27 Best Restaurants in Provence, France

Double Michelin–starred chef Michel Kayser adds a personal touch both to the elegant modern dining room and library sitting room where you can enjoy a drink before tucking into local specialties and seasonal menus transformed into delicious works of art. Scallops from the Camargue coast served with a luscious ravioli stuffed with celery cream and black garlic; plump white asparagus from the sands of Aigues Mortes with a sabayon and elderberry vinegar; and thyme-infused Aveyron lamb with carrots, turnip, and kumquat may not leave room for tender local strawberries from the Gard infused with kaffir lime served with sage sorbet. The terrace opens to an extensive park with century-old trees, and often apricots and peaches plucked from the overhanging branches will appear on your plate, magically transformed into some delicious creation. Though the restaurant is outside Nîmes proper, it's a favorite Provence pilgrimage spot. 

Architect, artist, creator, whatever you call him, one thing's for sure—you won't soon forget the master chef who was awarded a Michelin star within nine months of opening his namesake restaurant. Dishes such as charred satay tuna in tapioca speckled with bright green fish eggs and served with wasabi ice cream showcase his experience working in French, African, and Asian kitchens. When you sit at one of the 24 seats in the minimalistic setting, a small card on the table provides you with a choice of four set menus. Following your selection, Mazzia will serve a series of inspired dishes. Dining here will set you back some, but you will not find its likeness anywhere in France.

Nadia Sammut, the third generation of female chefs in her family and the second to hold a Michelin star, crafts a cuisine of such sensuality, refinement, and soul that her dedicated fan base stretches well beyond France. Sammut's passion for fresh, local, and "living" foods is backed by the notion that each ingredient expresses itself differently, and she creates extraordinary flavor pairings in the dishes on her prix-fixe tasting menus. Options such as radishes prepared four ways on a melt-in-your mouth buckwheat cake or lightly crusted Camargue oysters perfumed with shiso and yuzu in an iodized gelée are revelations. The Auberge also has five charming, Provençal-style guest rooms in case you want to stay overnight and enjoy a stellar gluten-free breakfast.

Duende, that irresistible magnetic force radiated by a performer to transport an audience, is precisely what two Michelin–star chef Nicolas Fontaine (channeling Pierre Gagnaire who designed the menus) conjures in the dining room of the Art Deco–era Hotel L'Imperator. A sophisticated spot to be sure, but it's also expressive of Nîmes's earthy, independent spirit in dishes that pair the exotic with the local: Mediterranean jumbo shrimp à l'Amontillado with local Camargue rice and mango in a passion fruit emulsion or a butter-poached catch of the day with camus artichokes, green olives, and a parsley-anchovy sauce. Lamb comes from the nearby Alpilles, and produce is sourced from the Gard's top organic farmers.

The vaulted dining room provides an excellent backdrop for camera-ready "haute couture" dishes that taste as good as they look and have garnered the chef a Michelin star. For an atmosphere that's a little less formal, the colorful Bistr'AU offers a fine prix-fixe menu; both restaurants are part of the Jérôme Nutile empire—which also includes a hotel and a boutique—that's set on a pretty old farm just outside the city.

Chef Laurent Deconinck won his first Michelin star in 2018, proving to the culinary mainstream what Provence gourmands have known all along—that this is one of the region's most coveted tables. In the elegant dining room, you're assured of a stellar meal and superb wines (the sommelier is expert at pairing the local nectars, as the winemakers all flock here) in a convivial atmosphere. The restaurant is set on a leafy square in the center of the village, and its spacious terrace is a mythical spot for spending a long afternoon or evening under the plane trees or Provence stars. If you feel like making a night of it, L'Oustalet offers three stylish guest rooms.

Year after year, diners return to this temple to haute cuisine for updated versions of dishes they might have first tried three decades ago. This was the first establishment outside of the Riviera to earn three Michelin stars, and, under legendary chef Raymond Thuillier, it rose from being the dining room of a small country inn to a restaurant whose guest list has included leading artists, movie stars, and heads of state (Picasso, Queen Elizabeth, Churchill, and Harry Truman all dined here). Helmed by Thuillier's grandson, Jean-André Charial, and his gifted protégé, Glenn Viel, the restaurant maintains two Michelin stars. The refined classic dishes are not completely free from the ingredients and preparations of the past, but they do now highlight organic vegetables fresh from the extensive kitchen gardens.

Sophisticated yet comfortable, this organic restaurant, 12 km (7½ miles) south of Arles at the entrance of the Camargue, has a fetching dining room that extends to an outdoor area with large, family-style picnic tables under a canopy and overlooking extensive gardens. The mix of modern and French-country dishes on master chef Armand Arnal's prix-fixe menus are made using ingredients grown right on the property.

The dazzling new La Mère Germaine restaurant earned a Michelin star within seven months of reopening as part of the hotel of the same name, and now, with two-star Belgian chef Christophe Hardiquest at the helm, it has further refined its locavore offerings. Dishes on the seasonal, five-course menus (€98 at lunch, €118 at dinner) might include celery root and shredded truffle ravioli with fermented shiitake or melt-in-your-mouth quail suprème with almond hummus and artichoke hearts. Settle in for an afternoon or evening, either in the dining room with its charming frescoes or out on the terrace with its sweeping views.

Whether you dine under the 14th-century coffered ceilings, surrounded by exquisite paintings and Renaissance tapestries, or in the intimate garden under the walls of the Palais des Papes, the restaurant of the luxurious Hôtel de la Mirande transports you to another time. Chef Florent Pietravalle offers original haute-cuisine dishes with a focus on local products, perhaps wild cèpes with caviar and razor clams, line-caught dorade with roasted cucumber and a Granny Smith apple emulsion, or aged beef with Jerusalem artichokes and wild blackberries. Foodies, take note: Tuesday and Wednesday dinners are table d'hôtes, and one week every month the restaurant's cooking school, La Table Haute, invites guest chefs to teach casual, multilingual cooking classes for 6–12 people around a large table in a charming, authentic 19th-century kitchen, followed by a convivial feast—there are classes for children, too.

Chef Christophe Bacquié spent a dozen years at the renowned Hotel & Spa de Castellet, where he earned three Michelin stars, before he and his wife, Alexandra, set off on their own in 2022. Now Alexandra presides over their welcoming restaurant and chambres d'hôtes (guest rooms), set amid vineyards and lavender fields, and the chef is just as likely to serve your amuse-bouche as he is to whisk away your plate—and then ask you what you thought. You'll visit the cellar to choose your wine before feasting on a succession of sophisticated dishes made with ingredients like trout from the nearby Sorgue River, vegetables straight from the kitchen garden, or Alpilles lamb raised on garrigue herbs. Though the menu is prix-fixe only, the chef is happy to adapt dishes as needed.

Chef Dimitri Droisneau may profess his cuisine to be humble, but it’s worth changing out of your beachwear (closed-toe shoes are required) to dine at the three-Michelin-starred restaurant he runs with his wife, Marielle. Standout dishes include the delicately grilled Mediterranean rouget with almonds and fennel that's drizzled with an urchin-and-saffron sauce. Overseeing a cellar with 550 wines, regional and beyond, the knowledgeable sommelier can suggest accompaniments, whether you opt for one of the two set menus (€180 lunch and €280 dinner) or go the pricier à la carte route. Allow time to linger over pre-dinner cocktails by the waterfront Brasserie du Corton.

If you're headed from Aix to the Vaucluse or any point north of the city, do what the local gourmands do and get thee to this gastronomic restaurant 23 km (14 miles) northwest of Aix on France's famous Nationale 7 (D7). A veteran of top kitchens from London to Switzerland, chef Nicolas Bottero struck out on his own in 2017, creating cuisine of utmost refinement but without a trace of fussiness and following the seasons and the local producers. In fall and winter expect squash, wild game, and local mushrooms, and, in summer, all the bounty of Provence. This is the perfect spot for a long lunch, but whether you're coming for lunch or dinner, allow plenty of time to savor a stellar meal.

A short drive from Aix over scenic Route Cézanne, this elegant restaurant on the grounds of Les Lodges hotel has an inspired menu—and who wouldn't be inspired with these breathtaking views of Cézanne's beloved mountain? Michelin-starred chef Julien Le Goff doesn't have far to look for the locally sourced products such as wild trompette de la mort mushrooms for a luscious dish of langoustines, mussels, and lemon-infused bouillon or line-caught turbot with French caviar, crispy potatoes, and a Champagne emulsion. Heads turn as virtuosic dishes, one more beautiful than the next, are flourished at the table. Finish with an ethereally light pavlova of Granny Smith apples with a cloud of meringue flecked with gold and paired with a sweet local wine. There is a shady outdoor terrace overlooking olive groves, woods, and the mountain.

Named for its illustrious chef and pastry chef, the restaurant of the L'Auberge de Saint-Remy hotel draws foodies from near and far. Inventive, earthy, and refined, Rey's cuisine doesn't so much redefine Provençal cooking as expand it. With a laser focus on local, sustainable ingredients, she eschews all animal fats, salt, and other staples of French gastronomy in favor of rich, slow-cooked fish and vegetable broths steeped with herbs and seaweeds, olive oil, peppers, and edible leaves and flowers to complement fish and meat. Rey first gained notoriety as second runner-up in France's Top Chef 2011 and then shattered the culinary glass ceiling in 2017 with her first Michelin star. Her dishes are small works of art that leave diners satisfied without a hint of heaviness, even after 10 courses. Wahid, Rey's husband and the winner of France's Pastry Chef of the Year 2005, creates the desserts—small wonders as beautiful and complex as they are delicious.

The stellar period interior of this renovated 12th-century mansion makes for an impressive backdrop to innovative and delicious cuisine. Try the pan-roasted veal medallion with dried porcini blinis and thinly sliced mushrooms with chervil, or splurge for the whole lobster sautéed in olive oil, muscat grapes, and beurre blanc with verjuice. The seasonal truffle menu may be too rich for some (€145), but a €45 lunch menu offers nice balance for budget-conscious travelers.

Don't be put off by the name—a blend of the initials of owners Sébastien Kieffer and Alban Barbette—because this restaurant has an enchanting shaded garden terrace and a seasonal menu by chef Damien Sanchez that will not disappoint. Crispy Provençal lamb with fresh vegetables makes for a great main dish, and for dessert there's poached apple on a crispy pastry with apple jelly, nougat, heavy cream, and gingerbread ice cream. Fixed-price menus run €95–€130, but the €50 weekday lunch menu is a great value—if you can get a table.

Tucked into the tiny fishing port of Vallon des Auffes, this local landmark has one of the loveliest settings in greater Marseille. A variety of fresh seafood, impeccably grilled, steamed, or roasted in salt crust, is served in two pretty dining rooms with picture windows overlooking the fishing boats that supply your dinner. Try classic bouillabaisse served with all the bells and whistles—broth, hot-chili rouille, and flamboyant tableside filleting. For tapas or an apéro, head next door to Viaghji di Fonfon.

This beachside Michelin-starred brasserie near the Jardin du Pharo is considered the last word in bouillabaisse and draws a knowing local clientele willing to shell out a few extra euros (€80) for this authentic classic. Before dining, the fish are paraded by your table and then ceremoniously filleted before being served with the classic accompaniments of a spicy rouille and buttery croutons. Oysters, whole grilled fish (priced by the kilo), and an authentic garlic-steeped bourride (fish stew) are other fine choices—as are the great local wines.

The views at this fine seafood restaurant are of crashing surf on one side and the port of Vallon des Auffes on the other. Chef Guillaume Sourrieu has acquired a big reputation (and a Michelin star) for a menu of sophisticated, catch-of-the-day dishes—perhaps Atlantic turbot in citrus rind with oxtail ravioli or sea bass slowly baked in a salt-butter crust and walnut oil—and a superb wine list. For dessert, try the amazing chocolate tart with bananas and pepper ice cream. The fixed-price menus aren't cheap (lunch is €95, dinner is €135 or €170), but they're a better deal than à la carte.

The chic little sister brasserie to the Hôtel L'Imperator's gastronomic Duende restaurant is your best bet in the city for a memorable meal that won't break the bank. What's more, Duende's Michelin-starred chef presides over the kitchen, putting out perfectly executed comfort food made with ingredients sourced from the Occitane. You can eat in the relaxed dining room or outdoors under towering plane trees and serenaded by a gurgling fountain The three- and four-course prix-fixe menus cost €38–€68.

Uzès's only Michelin-starred restaurant has a stately but cozy dining room that sets the stage for a memorable meal from start to finish. Give yourself time to fully appreciate the dishes of chef Christophe Ducros, whose magic lies in the seasonal pairings of the freshest ingredients from both the countryside (like lamb served three ways) and coast (coquilles Saint-Jacques with butternut squash, yuzu, and trompette mushrooms) with complementary local wines. Service is meticulous yet friendly, and the menu, though abbreviated, covers all the gourmet bases and then some.

Summer evening meals around the old fountain and boxwood-filled oil jars in the courtyard of the Hôtel d'Europe would be wonderful with filet de boeuf alone, but combine this romantic backdrop with top-notch southern French cuisine and you have a special event. Give yourself over to one of the great restaurants of the Vaucluse, complete with fine regional wines and an army of urbane servers—and hope for moonlight. The three-course €49 lunch menu (coffee and parking included) quickly refuels before tackling an afternoon's touring.

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.

The stylish, modern dark-wood interior and large windows overlooking the sea here are magnets for hip young professionals. The staff is efficient, and meals are well presented and tasty. Try the delicious bouillabaisse, the catch of the day (priced by the weight), or a bargain prix-fixe that includes three courses.

Chef Jean-François has taken the reins from his illustrious father, René (who consults on the menu), but the Mediterranean-inspired Provençal cuisine that put this restaurant on the map is as scrumptious as ever. The menu emphasizes local seafood, and the dishes—perhaps ravioli stuffed with goat cheese, sorrel, and Parmesan in a lemon chicken broth or red mullet wrapped in seaweed, lightly grilled, and topped with peas and rosemary—often use ingredients from the kitchen's own garden.

Chef Ludovic Turac—a candidate on TV's Top Chef 2011 and one of the youngest Michelin-starred chefs in France—has evolved into a serious, mature, and highly appreciated local celebrity while at the helm of this now tried-and-true favorite. A Mediterranean menu changes every two months depending on what's in season. One standby is the creamy, fishy Milkshake de Bouille-Abaisse, a one-of-a-kind gourmand delight.