Garderes

This restaurant, located in the courtyard of an inn, sports a cosy mix of bare stone walls, a marble floor, a decorative fireplace and modern features such as workshop-style glass partitions and wooden screens. The food is the joint work of a couple, both locals, who have set up shop on the premises of the inn that belonged to her mother. Examples of their knockout score include crispy black pudding, amandine, black pork chorizo, squid and smoked gravy; a sorbet and a cream of lemon and Kampot pepper, mascarpone mousse and pinenuts. All the delicious bread, ice creams and sorbets are made from

This contemporary bistro is near the Arsenal, a neighbourhood in the throes of renovation. The couple at the helm includes a chef with a wealth of Michelin-star experience and Laura, a former nurse who has retrained as a maître d' and sommelier. Succulent cuisine in the zeitgeist: beef tartare, smoked potatoes, trout roe and beurre noisette; confit hake, fregola sarda, burnt leeks and cashew notes... The chef takes a savvy approach to cooking, especially when it comes to the bargain-priced lunchtime menu (which changes weekly). The wine list stars wines from independent winegrowers. Bookings e

Near the city centre, this vintage bistro is now the lair of Mathieu Espagnacq, who has taken over from his father, who opened the establishment back in the eighties. Mathieu, a seasoned chef with stints in Paris working with top chefs under his belt, crafts food in the zeitgeist that respects tradition and stars premium country produce (farm-reared pork cheeks braised in red wine, vegetables confit in thyme and gnocchi in a smoky cream sauce). A treat for your tastebuds from start to finish – remember to book!

This pair of Japanese chefs cook lovely creative, Japanese - inflected cuisine, in which broths, seaweed and seasonings show off good - quality ingredients. The interior, in keeping with the presentation on the plates, is elegant and contemporary.

In the centre of the village, the imposing Hôtel Dupont may have kept its original sign but it has undergone a facelift – the terrace gives a taste of things to come, with views over the Lac de Castelnau-Magnoac and the lush countryside. In the kitchen, the chef hits the mark with flavoursome dishes that include a few nods to the region: Noire d'Astarac Bigorre chicken ravioli, poultry consommé with vegetables, foie gras; saddle of suckling lamb, pommes Duchesse, glazed lamb sweetbreads.

The Dupont family estate is enjoying its new lease of life. Antoine, scrum-half for the French national rugby team, and Clément, a Noir de Bigorre pig farmer, have taken over the property purchased by their grandparents in the 1960s. Expect authenticity, terroir and family spirit. The pork is prepared in a variety of ways – it might be finely cured, the offal slow-cooked, the loin pan-fried or even used as a filling for devilled eggs. Be sure to try the duck breast in a casserole, from an iconic recipe handed down by the grandfather. A buzzing atmosphere on the restaurant floor, smiling staff

Australian-born chef Luke MacLeod welcomes guests to this old farmstead, which has been done up in a tasteful country chic vein. He concocts generous seasonal cuisine that allies local produce with Asian ingredients, in a nod to his travels: pan-fried foie gras and kimchi; spaghetti squash tempura and fresh wasabi. The ingredients are firmly rooted in the terroir, and the seasonings are a blend of tangy, sweet and spicy flavours.