Latin Quarter
A crisp white-and-green façade handily adjacent to a Vélib’ station flags the Pasta Garden, a simple, smart 100% bio (organic) place where pasta comes in…
Must-see restaurants in France
Bouches-du-Rhône
Inside an old fisherman’s house with pale-grey shutters and a leafy veranda, Le Miroir cooks up a bounty of seafood: poutargue (pressed grey mullet roe),…
Latin Quarter
This restaurant behind a discreet rosemary-coloured façade cooks up some of the only upmarket Mexican cuisine in Paris. Enjoy elegantly presented…
Tours
This snazzy little cafe serves tartines (toasted open-face sandwiches) made with scrumptious pain Poilâne (artisanal bread), amid classic rock and…
Paris
Tear off an injera (Ethiopian pancake) and scoop up delectable vegetable and spicy meat accompaniments at France’s first Ethiopian restaurant, opened in…
St-Germain & Les Invalides
The terrace tables along rue Casimir Périer are the best seats in the house for views of the neighbouring Basilique Ste-Clotilde. Inside, autumnal-hued…
Var
This friendly, busy spot on Hyères' pleasure port provides a wonderful backdrop of gleaming waves and gently rocking yachts for a relaxed meal on the…
Bayonne
Run by a welcoming Basque-speaking family, this unpretentious cafe-brasserie is an absolute institution, where everyone knows everyone (which some people…
Nice
The lone eatery near the Musée Matisse is this humble parkside kiosk, serving panini, salads and Niçois specialities such as pan bagnat (Provençal tuna…
Bayonne
As Basque as a game of pelota, this simple and rustic little restaurant, located inside a former brothel, serves one thing and one thing only: axoa. A…
Besançon
Specialising in Alsatian flatbreads, aka tartes flambées, this casual riverside brasserie attracts a buzzy crowd for pre-dinner kir (€3.90) or…
Burgundy
This character-filled bistro, whose walls are adorned with cool vintage posters and old clocks, is a real charmer. The flavourful ravioles (ravioli with…
Paris
The sign outside this busy canteen-style traiteur (caterer) simply reads 'plats cuisinés' (cooked dishes), but there's no missing this top-choice takeaway…
Nice
Of the many brasseries adjoining the cours Saleya market, Le Safari is among the few that native Niçois' regularly recommend. Pluses: food is served…
Bordeaux
For super-food salads bursting with veggies, homemade soups, creative sandwiches (hot or cold) and homemade cakes, look no further than this coffee shop…
Montpellier
Ideal for lunch, this all-organic eatery has vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes, from pastries, tarts and salads to gratinées (grated potatoes),…
Paris
This upbeat restaurant with a cheery canary-yellow façade dishes up pho (soup noodles with beef) and other Vietnamese staples such as ga nuong xa (grilled…
Montmartre & Northern Paris
Worth a stop for its brilliant people-watching pavement terrace with low wooden tables and stools, this diner in the buzzing heart of Pigalle is run by…
Biarritz
One of a cluster of restaurants along rue du Centre that get their produce directly from the nearby covered market, this bustling place stands out from…
Paris
Opened in 1938, this wine bar has been cultivating grapes in its cellar since 1979 and is famed for its grape-harvest parties in September. Its venerable…
Carcassonne
In an old shuttered auberge (country inn), complete with beams and original hearth, this family-run bistro serves meaty cassoulet (rich bean, pork and…
Pays d’Aix
The true attraction of this wayfarers' inn, which is a little close to the D65 to be truly restful, is the stunning, triple-tiered Aqueduc de Roquefavour,…
Var
Local produce – especially chestnuts, which appear in soups, crème brûlée, and many other dishes when they're in season – is a feature of the excellent…
Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville
Canal St-Martin's inventive pizza joint has spawned branches including this one in Le Marais, which is handily placed across from a small green park near…
Paris
At this stone-walled restaurant, chef Ignazio Messina prepares gorgeous pastas like spaghetti with langoustines and pistachio pesto alongside fresh fish…
Arras
Traditional French meat and fish dishes, Flemish dishes such as carbonade (braised beef stewed with onions and beer) and potjevleesch (cold meat in aspic)…
Toulouse
Succumb to sweet temptation at this cake and chocolate specialist, well known for the quality of its buttery frangipane tarts, preservative-free…
Côte d'Or
Dependable, reasonably priced food isn't always easy to come by in Semur's touristy medieval centre, but the pizzas at this popular spot in the pedestrian…
Calvi
Tucked on a stepped alleyway between Calvi’s two main thoroughfares, with a shady terrace and a sassy grey-and-red interior, this elegant restaurant…
Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville
Ivy-clad Chez Marianne heaves with diners digging into falafel, hummus, aubergine purée and 25-odd other zakouski (hors d'oeuvre) dishes. Fare is…
Savoie
Jaunty murals and a low ceiling give a warm, authentic feel to the 'Crazies' Salon', worthy of its name for its regular live acts and loyal local…
Chamonix
Cheap and cheerful (by the high-altitude standards of Chamonix), this modest Japanese restaurant does all the greats and does them well: sushi, noodles…
Îles de Lérins
Watch the ferries come and go and gaze across the Med at the distant Alps from this terrace restaurant between the fort and the boat docks. Prices are…
Paris
Hugo Desnoyer is Paris' most famous butcher and the trip to his 16e premises, done out with cowhide-covered seats, is well worth it. Feast on exceptional…
Rennes
Where most crêperies play on the twee old-Breton style, this one takes a totally eccentric approach – with its green-and-gold furnishings and luxurious…
Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville
Affordable Italian fare is good reason to dine at this small, sage-green-fronted restaurant set up by two young Florentines (hence the name, recalling the…
Lille
Chef Arnaud Duhamel prepares Flemish favourites such as Ostend shrimp croquettes, veal sweetbreads flambéed in cider, carbonade (beef stew with beer) and…
Arles
A great lunch option, with a counter brimming with picnicky treats – sandwiches filled with inventive ingredients such as Roquefort and cèpe crème …
Montmartre & Northern Paris
For a tourist haunt, Chez Plumeau isn't too bad: dishes such as duck terrine with pistachios, beef tartare with quails egg or snails with parsley butter…
Uzès
A converted warehouse in Argilliers, 8km southeast of Uzès via the D981, is the setting for this offbeat dining destination. Filled with battered…
