706 Best Restaurants in France

Equal parts café, bar, and restaurant, Le Fumoir is a timelessly popular place to sip coffee and read the paper or enjoy an after-dinner drink. Reservations are recommended for the prix-fixe dinner as well as for the copious Sunday brunch from chef Henrik Andersson.

Everybody loves an authentic French brasserie, but very few of these establishments strive to maintain a quality worthy of their traditional cachet; happily, Le Galopin is one of them. The vintage murals, wood paneling, and plush banquettes are the perfect backdrop for all those traditional French favorites: a heaping plate of oysters followed by steak or fish tartare, Breton lobster, grilled gambas shrimp, or marinated Wagyu beef. Spectacular desserts include all the classics like baba au rhum, crème brûlée, or Breton sablée, a local specialty. For a top-notch meal that won't break the bank, this Rennes institution is a good choice.

This classic wine bar is ever popular for its great location and reliably good French food. The menu features modern riffs on the classics—pigs’ feet (and ears if you're lucky), ricotta-spinach dumplings with mushrooms spiked with pecorino cheese, or asparagus eggs Benedict—and the owners also have a tender spot for vegetarians. The long and well-priced list of biodynamic and organic wines by the bottle or glass makes sampling the local options a cinch.

Sea bass, salmon, sole, sardines, monkfish, lobster, and crayfish all fill the boats that pull into the Old Port and find their way onto the menu here. Although grilled seafood (with a little thyme and perhaps a whisper of olive oil and garlic) is the order of the day, this is also a stronghold for bouillabaisse. The clientele is buffed and bronzed, but the servers tend to treat everyone like tourists. The lunch plat du jour (€21) is a bargain in this town. Otherwise, mind the check: you'll be surprised just how expensive fish per 100g can be.

With its globe lamps, molded ceilings, and giant mirrors, this romantic neighborhood institution feels elegant yet not overpolished, attracting a wonderfully Parisian mix of elderly lone diners, business lunchers, tourists, couples, and the post-theater crowd, all of whom come for the enormous seafood platters, duck foie gras with Sauternes jelly, steak tartare, and roasted chicken rendered famous by Diane Keaton in Something's Gotta Give. Open every day, Le Grand Colbert is also a pleasant destination for a quick bite between 3 pm and 6 pm, when most everything else is closed and the restaurant offers a French-style teatime complete with a pastry.

Visionary Jean-Luc Rabanel is the culinary success story of the region—he was one of the first organic chefs in France to merit two Michelin stars and is renowned for the fresh, garden-inspired cuisine that he features in this stylish restaurant and cooking school. Menus are prix-fixe only, and the seven-dish tapas-style lunch (€65) and six-course "Emotion" dinner (€145) are unforgettable. To experience all of Rabanel's flourishes, though, try the "Signatures" eight-course extravaganza (€185; wine pairings €45 or €65). A chic, Japanese-style reception area features the five elements—water, fire, earth, air, and spirit—and ensures a harmonious meal.

Tucked away in a former 13th-century convent just off the coast road, this spacious restaurant serves a menu with distinct Catalan vibes, focusing on fresh fish and shellfish as well succulent meat options all grilled to order on the barbecue. Pair your meal with local wines, which can be purchased from the wine cooperative next door. The desserts feature old favorites such as crêpe Suzette, giant profiteroles, and (of course) crême Catalan.

A good-value menu and superb fish dishes are the reasons for this restaurant's excellent reputation. In 2022, chef-owner Georges Bermond stepped down and handed the reins over to his former apprentice Alexandre Bravi, who continues the restaurant's philosophy of using fresh seasonal produce. Although the traditional setting could use some spark, the warm service and correcte (fair) bill make up for any old-fashioned ambience.

Local antiques dealers come here to eat, and the place feels so welcoming that it would be easy to linger for hours. Chef Daniel Hébet made his name at La Mirande in Avignon and Le Domaine des Andéols in St-Saturnin-lès-Apt before opening this bistro in his own image—young, jovial, and uncompromising when it comes to quality. Off a noisy street near the train station is the gate to this garden haven, with metal tables under the trees and an airy interior with a vintage tile floor. Hébet offers a single set menu at lunch and another at dinner, and the food is so good that no one is complaining at the lack of choice (though he has been known to substitute meat for fish on request): poached egg with truffles, Saint Pierre with a hint of green onion, lobster in delicate pastry, and cherry meringue are all delicious.

This restaurant in a former manor house has a pretty garden where you can dine during summer evenings. The interior, accented by subtle-yellow panels and polished wood floors, is congenial and elegant, while the five-course surprise menu (€100) shows both flair and invention. There is also one surprise set menu designed to be served to the entire table—just make sure you let them know of any food allergies. Reservations are limited to a maximum of eight people in the dining room, so book a table in advance.

This tiny, charming gem is located just behind the hubbub of Odeon and Boulevard Saint-Germain. The head chef here knows good food and everything on the menu is fresh and delicious, from the truffle tarama or classic escargot starters to the fresh fish of the day (often sea bass or cod) or the duck confit as mains. Desserts are inspired by American classics and made with a fine French touch. The space itself is beautiful, and always makes you feel welcome.  

With its Art Nouveau decor, friendly waitstaff, and menu of fresh bistro food, this is the perfect place for a drink or meal after visiting the nearby Montparnasse Cemetery.

Sink into a comfy armchair at this popular tearoom, whose name translates to "the Dormouse in the Teapot" (from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland). The savory tarts are good, but the real stars are desserts like the decadent chocolate crumble tart or mile-high lemon meringue pie. The restaurant's all-day hours are a bonus, especially for teatime, but its no-reservations policy means lines for weekend brunch can be dauntingly long.

Just 10 km (6 miles) west of St-Tropez and 4 km (2½ miles) south of Grimaud and the village of La Môle, this bucolic old farmhouse restaurant sits on a hillside over forests dense with cork oak and chestnuts. Whether you eat on the terrace with its views of the Massif des Maures and Gulf of St-Tropez or in the rustic dining room, the food tastes and smells of the surrounding countryside. Think crispy baked St-Marcelin cheese with honey and nuts or grilled beef tenderloin, fried potatoes, and béarnaise sauce, nicely topped off with chocolate and mango sorbet. Add the warm service, and this is your dream French restaurant experience. Choose from a three-course set menu (€45–€55), or order à la carte. 

Set amid vineyards just outside Orange, this stone farmhouse restaurant recently updated its traditional dining room and its dishes, while maintaining its charm and its high standards. The sophisticated menu is based on the French classics like salmon mousse, house-made foie gras, beef cheeks, and a fish of the day. In warm weather, the terrace is a lovely place to be.

If you're tired of choosing from complicated menus, visit this long-popular restaurant in Le Suquet, where you only have to decide what kind of meat you want. Every dinner starts with a gigantic basket of whole raw vegetables—to be cut up and dipped in a selection of sauces—and grilled bread, and then come the generous servings of meats (there's also a vegan menu). Prices start at €109 for the traditional set three-course menu and go up to a sizzling €490 for the Japanese Wagyu Beef option. With a low, wood-beam ceiling and only a few tables (draped in pink), Le Maschou (meaning "small pretty house") is a favorite during the Cannes Film Festival, when the 60-day matured prime rib is as hot as the red carpet.

Perched on the cobbled steps that meander up through the vielle ville, this cozy, husband-and-wife-run restaurant serves some of the best Vietnamese cuisine on the Côte D'Azur. Kick things off with nems (spring rolls) and dumplings, followed, perhaps, by the duck with pineapple or a shrimp dish. Reservations aren't accepted so come early to get a seat. 

For a budget-friendly, home-style taste of the Riviera, head to this charming spot with shaded outdoor dining beside the Jardin Exotique.

In an intimate space on a tiny street, just behind Cours Saleya, this restaurant has a chalkboard menu of dishes that showcase the natural skill of chef Aurélien Martin. The choice of market-fresh seasonal cuisine is easy, as there's one four-course menu for lunch and either a four- or a five-course menu for dinner.

The plush chestnut-and-cream decor of this café is the work of one of Givenchy's nephews. Cocktails are classy, there's a good variety of beer on tap, and the food (brasserie fare such as steaks, fish, and frites) is tasty. In the evening, candlelight makes everyone look even more glamorous.

From a wine-soaked boeuf bourguignon and garlicky snails to tasty slabs of homemade country pâté served with cornichons and a hearty red, this Art Nouveau–era bistro offers all the classics of southwestern France. Check the blackboard menu for the daily specials, delivered in generous portions.

This charming spot captures rustic Provençal style with its tavern-like interiors. The menu highlights French classics like frog legs in persillade and homemade foie gras with fig jam. Good food and warm hospitality make it a local favorite. 

Locals in the know reserve well in advance to get a table at this tiny restaurant in Vieux Tours, which specializes in traditional regional cuisine. Don't miss Balzac's much-loved Rillons de Tours, a glazed pork dish, and the delicious St-Maure goat cheese.

The comfortable but nondescript interiors of this unpretentious eatery tucked in a 16th-century stone building in Les Baux’s old town are offset by a lovely outdoor terrace. If you’re not sure, check out the blackboard menu posted out front, or take our word that you’ll dine very well here on seasonal dishes made with quality ingredients and cooked or grilled to perfection.

Set one block back from the promenade (and a five-minute walk from the train station) this small and unassuming restaurant serves a menu that concentrates on seafood from the bassin—notably the soupe blanche, a traditional seafood soup. They also are known for locally-made charcuterie, served on generous platters and very moderately priced.