Residence La Salamandre

A restaurant, bistro, wine bar and wine shop all in one in the heart of Gaillac. This light-filled space with an open kitchen meets all your dining needs. Julien Bourdariès cooks up bistro-style cuisine, complemented by a selection of regional charcuterie and cheeses, and, in season, a truffle menu. His dishes are indulgent – think cod loin with risotto-style fregola sarda and a lemon and fresh herb condiment. The wine list features over 200 different labels. A convivial location, with a room upstairs available for private hire.

This duet of talented innkeepers (a chef and a pastry chef with a passion for wine) earned their stripes with stints in iconic establishments such as with Christophe Bacquié at the Castellet and at Le Gabriel and Le Ritz. Here, in their own restaurant, Théo crafts signature cuisine that sings an ode to the produce of nearby Tarn with seasonal fruit and veg that he cherry-picks himself from Lavour Market. Sourdough bread made with heirloom flours, an iced tea of tomato water spiked with garden herbs, delicately seasoned gravlax of ikejime trout, followed by blue lobster from Brittany bursting w

This traditionally-built house, surrounded by lush greenery is so peaceful that you forget its location in the suburbs. The terrace, covered by a bioclimatic pergola, is a hit during the summer, while the stylish interior is both tasteful and comfortable. Chef Jérémy Morin skilfully rolls out creative dishes: roast rack of veal, brioche of sweetbread, vanilla-laced artichoke and a gutsy gravy or roast monkfish in sumac with braised baby gem lettuce in a raspberry seasoning, creamy yoghurt and a red wine and balsamic vinegar sauce.

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

Chef Sylvain Joffre promises and delivers fresh, subtle, 100% natural food. This authentic cook-gardener-gatherer makes the most of the herbs and vegetables from his own garden and from painstakingly sourced local producers. Sylvain is conscientious, serious and the antithesis of showy. He aims to serve first-rate food at prices that make sense, crafting each ingredient sincerely and truthfully, adding the occasional flourish by way of jus, coulis, plants and flowers… The tasteful interior is low-key with the bonus of alfresco dining shaded by parasols. Highly committed to the environment, the

In the trendy, hipster district of Saint Aubin, this tiny bistro, taken over by Arnaud Darbas and Virginie Béziaud, conjures up crisp fresh dishes oozing with distinctive flavours. The technique and creativity of the youthful chef, who trained with the best, are impressive: green asparagus and a light frothy sabayon with smoked olive oil; line-caught hake from Saint Jean de Luz, yuzu-laced shellfish and roasted white asparagus; Ibaïama pork, varied textures of seasonal veggies, garlic emulsion and a punchy gravy. In a simply appointed yet inviting interior, Virginie seamlessly manages the fron

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.