L'atelier casse-noisettes

This restaurant at the foot of Ambronay's Benedictine abbey boasts a refined contemporary interior. The modern-minded chef-owner moves between the restaurant floor and the kitchen, showcasing local produce and selected wines. Opt for one of his set menus, which are served at lunch and dinner.

This is the kingdom of Stéphane Prévalet, a champion of local produce and home-made fare who enjoys venturing off the beaten path of culinary tradition. Examples include a pot-au-feu terrine of Bresse poultry with tarragon mayonnaise or Dombes duckling, mashed carrots and confit of lemon… A minimalist interior decorated with birch trunks sets the scene in this trendy establishment.

Located on a pedestrian street, with an open kitchen that is already visible from outside, Agave references the plant from which tequila and mezcal are made. Raphaël and Fernanda Pillon, a French-Mexican couple and trained pastry-makers, create a brilliant fusion cuisine of French ingredients and Mexican flavours. After a stint in Mexico, the pair returned to his roots in the Ain, where they create balanced dishes, discerningly complemented by a variety of sauces and condiments: scallops and macha salsa, pastrami-style roast beef given a boost by salsa verde, veal rump elevated by an intense m

A firm favourite: justice is done to regional specialities (Bresse chicken, frogs' legs, crayfish and its legendary pike quenelles) and the wine list is packed with vintage bottles. Terrace with a view onto the church of the Royal Monastery of Brou.

Disciples of the Slow Food movement, Estelle and Andreas Baehr are passionate about showcasing premium fresh, organic and local produce. Beautifully balanced and seamlessly crafted, the lunch and dinner set menus are a culinary masterclass – dishes such as pollock served with saffron-infused grenaille potatoes, cockles and emulsion of rockfish soup tick all the boxes. Good recommendations when it comes to biodynamic wines.

In the hands of Georges Blanc, this handsome 1900 edifice is home to a splendid brasserie adorned with a fresco of the Blanc clan. The culinary score showcases a regional line-up of classics: Bresse poultry in cream, frog’s legs in garlic and parsley and traditional Nantua-style quenelle of pike. Lovely conservatory-cum-patio.