The Best Restaurants of the Summer

Summer is all about slowing down, but the warmer months are also the perfect opportunity to discover great restaurants near home or at your vacation spot. From Morbihan to Provence, via northern France, here’s a roundup of the best spots to dine in the shade of pine trees or with your feet (almost) in the water.

Le Carré des Saveurs, a restaurant that captures the essence of the South

Nestled among olive trees, Le Carré des Saveurs (1 toque), in Barjac, in the Gard, exudes the charm of the South, whether you settle into the pleasant vaulted dining room of this former 18th-century silkworm farm or take a seat on the quintessentially Provençal patio. An idyllic setting to savor sun-kissed dishes like ravioli stuffed with confit lamb shoulder, seasoned with tomato syrup, garrigue herbs, Mediterranean spices, and pesto, or the must-try Provençal stew. The chef inherited the recipe from his grandmother and serves it with generous portions of panisse fries, prepared to perfection. As for wines, the restaurant wisely offers white and rosé wines produced from the estate’s own vineyards—a Chardonnay and a Côtes-du-Vivarais—on the menu.
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© Christophe Belsia

Roze, a tribute to the first modern restaurant

Both trained in Granville, Clémence Goupil and Alex Néel showcase products from local artisans and farmers at this charming spot in Mathieu, halfway between Caen and the Atlantic. Before heading to the beaches of Calvados for a dip, take a seat in Roze’s garden (1 toque) for a lunch surrounded by greenery: on weekdays, an affordable set menu highlights land-and-sea pairings, such as veal tartare with a hint of the sea or nori-crusted lamb fillet, along with confit shoulder and crispy panoufle, served with sea-infused polenta, salicornia, and a black garlic condiment. With Roze, the duo sought to pay homage to Mathurin Roze de Chantoiseau, who opened the first modern “restaurant” in the second half of the 18th century: mission accomplished!
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© DR

Le Tout-Paris, panoramic view of the Seine

Under the guidance of Arnaud Donckele, Executive Chef William Béquin reinvents Parisian brasserie cuisine at Le Tout-Paris (3 toques) with exceptional finesse, featuring juices and sauces to die for, all in a setting that’s just as impressive. Nestled on the seventh floor of the Cheval Blanc, the restaurant offers a panoramic view of the Seine and the capital’s iconic landmarks lining its banks. This summer, settle into the shade of the umbrellas on the terrace to savor a golden sea bass served fillet-style, accompanied by its summery vinaigrette, or a fire-grilled lamb glazed with its piquillo pepper and candied lemon jus. Not to mention the to-die-for desserts by Maxime Frédéric, who reimagines the profiterole as a decadent éclair or creates a peach charlotte as light as a cloud.
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© Oliver Fly

Les Cèdres, a gourmet escape beneath the pine trees

While people visit Les Cèdres (3 toques), run by the Bertrand brothers, year-round to celebrate special occasions, summer is the ideal season to discover classic cuisine in the shade of the conifers in Granges-les-Beaumont, in the Drôme region. At the helm of the restaurant since 1988—Jacques in the kitchen and Jean-Paul front of house—they offer a refreshing gastronomic escape in a lush setting that invites you to slow down. The wine list features lovely bottles from the Rhône Valley, whose wines perfectly complement the chef’s creations: octopus seared à la plancha, a medley of eggplant and a lightly smoked red pepper coulis; duck foie gras ravioli cooked in a consommé of seasonal mushrooms; or a perfectly cooked medallion of Breton lobster, vegetarian zucchini cannelloni with fresh herbs.
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Le Petit Jardin, a Montpellier institution

Here is a restaurant that lives up to its name, whose reputation has been well-established since its opening in the 1920s: nestled among hackberry trees, palm trees, and bamboo, with a view of the bell tower of Saint-Pierre Cathedral, it’s the perfect spot to find a breath of fresh air right in the heart of downtown Montpellier. Clément Gueudré took the reins of this institution in 2022 and, at Le Petit Jardin (1 toque), collaborates with chef Benjamin Egret: traditional French dishes are enhanced with Asian touches or presented in original ways, such as the must-try trompe-l’œil lemon dessert. A welcome, refreshing stop!
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© Le Petit Jardin

Iodé: The Taste of the Sea Right in Downtown

Right in the heart of downtown Vannes, Sophie Reigner and Julien Noray are committed to bringing the scent and taste of the sea—sea spray, coastal herbs, and seaweed—to Iodé (3 toques). These elements accompany the meal from the very start—with an aperitif featuring a cocktail made with house-made dulse liqueur blended with rosé champagne—all the way through to the chocolate mousse and sea lettuce served as a petit four. Between sips of this iodine-infused delight, you can watch jellyfish—crafted from kelp by a visual artist from Douarnenez—dancing on the walls. The common thread running through the menu—salinity—is reflected in the chef’s signature dessert, centered on milk and honey, featuring a sea fennel sorbet. It’s the perfect way to gently set sail toward the surrounding areas where the duo goes foraging, particularly on the Rhuys Peninsula.
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© Bastien Viaud

La Table du Liziec, a Breton gastronomic getaway

This exceptional restaurant, nestled among century-old trees on a 16th-century Breton estate on the outskirts of Vannes, offers a gastronomic getaway in a remarkable historic setting. Particularly inspired by the sea, Chef Olivier Samson, a native of the Côtes-d’Armor, also draws on the gardens and orchards scattered throughout the six-hectare grounds of La Table du Liziec (3 toques): for example, the estate’s strawberries are paired with a voatsiperifery pepper emulsion as a pre-dessert. Seaside flavors are woven throughout the various menus, each named after a wild plant typical of the coastal trails of the islands in the Gulf of Morbihan—oval-leaved lagure, sea armeria, or dune wallflower.
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© Aurélio Rodriguez

Buerehiesel: Alsatian Charm in the Orangerie Park

This summer, combine a stroll through Strasbourg’s most beautiful park with a gourmet lunch in a charming Alsatian setting: Buerehiesel (2 toques), a traditional half-timbered house nestled in the Orangerie Park, whose summer terrace is particularly pleasant. In this lush setting, you’ll discover a range of dishes steeped in Alsatian culture and enriched by Éric Westermann’s many culinary encounters. One dish here is a year-round favorite: pan-seared frog legs with chervil, served with Schniederspaetle. Simon Balzer’s Alsatian lamb is served as a roasted saddle and leg, while the accompanying artichoke is stuffed with merguez sausage and fermented lemon, and served with grilled sucrine lettuce dressed with orange.
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© Restaurant Buerehiesel

Bistrot Brigand, the warm spirit of the North

With its light-filled dining room and quintessentially “ch’ti” warmth, Bistrot Brigand (1 toque) in Lille evokes the spirit of the North’s large, lively gatherings, where people come as much for the atmosphere as for the food. Or rather, the dishes—created by Chef Florine Verhellen and Frédéric Le Bordays, who oversees the dining room—that we savor in the evening to escape to the four corners of the globe: pão de queijo with Mimolette and chili jam, ajo blanco, herbed radish salad, sesame simit with rhubarb pickles, vitello tonnato with fennel and capers… To accompany it all, we make an exception to the sacrosanct Northern beer tradition and choose from Frédéric’s fine selection of natural wines.
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© DR

Là-Haut: A Unique View of the Alps

Here’s a unique spot to discover this summer to enjoy a one-of-a-kind view of the mountains between hikes around Lake Annecy. At Là-Haut (2 toques), Maxime Deniau and chef Jean-Baptiste Marin are committed to extending the magic of the Alpine landscapes by offering a view that perfectly captures summer in Haute-Savoie: away from the city center, you take an elevator to the top floor of a contemporary building.

© Vincent Roux

All accompanied by refreshing cuisine: gilt-head sea bream ceviche with lime, ginger, and crisp baby vegetables; grilled coastal sea bass fillet; potato boulangère with saffron-infused crab consommé; or a crisp sesame tube filled with creamy fresh cheese, apricots, and fresh ginger.
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