VVF Gers Gascogne, Mauvezin

On the ground floor of a contemporary hotel, the entrance framed by birch trunks leads to a stylish dining space done out with anthracite feature walls, red banquettes and white seats. The modern, refined and flavoursome brasserie cuisine includes dishes such as Dubarry velouté, focaccia croutons and peanut oil with Espelette pepper; sautéed prawns, piquillo pepper and chorizo risotto, sauce armoricaine; melt-in-the-middle moelleux au chocolat, Armagnac cream and caramelised hazelnuts. Pleasant terrace overlooking the main square.

The former home of French pop singer, Pierre Vassiliu, who was N°1 in the hit parade in 1973, is now devoted to singing the praises of amberjack, sautéed girolles and a woody-scented sabayon or figs and fig leaves, served raw, in a chutney and in a sorbet. The culinary score is the work of chef Julien Razemon from les Landes, who honed his skills with the Coussau family. Julien plays a refined, gourmet melody, with the bonus of a view of the Gers hillsides or the Pyrenees (in fine weather) for some tables. Consummate technique, lashings of creativity and a knockout lineup of ingredients, all o

Chef Quentin Pellestor-Veyrier has set up shop with his partner Camille Hubert (front of house) in the former premises of Yannick Delpech's L'Amphitryon. Now in his thirties, he has built up a remarkable CV, having honed his skills in prestigious restaurants in the South of France (Franck Putelat, Gilles Goujon) and alongside another icon of Mediterranean cuisine, Alain Ducasse. His menu pays tribute to Occitan culinary heritage: from the South-West, foie gras and duck breast, veau du Ségala (veal), fragrant strawberries and toasted almonds; from the Mediterranean, Sétoise rouille, oysters fro

She is Canadian and he’s Belgian and they have set up shop in Lectoure in a steep street near the cathedral. Half-café, half-bar, it is busy all day long for a drink, a snack or a meal. The concise menu is a savvy mix of tradition and contemporary notes: medium rare slice of roast veal with girolles and confit potatoes, fried aubergines with a Japanese twist and a creamy cheese, or figs in red wine delicately laid on a hazelnut cake and mascarpone mousse. Pastel tones and stone set the scene in the large dining room, the mezzanine area is eminently friendly and the terrace invariably bathed in

Pierre Lambinon is nothing if not wholehearted! In this restaurant just a stone's throw from the Pont Neuf, he is making waves with his cooking. The meal begins with a festival of appetisers, bringing a foretaste of the flavours that will define the meal. The chef is at his most inspired when it comes to deftly preparing dishes based on herbs from the garden, fish and seafood and fine seasonal vegetables – intoxicating seafood aromas, grilled notes and the bitter overtones of vegetables. For example, line-caught hake from Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Pyrenean trout gravlax, broad beans and wild garli

As Michel Sarran puts it, "this is more of a house than a restaurant", where guests are invited to take the time to eat and enjoy the moment in one of two dining rooms – a modern space on the ground floor and a more hushed and elegant ambiance on the first floor. Originally from the Gers département, the chef divided his time between the South-West and the Mediterranean before settling in Toulouse, where he came to be one of the city's culinary ambassadors. With his single set menus that celebrate the region's finest produce, he creates a sun-kissed take on the cuisine of the South of France,

Conventional French wisdom has it that you shouldn't judge a tree by its bark (écorce), but we would beg to differ! In an intimate setting accommodating around 20 covers facing the kitchen, the chef demonstrates a sure touch. The dishes, always accessible and balanced, feature carefully sourced ingredients and precise sauces – a contemporary tart of vegetables and seaweed; John Dory with mushrooms, passion fruit and olive sauce; Aveyron veal cooked two ways. The wine list homes in on a handful of well-chosen labels, with some excellent pairings available by the glass.