for their chestnut ice cream with toffee sauce). It also does a vegetarian platter.
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Le Voilier
A bastion of haute cuisine on the marina, Le Voilier attracts serious gourmets keen to enjoy elaborate fish and meat dishes. The carré de denti et pistou de coquillages (dentex steak with a Provençal sauce) certainly won our hearts. Save room for desserts - the crème brûlée au basilic (cream pie with a caramelised topping and basil) is a victory for humanity.
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Le Gregale
On Plage de Maora, Le Gregale is well worth the detour. This is the place towards which all heads turn when it comes to tasting the freshest of fish. Depending on the daily catch, the menu may feature John Dory, sea bream, sea bass... and lobster. It's a family affair, with Mum, Dad (the cooks) and two sons (fishermen and waiters). Another draw is the rustic-chic setting, with blond-wood furniture and beams.
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U Pescador
Near the beach and sandwiched between the car park and a recently planted grove of trees (with the sea just out of sight, alas), The Fisherman does a quite magnificent fish soup. Rub a clove of garlic into the toasted bread, sprinkle on some grated cheese, pour on the rich broth, add a dollop of rich rouille, sip and sigh with pleasure. To follow, both the fish and seafood are delightfully fresh.
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Fish la Boissonnerie
A hybrid of a Mediterranean place run by a New Zealander (of Cosi fame) and an American, with its rustic communal seating and bonhomie, Fish has surely taken its cue from London, where such places have been a mainstay for several years. The wine selection is excellent – it’s almost as much a wine bar as a restaurant – and the wonderful old mosaic on the front façade is a delight.
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Au Bord de l'Eau
Au Bord de l'Eau (‘At the water's edge') is the kind of place Marseillais cherish: easy on the frills, heavy on outdoor space, steady on the price and artistic on the plate. The menus (fixed-price menus) have the usual pizza, pasta and fresh fish. Catch bus 83 along the coast to av du Prado (by the statue of David), then take bus 19 further south along the coast.
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La Criée Bayonnaise
Decked out in marine colours, this unassuming little find does delicious Basque seafood specialities (such as les chipirons à l'espagnole – squid with sweet peppers served with finely ground rice), but you can also get fresh mussels and even fish and chips. For dessert, don't miss the ardi gasna (local cheese with cherry jam).
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Aphrodite
The uninspired interior might be nothing to write home about (although the tomato plants growing in pots around the glassed-in terrace are a nice touch) but David Faure's food is. Dish names take up at least three lines on the menu, sauces are delicate, there's shoals of fish and hats off to the chef for his wholly vegetarian menu
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La Baie des Singes
Stunningly located on a cape 15km south of the centre. Select your seafood prior to its preparation, and afterwards collapse on a comfy deck chair overlooking Île Maïre. From Les Goudes follow the signs to the Cap Croisette car park then walk 500m along the narrow path through rocks. Ask when booking about getting here by boat.
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La Braise
This Bastia classic has recently changed hands. Gone, some will lament, is Jo, the ebullient former patron, into well-earned retirement. The place might have had a thorough spring clean but what remains constant is the simple, well-prepared cuisine such as prawns flambés in pastis and red mullet with pistou.
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La Mascotte
The Mascot is a small, unassuming spot much frequented by regulars who can’t get enough of its seafood and regional cuisine. In winter, sample shellfish. In summer sit on the terrace and savour delicious fricassée de pétoncles (queen scallops fricassee). Meat lovers, Troyes andouillette (veal tripe sausage) is for you.
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Le Bocal
Tastefully decorated in the colours of the North Atlantic, this unpretentious fish and seafood restaurant has just five tables and two hot plats du jour (dishes of the day). Enter through the fish shop, where odours of the sea will engulf your senses. Three hot oysters cost €6 and a glass of Champagne is €8.
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Le Chalut
This unremarkable-looking establishment is in fact St-Malo's most celebrated restaurant and a must for any self-respecting seafood lover. The kitchen overflows with the best the Breton coastline has to offer – buttered turbot, line-caught sea bass and scallops in Champagne sauce. Reservations for dinner are advised.
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Charlot, Roi des Coquillages
‘Charlot, the King of Shellfish’ is an art deco palace that some Parisians think is the best place in town for no-nonsense seafood. The seafood platters and oysters are why everyone is here, but don’t ignore the wonderful fish soup and mains, such as grilled sardines, sole meunière and bouillabaisse (€36).
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Casa Juan Pedro
Down by the old port, which is something of a hidden little village of wooden fishing cottages and old-timers, is this cute little fishing-shack restaurant. The gregarious atmosphere ensures that you can wash down your tuna, sardines or squid with plenty of friendly banter from both the staff and other customers. There are several similar neighbouring places.
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Salmon Shop
Whether smoked, pan-fried, roasted or tartare (raw), salmon appears in every dish (well, more or less) at this Nordic-style spot. Go for the house specialty pavé de saumon – thick-cut, lightly cooked salmon fillet in chive cream sauce accompanied by salads, toast and unlimited fries.
reviewed
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L'Écailler du Bistrot
Oyster lovers will luurvvv The Bistro Shucker, a neighbourhood resto owned by the daughter of a famous Breton oyster culturist that serves up to a dozen varieties of fresh bivalves, freshly shucked and accompanied by a little lemon juice. Make sure you sample a half-dozen oursins (sea urchins) in March.
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U Callelu
The menu chases the changing seasons at this homespun eatery, run with passion and flair by a born-and-bred islander who tracks down the best local ingredients for his dishes: meat and veg from the market, wine direct from the vineyards, fish straight off the boats. It's on the quayside.
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La Cambuse
All portholes and polished wood, this shipshape bistro is the closest you'll get to dining on a private yacht in Strasbourg. The experimental chef infuses seafood with Asian spices – think sweet and sour turbot and fish choucroute with saffron. Reservations essential.
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Aux Bons Amis
With its nautically themed décor, Aux Bons Amis has a short, select à la carte choice and serves up the best of fresh fish and seafood. Two downsides; the flickering TV is an intrusion, even though the sound's turned off. And the house white is best avoided…
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Le Bilboq – Chez Jean Jean
In business for decades, this Ajaccio icon is famous for one thing and one thing only: langouste (lobster), best enjoyed on the oh-so-cute little terrace in a pedestrian street. Knock it all down with a well-chosen Corsican wine, and you'll be in seventh heaven.
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