Le Braque

Rating: 14.5
Author: Gault&Millau

45 Rue de la Monnaie, 59000 Lille, France

14.5/20
Chef's Restaurant

BOOK

8 PHOTOS

Location: Lille
Chef: Damien Laforce
Cooking: French | Healthy cooking | Local | Signature cuisine
Style: Casual, Romantic, With family, With friends

Budget (€)

Indicative price per person (excl. drinks)

39 to 89

Gault&Millau's review 2026

14,5/20

Chef's Restaurant

It almost feels like walking into someone’s home—the restaurant is so steeped in the personality of chef Damien Laforce. A space of light and shadow where red brick contrasts with the black paint on the lower woodwork, while mounted deer antlers evoke the spirit of country inns. It’s a whole world of contrasts and regional flavors, brought to life by an original and ambitious chef whose reputation in town is well-deserved. Though technically sophisticated and refined, the dishes are never pretentious—even if they do lack a touch of opulence. We discover a superb take on green bean salad—with tempura, vinaigrette, and raspberries—full of tension and balance, followed by the zesty starter of heirloom tomatoes, tomato water, toast, and ketchup—powerful and authentic—and a beautiful tomato vinegar with marigold and basil oil, featuring a memorable oxidized finish. We continue with cod and spelt risotto with squid ink and hollandaise sauce—a masterclass in doing a lot with a little, embodied as a technical demonstration—accompanied by a wonderful little herb salad. The desserts are slightly less expressive but still beautifully fresh: the mirabelle plum-lemon-mint combination, followed by the peach dessert with yogurt, sorrel sorbet, and verbena. A well-stocked wine cellar, featuring selections ranging from the great classics to organic and natural wines.