12 Best Restaurants in Champagne Country, France

Legendary chef Gérard Boyer made Le Parc the most famous haute gastronomic restaurant in Reims, and now Philippe Mille has regained the heights of Boyer's era with his talent for modern, but generous, cuisine. Prepared with precision, the product-inspired dishes ooze enthusiasm, including scallops with white-truffle sauce and foie gras poached in borscht. An extensive wine list pays homage to Reims's Champagne heritage, while the attentive service ensures that guests feel properly pampered.  For something less formal, reserve a table at the brasserie Les Jardins, which has a large terrace and a light-filled contemporary dining room with a view of the chefs at work in the kitchen.

About a five-minute walk from Reims's cathedral, this small one-room eatery features creative, contemporary French cuisine in charming pastel-tone surroundings.

A significant amount of Lille's culinary praise is reserved for this lovely little restaurant just south of the Place de la Republique. Expect fresh, local, and eco-friendly ingredients cooked to near perfection and given inventive twists. Focusing on quality over quantity, the weekly changing menu only includes four starters, four mains, and four desserts.

This authentic brasserie has polished wood floors, Art Nouveau glass windows, and mirrored walls. The food is sophisticated, dependable, and includes seafood platters and authentic desserts made with Rose de Reims, a famous type of biscuit.

The walls at this 1930s restaurant are crammed with gilt-edged mirrors, golden cherubs, and old paintings, while crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, which itself is topped by a magnificent Art Deco glass roof signed by Jacques Simon. The café is popular among locals, so reserve a table in advance (request one inside as the terrace looks out over a tramline).

No trip to France is complete without eating at least one crêpe, and any visit to Lille should include a meal at this Old Town crêperie. Options range from savory cheese, bacon, and mushroom (with egg cracked on top) to the sweet options like chocolate drizzled with Grand Marnier or banana with rum and Chantilly cream. An added dollop of ice cream is optional and highly recommended. The space is beautiful, with vaulted brick ceilings downstairs and an airy, wood-accented, sun-drenched dining room upstairs.

This convivial little restaurant in the center of Épernay serves authentic regional dishes with a refined twist at reasonable prices. The chef executes a perfect marriage of flavors by highlighting the local wines; classics include grilled oysters with Chardonnay butter and rump steak with a Pinot Noir sauce. There are also more rustic choices for the daring.

Freshness is guaranteed at this tiny treasure, hidden at the back of a fishmonger's shop across from the old food court (Les Halles du Boulingrin). Everything is just off the boat, but most diners automatically go with the catch of the day; tables are in demand, so be sure to reserve ahead.

Located in Vendeville, about 8 km (5 miles) south of Lille, Le Potager des Demoiselles used to merely sell organic fruits and vegetables before eventually deciding to devote its ecological passion to the restaurant business. The space is divided into two sections, with the lavender-colored lunch space on one side and green bistro on the other, both providing farm-fresh dishes. Côté Lunch offers quiches, soups, salads, and sandwiches, while Côté Bistro serves a more elaborate menu.

This lively brasserie opposite Beauvais Cathedral offers sturdy if unadventurous lunch fare (duck, steak, and the like) along with a wide variety of fresh seafood. There is a good selection of generous salads and warming soups, too.

This picturesque waterside restaurant occupies an elegantly transformed boatbuilding shed in the scenic St-Leu section of Amiens. Order from the prix-fixe menus, which feature regional ingredients, to avoid pricey à la carte dining.