4 Best Restaurants in Bordeaux and the Wine Country, France

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.

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.