Resturants in Avignon

Will be there next week…any resturant suggestions for Avignon , chateauneuf du pape area

I like Hostellerie Chateau des Fines Roches, just outside of CdP. Have a bottle of white CdP outside, before your meal, if the weather is nice. Even if it looks like they’re not set up for outside seating, just ask, they won’t turn you down.

If you go to La Mere Germaine in CdP, you’ll most likely run into some producers. The one time I went there, about 20 producers were having lunch, and everyone brought a few bottles. We were lucky to be invited to try whatever we wanted, really nice folks there.

In Avignon, I’ve had a couple great meals at Christian Etienne, and one each at the Hotel d’Europe and across the river in Villeneuve Les Avignon at Le Prieure. All have excellent wine lists.

Enjoy your trip.

We had a fantastic meal at le Prieure in villeneuve lesAvignon

We also really enjoyed Christian Etienne and had a wonderful meal at Restaurant L’Essentiel.

Cheers!
Marshall

Go to La Mirande and make a reservation for the Guest Table. It’s down underneath the hotel in the kitchen they used in the 19th century. They have a single table in the middle of the kitchen, seats 8-10 people. They cook dinner on the old stoves, etc. Fantastic and unique evening.

Forty minutes north of Avignon in Mondragon is La Beaugraviere, known for its encyclopedic list of Northern and Southern Rhone wines with vintages going back to the 1920s. The cooking is honest and one can indulge in black truffles year round. The chef found a way to freeze truffles when fresh truffles are not in season, and one would be hard put to tell the difference. I’ve eaten there many times, the highlight of which was a 1990 Rayas matched with a truffle menu.

Agree with Peter, La Beaugraviere is a fantastic experience…

Somewhat dated …

L’Essential, Avignon (dinner). This was our first dinner in the region, recommended by a friend at a winery in Chateauneuf du Pape. Modern in appearance, with a very friendly owner. The dishes were very well-prepared and delicious. An “avocado chiffon and crab claw remoulade,” red mullet with tapenade, and mashed potatoes with olive oil were particularly good. We would return.

Le Vieux Four, Mouriés (lunch). Near Les Baux, and recommended by another nearby winery acquaintance, this place looked like it would be fantastic. An old building with gardens, thick walls, vaulted ceilings, whitewashed and modern décor; the menu was mouthwatering; and nearby tables were filled with apparently happy French speaking diners. And yet, our first disappointment. My “Provencal” leg of lamb was significantly undercooked, stringy, and tough; Xiaopei’s seafood platter looked lovely but was comprised of less than the freshest of ingredients. I don’t know what went wrong, but we were underwhelmed. What is that saying about not judging a book by its cover? We would not return.

La Mirande, Avignon (dinner). A “fancy” meal in a lovely formal dining room. Slightly fussy and at same time friendly and enthusiastic but occasionally amateurish (youthful) service. Started with perfect salmon on a salad of perfectly crisp vegetables, followed by perfectly prepared poached cod with cumin carrots and mushrooms, and a dessert of gently baked apples and meringue. An extremely nice meal, and we would return.

Restaurant Brunel, Avignon (dinner). A wonderful place, with no fuss, very friendly and helpful service, and terrific food. Xiaopei started with oysters grilled with leeks, and I had a “tartar of grilled king prawns and avocado.” She then had beef cheeks confit with potatoes and mushrooms, and I had a sea bream filet with “melted leeks and saffron sauce.” Very nice desserts. We’d definitely return.

Le Jardin du Quai, L’Isle-Sur-le-Sorgue (lunch). This was a luxe and expensive lunch, with a first class Chef formerly of La Mirande, and I recall we enjoyed some of the most amazing fish dishes ever during a no choice, prix fixed meal. Simply wonderful food and we would no doubt return, perhaps to try dinner.

L’Opera, Avignon (dinner). Not particularly inspiring, but enjoyable. The interior is somewhat chromish-garish, and it is a noisy, friendly, crowded place for a relatively quick and good meal. No need to return, if only because there are other places in Avignon.

La Mére Germaine, Chateauneuf du Pape (lunch). As expected, a warm, friendly, and comfortable bistro in the heart of the town. You look out over the vineyards and enjoy being in the midst of locals (outnumbering the tourists when we were there). The food was classic Provencal, well-prepared and pleasantly served. I do not recall being wowed by anything, but it was a perfectly fine lunch. We would return, but I think I would like to try other CdP restaurants first.

La Fourchette, Avignon (dinner). We had been gently warned against this restaurant by local friends who hinted at less than friendly service… nevertheless, we ventured forth because the written reviews spoke highly of the food to be had. We found the intelligence to be precisely on point. Very good food, with polite and efficient service, lacking the warmth of our other meals in Avignon.

Hope it proves somewhat useful.

Cheers,
Andrew

BUMP

Any new restaurants to add to this list? Heading to Avignon next week.