116 Best Restaurants in Provence, France

As evidenced by the happy crowds seated at the long bar and enjoying artisanal charcuterie or cheese plates and biodynamic wines, food and drink are serious fun at this otherwise casual spot. The chef, who cut his teeth as a sommelier in London, offers a short daily menu of dishes—perhaps, Camargue oysters with salted gooseberries and crème cru or lamb shoulder paired with green beans, walnuts and roasted prunes—that make good use of local bounty.

Set on the main street of Paradou, a small village 6 km (4 miles) from Les Baux, this spot has seen its share of famous diners, from French movie stars to politicians, but you'd never know it from the friendly, laid-back atmosphere cultivated by the longtime chef and his loyal staff who loudly greet their friends—meaning everyone. From the aperitif until the bill comes (which could be a while, as you'll want to take your time here), you're drawn into the rhythm of Provençal bistro dining, with a bottle of the house red wine ready at your table and a stellar cheese platter all to yourself. There is a set menu for lunch and dinner—a choice of two starters, one or two main courses, and six desserts—ensuring that every morsel is fresh, local, and cooked to perfection.

Chef Noël Baudrand turns out brasserie-type fare that is hearty and satisfying as well as innovative and sophisticated. Not one dish on the menu disappoints, nor does the chic dining room—which is airy and bright at lunchtime and lively at night—or the brilliant barman who concocts some of the best craft cocktails in town.

If you're willing to travel 10 minutes to the tiny perched village of Goult, you'll be rewarded with a top-notch, thoroughly French meal at a restaurant that's elegant enough for a celebratory dinner, yet casual enough for a gourmet lunch on the go. Sea-crab soup with fricassee of cuttlefish and homemade aïoli makes a nice prelude to saddle of rabbit with local chanterelle mushrooms stewed with kale (a rarity in France). Top off your meal with a homemade sorbet, pear poached in black current and stuffed with rice pudding, or assorted regional goat cheeses and a local rosé. In summer, try for a seat on the small outdoor terrace overlooking the town square and church.

Tucked away under a canopy of green, this cozy local favorite serves contemporary French fare far above the usual offerings. Relax in a vintage armchair while enjoying appetizers like creamy burrata cheese with perfectly ripe heirloom tomatoes or grilled sardines with arugula and olives and entrées such as succulent guinea fowl or steak smothered in fresh morels with a side of golden frites. Seafood also factors large on the menu, and there are plenty of vegetarian choices, too. The top-notch wine list emphasizes natural, small-producer options.

If you're headed from Aix to the Vaucluse or any point north of the city, do what the local gourmands do and get thee to this gastronomic restaurant 23 km (14 miles) northwest of Aix on France's famous Nationale 7 (D7). A veteran of top kitchens from London to Switzerland, chef Nicolas Bottero struck out on his own in 2017, creating cuisine of utmost refinement but without a trace of fussiness and following the seasons and the local producers. In fall and winter expect squash, wild game, and local mushrooms, and, in summer, all the bounty of Provence. This is the perfect spot for a long lunch, but whether you're coming for lunch or dinner, allow plenty of time to savor a stellar meal.

You could hardly beat the location of this (mostly outdoor) bistro in the shady, elegant courtyard of the Collection Lambert. Hearty lunches and dinners include a fish and meat choice with plenty of fresh local vegetables and salads on the side—perhaps, salmon gravlax with an Asian-inflected cabbage salad or roasted lamb with bright steamed veggies. Wines are mostly organic with plenty of choices by the glass, or spring for a fresh-pressed juice with a spritz of fresh ginger. Scrumptious desserts round out the meal or make a pleasant teatime break after exploring the collection.

Patrick Fischnaller returned to southern France from London and quickly won acclaim (and a Michelin star) with this dazzler just outside the town center. Start off by enjoying a glass of wine (from €8) while seated on the orange sofa in the Art Deco–style lounge before heading to a table for foie gras and smoked eel terrine, pigeon pie, or strawberry soup with basil and black olives from the €75 menu (or order à la carte). But be sure to try the sublime roast beef with cherry marmalade or the roasted cod with stuffed piquillo peppers. The philosophy that wine is as important as food is reflected in an extensive list. Did we mention that the Sorgue River runs underneath the terrace?

The thirtysomething chef at the helm of this cozy wine bar is passionate about tracking down the best local ingredients, whether it's the juicy tomatoes with your roasted octopus salad or the Camargue rice with your succulent lamb. And he's no less scrupulous about wines, with a penchant for small natural and biodynamic producers from every region of France. It's a good idea to order several of the delicious, well-priced small dishes to taste as many as possible, but the fixed-price menus assure a great price-to-quality ratio. Be sure to reserve ahead, as the restaurant has only 20 spots and is an absolute favorite with locals.

You'll never feel more like a kid in a candy shop than when you feast your eyes on the scintillating pastries, candied fruits (a specialty of the Vaucluse since Roman times), chocolates, and other local sweets sold here. At the charming café next door you can enjoy your selection with tea or coffee; there's also a small menu of savory lunch dishes.

This luminous, casual dining room is an absolute must on any foodie circuit of Provence. Michelin-starred chef Mathieu Desmaret's thoughtful approach to seasonal Provençal products and wild ingredients and exquisite attention to unusual flavor pairings make for a revelatory experience far beyond the usual gourmet cuisine. Beautifully presented dishes both delight and surprise—such as a luscious emerald-green velouté of wild-dandelion paired with chèvre and flowers or perfectly roasted Ventoux black pork with tender asparagus and mussels. Lunch features three- or six-course menus; dinner sees six- or eight-course menus.

Tucked away on a pretty street in the center of Avignon, this cozy duplex restaurant with a Japanese vibe is a hot spot for delicious, locally sourced small plates that elevate the humble vegetable. Aurélie Tomassin's thoughtful cuisine follows the seasons in dishes like squash-blossom-and-cheese-stuffed fritters, anchovy toast with sweet onion and homemade aioli, tender shredded chicken sandwich with lemon and frisée, or spicy hummus with homemade pita.

Named for its illustrious chef and pastry chef, this restaurant draws foodies who are keen to enjoy inventive, earthy, and refined cuisine that doesn't so much redefine Provençal cooking as expand it. With a laser focus on local, sustainable ingredients, Rey eschews all animal fats, salt, and other staples of French gastronomy in favor of rich, slow-cooked fish and vegetable broths steeped with herbs and seaweeds, olive oil, peppers, and edible leaves and flowers to complement fish and meat. Rey first gained notoriety as second runner-up in France's Top Chef 2011 and then shattered the culinary glass ceiling in 2017 with her first Michelin star. Her dishes are small works of art that leave diners satisfied without a hint of heaviness, even after 10 courses. Wahid, Rey's husband and the winner of France's Pastry Chef of the Year 2005, creates the desserts—small wonders as beautiful and complex as they are delicious.

The stellar period interior of this renovated 12th-century mansion makes for an impressive backdrop to innovative and delicious cuisine. Try the pan-roasted veal medallion with dried porcini blinis and thinly sliced mushrooms with chervil, or splurge for the whole lobster sautéed in olive oil, muscat grapes, and beurre blanc with verjuice. The seasonal truffle menu may be too rich for some (€145), but a €45 lunch menu offers nice balance for budget-conscious travelers.

Nestled on a narrow old town side street, this modest restaurant deliciously links the Mediterranean with Mexico in its sun-kissed, veggie-centric cuisine. Crisp homemade tortillas envelop ingredients like caramelized Brussels sprouts, carrot cream, avocado, and chimichurri sauce or pulled chicken or pork with pickled vegetables and frisée lettuce. Desserts include a sinfully rich chocolate ganache cake with a vegan butternut and sweet potato ice cream made with coconut and almond milks, caramelized pumpkin seed, and tequila.

Don't be put off by the name—a blend of the initials of owners Sébastien Kieffer and Alban Barbette—because this restaurant has an enchanting shaded garden terrace and a seasonal menu by chef Damien Sanchez that will not disappoint. Crispy Provençal lamb with fresh vegetables makes for a great main dish, and for dessert there's poached apple on a crispy pastry with apple jelly, nougat, heavy cream, and gingerbread ice cream. Fixed-price menus run €98–€133, but the €53 weekday lunch menu is a great value—if you can get a table.

At this sleek little wine bar, an understated decor belies splendid dishes that easily match the gastronomic fare served at Aix's pricier restaurants. In keeping with the wine bar ethos, plates are small (all the better to pair with wines by the glass) but beautifully conceived and sometimes thrilling—think foie gras with apricot confit, sea bream and wild mushrooms, or zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta and mint. Don't be shy to ask for advice on wine pairings; you'll be glad you did.

This ultrapopular eatery on the edge of Old Town consistently serves fresh, locally sourced cuisine with a price-to-quality ratio that keeps the locals coming back. Imaginative dishes like pot au feu de coquilles St-Jacques (stewed scallops and vegetables) and mussels in saffron broth are ample and served with flair. The set menus at lunch (€24, three courses) and dinner (€38 or €48 for four courses) are a bargain. Choose between a table on the umbrella-shaded terrace or one in the pleasantly unpretentious dining room.

Under the soaring beams of Le Telegraph, a cultural space in Toulon's old central post office, this trendy new restaurant delivers the food and the fun. After a frothy cocktail apéro, you can tuck into dishes like Toulon bay oysters with tomato cubes and crisp nori seaweed flecked with fennel flowers or a rich tartiflette made with reblochon cheese and pancetta. Vegetables also play an important role on the menu, and prices for the tantalizing selection of wines by the glass start at an amazing €5. 

Set in a quiet, leafy courtyard a few steps from the Collection Lambert, this is a good place to enjoy fresh, unfussy, reasonably priced dishes paired with local wines and served by a friendly staff. The pretty dining room's bucolic frescoes set the tone for a cuisine based on whatever's fresh.

The more elegant sister to Mathieu Desmaret's locavore mecca, Pollen, this dining room set in a 14th-century cloister attracts a chic, upscale crowd that fits right in with the stunning decor. You'll find all the flair and precision that put this talented chef on the foodie map, but with an Asian touch in dishes like candied beets with miso yogurt and kumquat or roasted pollack with lemongrass, ginger, and lacquered leeks. For a more casual meal of appetizers and wine, with many options available by the glass, head to the wine bar and grab a seat inside or out on the beautiful cobbled terrace; there's also a cocktail bar with a menu of creative libations.

The seafood couldn't be much fresher than at this casual café-restaurant set two blocks from the seaport and featuring a vintage marine-inspired decor. The catch of the day is served sautéed or poached with vegetables on the side; the mussels come in a warm, garlicky broth; and the jumbo-shrimp salad with fresh tomatoes and avocadoes is generous. There’s plenty on the menu for meat lovers, too: classic steak-frites, escargots, charcuterie plates, and flavorful Camargue bull slow-cooked into a hearty stew. In warm weather, the spacious sidewalk terrace is a big plus.

Run by two sisters who are as committed to using local, sustainable ingredients as they are to coaxing all the goodness from the humble vegetable, this bright, popular lunchtime eatery is set amid boutiques on a pedestrian street minutes from the old port. Seated either in the chic dining room or on the sunny terrace, you can tuck into homemade veggie and goat cheese pizza drizzled with local olive oil or slow-cooked pork with nigella seed croquettes. Everything can be paired with a natural wine, craft beer, homemade kombucha, or fresh-pressed vegetable juice.

Tourists are given as hearty a welcome as the locals who favor this colorful eatery, set in the one-time residence of the Counts of Toulouse and known for its convivial atmosphere, friendly staff, reasonable prices, and lovely terrace. The fixed-price lunch menus are particularly good deals, and for dinner, Thursday night features tapas, and Friday and Saturday night highlight refined dishes that make for romantic meals.

A well-known hole-in-the-wall, this small pizzeria is filled daily with politicos, professionals, and other loyal patrons, who provide a soundtrack of laughter and chatter in the rich Marseille patois. Brace yourself for an epic meal, starting with a large anchovy pizza from the wood-burning oven, and then, perhaps, digging into fried squid, eggplant gratin, or a slab of rare grilled beef.

Tucked into the tiny fishing port of Vallon des Auffes, this local landmark has one of the loveliest settings in greater Marseille. A variety of fresh seafood, impeccably grilled, steamed, or roasted in salt crust, is served in two pretty dining rooms with picture windows overlooking the fishing boats that supply your dinner. Try classic bouillabaisse served with all the bells and whistles—broth, hot-chili rouille, and flamboyant tableside filleting. For tapas or an apéro, head next door to Viaghji di Fonfon.

This beachside Michelin-starred brasserie near the Jardin du Pharo is considered the last word in bouillabaisse and draws a knowing local clientele willing to shell out a few extra euros for this authentic classic. Before dining, the fish are paraded by your table and then ceremoniously filleted before being served with the classic accompaniments of a spicy rouille and buttery croutons. Oysters, whole grilled fish (priced by the kilo), and an authentic garlic-steeped bourride (fish stew) are other fine choices—as are the great local wines.

We'd love to keep this friendly restaurant a secret, but the chefs craft dishes of such rare subtlety and sophistication (especially at this price range) and the wine list has such a dazzling array of affordable options by the bottle or the glass, that it seems wrong not to share among copains. Though à la carte is possible, opt for the excellent-value prix-fixe menus to try dishes like pan-fried octopus and soppressata ham, hay-smoked Aubrac steak with parsnip puree and anchovy condiment, or foie gras with trout caviar and passion fruit. For dessert, consider the caramelized puff pastry with fig compote and vanilla cream. Note, too, that the chefs here are happy to accommodate special requests, making this a great place for finicky eaters or those with allergies.

For fresh seafood dishes and delicious pizzas grilled on an open fire, head over to this marine-theme restaurant set on a vast terrace across from Marseille's new Les Grandes Halles du Vieux Port market. The menu features a variety of scintillating pizzas, as well as heaping plates of crustaceans on ice, mussels in a spicy saffron sauce served with hand-cut fries, and whole roasted fish.

Like many restaurants in Provence, this one has a pleasantly shaded terrace with a view, but it also offers truly warm and welcoming service and consistently good food. Alongside hearty dishes like cod with aïoli and grilled vegetables, Iberian pork with chestnuts and whipped potatoes, or classic roasted duck breast, the menu features plenty of fresh, inventive salads—not always easy to find—like wild salmon with shrimp, melon, and tomato confit. At €18, the two-course lunch is just the thing.