Maynats

Rating: 14.5
Author: Gault&Millau

24 Avenue Gaston Lacoste, 64000 Pau, France

14.5/20
Chef's Restaurant

BOOK

8 PHOTOS

Chef: Gautier Alvarez
Cooking: French
Services: Terrace
Style: Bistro/Brasserie

Budget (€)

Indicative price per person (excl. drinks)

45 to 95

Gault&Millau's review 2026

Opposite the funicular station leading to Boulevard des Pyrénées, the veranda is hidden from view behind a curtain of palm trees and bamboo, like a secret garden in the heart of the city. The invitation to enjoy an aperitif on the spacious, light-filled terrace immediately sets the tone for a gentle escape from the hustle and bustle. The Scandinavian furniture embraces simplicity, and you find yourself savoring the serenity of this setting where the greenery seems to watch over the space. In the kitchen, inspiration draws from the seasons, local produce, and a playful boldness that blends land and sea with disconcerting ease. Thus, line-caught hake is paired with andouillette from the Bigorre region and nori seaweed, the Blonde d’Aquitaine beef hides a heart of smoked eel, and tomatoes from the Gers interact with Aquitaine caviar and tomato water sorbet. The plates are balanced, precise, visually refined, never ostentatious, and the menu unfolds a delicious sequence culminating in the rustic, fragrant Gascon millas, lightened by a white peach sorbet. The appetizers set the tone—a Parmesan shortbread with a Gorgonzola panna cotta topped with melon or a cucumber water infused with santolina—and the petits fours extend the pleasure with a rhubarb tart or a hazelnut praline. The wine list, of a rare standard, reflects a commitment to artisanal, organic, or biodynamic wines, offering as many big names as it does accessible gems, and confirms that this is a restaurant of refined taste. Only the wine service lacks coordination, a regrettable detail but one that has no impact on the precision of the cuisine, which stands out as one of Pau’s finest gastronomic signatures.