Auberge Fleurie

Set in a small village deep in the Charolais countryside, Jeanne-Louise and Kevin (J+K) jointly craft cuisine that is very much in tune with the times, with the occasional nods to Italy. Painstakingly selected ingredients with a soft spot for vegetables: for example, a line-fished, chunky fillet of cod, spring veggies and a stock of Burgundy miso; apple clafoutis served with whipped vanilla-laced chantilly cream. Jaw-dropping lineup of pre- and post-dinner beverages, including a few gems from Italy’s vineyards.

Frédéric Doucet's restaurant is a creative and exciting take on established ideas of terroir and tradition. The son of bistro owners, he was born into the business, and cut his teeth in the kitchens of some of the greats, from Pierre Orsi and Paul Bocuse to the prestigious Maison Troisgros. In his premises nestled in the heart of a village with pointed towers and weathered roofs, the chef breaks it down for diners: nothing but fine ingredients from Saône-et-Loire (including Charolais beef, snails, pike and goat's cheese), prepared with rigorously applied classical techniques that do not exclud

It's impossible to sum up in just a few lines the story of this institution, whose star-studded career begun back in… 1926! Yet, Lameloise, whose interior features a string of warm, cosy dining rooms, each of which is appointed individually, is far from nostalgic. Éric Pras, former sous-chef to Jacques Lameloise, became head chef in 2009 when his mentor retired; as Éric puts it: "Tradition is the future." Faithful to the establishment’s founding spirit, as inspired as he is meticulous, Pras pays homage to Burgundy's terroir (snails, Bresse poultry, Charolais beef, Morvan hazelnut cazette) whil

At his Table in the Hôtel du Morvan, chef Jérôme Raymond offers modern cooking based on regional produce. The set menu is inspired by the best of the season’s ingredients, with Charolais beef often a firm favourite. The 400-bin wine list concentrates, rightly so, on Burgundy. Comfortable rooms should you wish to stay longer.

This eatery blends the talents of Édouard, a chef whose CV boasts stints at Quai d’Orsay, Philippe Rochat and Lameloise, and Émilie, a talented pastry chef who adds the final flourish to the fixed set menu. In a swish interior of midnight blue walls, carpets and Art Deco-ish light fixtures, you will sample a score rich in premium produce that is loaded in personality, yet subtly delicate: diver scallops, Jerusalem artichoke and truffles; line-caught seabass, a medley of pumpkin and lemon thyme-flavoured hollandaise sauce… Just the ticket for a gourmet halt on the wine road.

The initiative by this pair, chef Willy Lardry and maître d' Edwin Smietanski, to open their restaurant here is most welcome. Both hail from Le Creusot but met while working for Yohann Chapuis in Tournus. The interior is inspired in part by nature (with, in particular, wallpaper depicting a forest in the mist). The chef, working alone in the kitchen, shows undeniable maturity. Delicacy and finesse are the order of the day, for example, the lovely courgette flower with cod stuffing and the olive oil sabayon accompanying the cod tournedos, or the mackerel and its marinated cucumber ravioli.

An enthusiastic young couple is at the helm of this family - run inn on the village square. In the kitchen, Simon hops between traditional (eggs in red wine sauce, marbled, seasoned ham, coq au vin) and more modern creations; Maude ensures that her guests’ every need is met in the dining room. Definitely to be recommended.