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
Gironde
There's no more glamorous address on the Atlantic Coast than this 1930s hunting lodge, reinvented by French designer Philippe Starck. Perfectly placed for…
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…
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…
Gironde
With Michelin-starred chef Julien Lefebvre from Château Cordeillan-Bages overseeing the menu and 120 wines on the carte de vin, a brilliant dining…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
Bordeaux
Seasonal market produce and a generous pinch of creativity form the backbone of this bistrot coloré (colourful bistro), tucked down a backstreet lane…
Bordeaux
Reservations are essential at this Michelin-starred restaurant and wine cellar where vins d'auteur (carefully curated wines by small regional wine…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Arcachon
Stunning shellfish and seafood to suit most budgets, gracious service and an elegant terrace on the seafront with white tablecloths makes this…
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…
Gironde
Expect local products the whole way at La Canfouine ('hut' in local dialect), an upmarket 'hut' on the seashore in the fishing village of Le Canon, about…
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…
Gironde
Built in the 1860s to feed and accommodate the first oyster farmers who came to settle on Cap Ferret, this attractive wooden mansion oozes historic charm…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
The Lot
Local farm Les Bouriettes operates this wonderful shop and restaurant filled with their super products. Friendly proprietors serve regional specialities…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
The Dordogne
Chef Damien Fagette creates elaborate périgourdine meals using the freshest seasonal ingredients, and friendly staff serve them to the dining room or…
