Fodor's Expert Review Le Juliénas

Since earning a Michelin star, this bright, contemporary dining room in the heart of the Beaujolais Wine Route has been busy reaching for ever new heights. Drawing from the area's exceptional seasonal bounty, chef Fabrice Roche creates a virtuoso menu of meticulously prepared dishes that look as divine as they taste. French specialties like escargot, foie gras, and house-made gravlax are thrillingly reimagined with surprising accompaniments, including bananas, white currants, and roasted chestnuts. Main dishes like steamed cod with leek mousseline in a lemon-mint emulsion and pigs' feet with pickled beets and cumin are packed with flavor. Desserts are a house specialty, as is the superb wine list—a thrilling education in the best of Beaujolais. Come on a warm day to enjoy garden dining and an excellent prix-fixe menu at lunch (€28) or dinner (€42). Hands down, they're the region's best deals.