16 Best Restaurants in Bordeaux and the Wine Country, France

Some say you haven't really been to Bordeaux if you haven't been to Le Chapon Fin—an epicurean indulgence, housed in one of Bordeaux's most historically esteemed establishments, where guests once included wealthy wine merchants, elite transatlantic travelers, and cultural icons such as Sarah Bernhardt and Toulouse-Lautrec. Founded in 1825, this was one of the first 33 restaurants crowned by Michelin in 1933. Reopened in 1987, guests are now served from chef Nicolas Nguyen Van Hai's refined menu in the extraordinary, original rococo grotto salle (room). Expect offerings like civet of hare (a kingly, 500-year-old dish of whole jackrabbit cut into pieces and then cooked for days in fine wine thickened with blood and liver). The wine list, not surprisingly, boasts the region's best vintages.

With a cellar full of fromage—and a vast wine stock that you peruse in lieu of a list—Baud et Millet is a good place to get acquainted with some of the 246 different French cheeses that Charles de Gaulle famously blamed for making this such a complex, and thus difficult, country to govern. Order from the cheese buffet and serve yourself from the downstairs cellar, or start with a cherry-tomato-and-Roquefort clafoutis, then move on to Camembert flambéed in Calvados. You must buzz to gain entry, and that's just the first element of the unique experience here. Genuine stinky-cheese lovers should know some cheeses here aren't as potent as can be had elsewhere in France.

Situated on a grande place in the Vieille Ville, with cathedral views and a traditional menu of solid sustenance, this venerable bistro attracts those looking for an all-day mixture of café and restaurant. It's the quintessential spot for people-watching over a coffee or meal. Try for a table on the terrace. The view over Place Pey-Berland is never less than diverting; however, some say you end up paying for the place more than the plate.

This cozy yet stylish restaurant and wine bar is popular with locals in the wine trade. The menu is limited, but made fresh and very good value compared to the generally elevated prices of St-Émilion. Wood tables, lounge chairs, and understated artwork on the original stone walls give it a casual, intellectual vibe. Free Wi-Fi is available.

Le tout Bordeaux comes to this trendy glass-encased restaurant, which hangs spectacularly over the Garonne River, for its privileged views of Bordeaux proper and the 18th-century Place de la Bourse on the opposite bank. The cuisine is creative but not edgy (imagine sesame-and-soy-marinated veal, or mullet tartare with cream and fish eggs), while the wine list focuses on young Bordeaux. The setting is sleek modern with a casual, sometimes noisy crowd. The city lights make views better at night.

Cuisine de terroir is served up at this classic restaurant on one of Bordeaux's oldest streets. Like the room itself, the menu aspires to nostalgie, and it succeeds, with dried herbs hanging from the ceiling, a Provençal grandfather clock ticking off the minutes, and an antique fireplace sporting a grill that serves sizzling morsels of duck and chicken. You can also dine or shop at his épicerie, Le Comestible (No. 3), which is lined with bistro tables and jars of foie gras, cassoulet, and other regional sundries. Copies of this business-savvy chef's southwestern cuisine cookbook are sold at the épicerie.