36 Best Restaurants in Provence, France

Nadia Sammut, the third generation of female chefs in her family and the second to hold a Michelin star, crafts a cuisine of such sensuality, refinement, and soul that her dedicated fan base stretches well beyond France. Sammut's passion for fresh, local, and "living" foods is backed by the notion that each ingredient expresses itself differently, and she creates extraordinary flavor pairings in the dishes on her prix-fixe tasting menus. Options such as radishes prepared four ways on a melt-in-your mouth buckwheat cake or lightly crusted Camargue oysters perfumed with shiso and yuzu in an iodized gelée are revelations. The Auberge also has five charming, Provençal-style guest rooms in case you want to stay overnight and enjoy a stellar gluten-free breakfast.

At this gastropub hot spot in the heart of the city, chef Julien Gleize applies light, playful, modern touches to dishes that are steeped in French tradition, made with local ingredients, and beautifully presented. Options might include rabbit farci perfumed with wild cèpes and served over a cloud of whipped potatoes and shallot confit or wild salmon caramelized in olive oil with watercress, black sesame seeds, and luscious cream of corn.

Chef Laurent Deconinck won his first Michelin star in 2018, proving to the culinary mainstream what Provence gourmands have known all along—that this is one of the region's most coveted tables. In the elegant dining room, you're assured of a stellar meal and superb wines (the sommelier is expert at pairing the local nectars, as the winemakers all flock here) in a convivial atmosphere. The restaurant is set on a leafy square in the center of the village, and its spacious terrace is a mythical spot for spending a long afternoon or evening under the plane trees or Provence stars. If you feel like making a night of it, L'Oustalet offers three stylish guest rooms.

This cozy restaurant with cheerful planters and original art is run by a young husband-and-wife team and specializes in pasta dishes and regional French comfort food (from Savoie, Nice, and Provence). Dishes such as basil-and-cheese ravioli, stuffed peppers farci, and crème anchoïade (anchovy cream) are seasonal, beautifully prepared, and deeply satisfying. In warmer temps, the outdoor terrace is a favorite spot for the locals. Pair dinner with a stunning glass of the local red, and then marvel at the modest check. 

The dazzling new La Mère Germaine restaurant earned a Michelin star within seven months of reopening as part of the hotel of the same name, and now, with two-star Belgian chef Christophe Hardiquest at the helm, it has further refined its locavore offerings. Dishes on the seasonal, five-course menus (€98 at lunch, €118 at dinner) might include celery root and shredded truffle ravioli with fermented shiitake or melt-in-your-mouth quail suprème with almond hummus and artichoke hearts. Settle in for an afternoon or evening, either in the dining room with its charming frescoes or out on the terrace with its sweeping views.

Whether you dine under the 14th-century coffered ceilings, surrounded by exquisite paintings and Renaissance tapestries, or in the intimate garden under the walls of the Palais des Papes, the restaurant of the luxurious Hôtel de la Mirande transports you to another time. Chef Florent Pietravalle offers original haute-cuisine dishes with a focus on local products, perhaps wild cèpes with caviar and razor clams, line-caught dorade with roasted cucumber and a Granny Smith apple emulsion, or aged beef with Jerusalem artichokes and wild blackberries. Foodies, take note: Tuesday and Wednesday dinners are table d'hôtes, and one week every month the restaurant's cooking school, La Table Haute, invites guest chefs to teach casual, multilingual cooking classes for 6–12 people around a large table in a charming, authentic 19th-century kitchen, followed by a convivial feast—there are classes for children, too.

Chef Christophe Bacquié spent a dozen years at the renowned Hotel & Spa de Castellet, where he earned three Michelin stars, before he and his wife, Alexandra, set off on their own in 2022. Now Alexandra presides over their welcoming restaurant and chambres d'hôtes (guest rooms), set amid vineyards and lavender fields, and the chef is just as likely to serve your amuse-bouche as he is to whisk away your plate—and then ask you what you thought. You'll visit the cellar to choose your wine before feasting on a succession of sophisticated dishes made with ingredients like trout from the nearby Sorgue River, vegetables straight from the kitchen garden, or Alpilles lamb raised on garrigue herbs. Though the menu is prix-fixe only, the chef is happy to adapt dishes as needed.

A cave (wine store) by day and a happening wine and tapas bar by night, this is a great place to sample the famous wines of the Côtes du Rhône—perhaps a local Beaume-de-Venise, which goes nicely with the house-made foie gras. Whether you sit inside or out on the terrace, charming, knowledgeable staffers will pour samples until you've found the perfect pairing for your charcuterie or artisanal cheese plate.

If you're willing to travel 10 minutes to the tiny perched village of Goult, you'll be rewarded with a top-notch, thoroughly French meal at a restaurant that's elegant enough for a celebratory dinner, yet casual enough for a gourmet lunch on the go. Sea-crab soup with fricassee of cuttlefish and homemade aïoli makes a nice prelude to saddle of rabbit with local chanterelle mushrooms stewed with kale (a rarity in France). Top off your meal with a homemade sorbet, pear poached in black current and stuffed with rice pudding, or assorted regional goat cheeses and a local rosé. In summer, try for a seat on the small outdoor terrace overlooking the town square and church.

You could hardly beat the location of this (mostly outdoor) bistro in the shady, elegant courtyard of the Collection Lambert. Hearty lunches and dinners include a fish and meat choice with plenty of fresh local vegetables and salads on the side—perhaps, salmon gravlax with an Asian-inflected cabbage salad or roasted lamb with bright steamed veggies. Wines are mostly organic with plenty of choices by the glass, or spring for a fresh-pressed juice with a spritz of fresh ginger. Scrumptious desserts round out the meal or make a pleasant teatime break after exploring the collection.

Patrick Fischnaller returned to southern France from London and quickly won acclaim (and a Michelin star) with this dazzler just outside the town center. Start off by enjoying a glass of wine (from €8) while seated on the orange sofa in the Art Deco–style lounge before heading to a table for foie gras and smoked eel terrine, pigeon pie, or strawberry soup with basil and black olives from the €70 menu (or order à la carte). But be sure to try the sublime roast beef with cherry marmalade or the roasted cod with stuffed piquillo peppers. The philosophy that wine is as important as food is reflected in an extensive list. Did we mention that the Sorgue River runs underneath the terrace?

You'll never feel more like a kid in a candy shop than when you feast your eyes on the scintillating pastries, candied fruits (a specialty of the Vaucluse since Roman times), chocolates, and other local sweets sold here. At the charming café next door you can enjoy your selection with tea or coffee; there's also a small menu of savory lunch dishes.

This luminous, casual dining room is an absolute must on any foodie circuit of Provence. Michelin-starred chef Mathieu Desmaret's thoughtful approach to seasonal Provençal products and wild ingredients and exquisite attention to unusual flavor pairings make for a revelatory experience far beyond the usual gourmet cuisine. Beautifully presented dishes both delight and surprise—such as a luscious emerald-green velouté of wild-dandelion paired with chèvre and flowers or perfectly roasted Ventoux black pork with tender asparagus and mussels. Lunch features three- or six-course menus; dinner sees six- or eight-course menus.

Tucked away on a pretty street in the center of Avignon, this cozy duplex restaurant with a Japanese vibe is the city's newest hot spot for delicious, locally sourced small plates that elevate the humble vegetable. Aurélie Tomassin's thoughtful cuisine follows the seasons in dishes like squash-blossom-and-cheese-stuffed fritters, anchovy toast with sweet onion and homemade aioli, tender shredded chicken sandwich with lemon and frisée, or spicy hummus with homemade pita.

The stellar period interior of this renovated 12th-century mansion makes for an impressive backdrop to innovative and delicious cuisine. Try the pan-roasted veal medallion with dried porcini blinis and thinly sliced mushrooms with chervil, or splurge for the whole lobster sautéed in olive oil, muscat grapes, and beurre blanc with verjuice. The seasonal truffle menu may be too rich for some (€145), but a €45 lunch menu offers nice balance for budget-conscious travelers.

This ultrapopular eatery on the edge of Old Town consistently serves fresh, locally sourced cuisine with a price-to-quality ratio that keeps the locals coming back. Imaginative dishes like pot au feu de coquilles Saint-Jacques (stewed scallops and vegetables) and mussels in saffron broth are ample and served with flair. The set menus at lunchtime (€19, two courses with wine and coffee) and dinner (€30, €42 for four courses) are a bargain. Choose between a table on the umbrella-shaded terrace or one in the pleasantly unpretentious dining room.

Set in a quiet, leafy courtyard a few steps from the Collection Lambert, this is a good place to enjoy fresh, unfussy, reasonably priced dishes paired with local wines and served by a friendly staff. The pretty dining room's bucolic frescoes set the tone for a cuisine based on whatever's fresh, and you can eat outside in nice weather.

The more elegant sister to Mathieu Desmaret's locavore mecca, Pollen, this dining room set in a 14th-century cloister attracts a chic, upscale crowd that fits right in with the stunning decor. You'll find all the flair and precision that put this talented chef on the foodie map, but with an Asian touch in dishes like candied beets with miso yogurt and kumquat or roasted pollack with lemongrass, ginger, and lacquered leeks. For a more casual meal of appetizers and wine, with many options available by the glass, head to the wine bar and grab a seat inside or out on the beautiful cobbled terrace; there's also a cocktail bar with a menu of creative libations.

Like many restaurants in Provence, this one has a pleasantly shaded terrace with a view, but it also offers truly warm and welcoming service and consistently good food. Alongside hearty dishes like cod with aïoli and grilled vegetables, Iberian pork with chestnuts and whipped potatoes, or classic roasted duck breast, the menu features plenty of fresh, inventive salads—not always easy to find—like wild salmon with shrimp, melon, and tomato confit. At €17, the two-course lunch is just the thing.

This bright, elegant-modern dining room, tucked away behind the church in the vieille ville, is a real find for a market-fresh gourmet meal you won't soon forget. Beautifully presented dishes include a parfait of local wild mushrooms and poached egg to start, followed by perfectly poached dorade with roasted citrus-infused fennel or succulent guinea hen with oregano polenta. A superb cheese plate and the best local wines complement an exceptional, well-priced menu, including a prix-fixe dinner for €49.

This restaurant doesn't have great gastronomic pretensions, but the delicious food, hip waiters, and charming terrace in the quiet, cobblestone Place St-Pierre make it a local favorite. Order a steak with vraies frites (real chunky French fries), and soak up the atmosphere with the help of some well-chosen local wine.

This chic hot spot, steps from the Palais des Papes, is part of the "bistronomy" movement, which focuses on creative cooking, a casual atmosphere, and reasonable prices. The quaint terrace on a side street will lure in passersby, and the romantic 17th-century interior courtyard will keep them coming back.

The relaxed, welcoming atmosphere and lovely country setting here are worth the short drive to the town of Roaix. The affable owner and cook presents an ever-changing menu with an emphasis on what's fresh, local, and organic—salmon-and-sweet-onion tartlette nestled among a crisp mesclun salad might be among the starters, perhaps followed by chicken stuffed with local wild mushrooms.

The service here is friendly, and the food is delicious and satisfying—as evidenced by the bevy of locals clamoring to get in. Dig in to heaping portions of escalope of salmon, chicken cilantro à l'orange, or what just might be the best Provençal daube (served with macaroni gratin) in France.

Summer evening meals around the old fountain and boxwood-filled oil jars in the courtyard of the Hôtel d'Europe would be wonderful with filet de boeuf alone, but combine this romantic backdrop with top-notch southern French cuisine and you have a special event. Give yourself over to one of the great restaurants of the Vaucluse, complete with fine regional wines and an army of urbane servers—and hope for moonlight. The three-course €49 lunch menu (coffee and parking included) quickly refuels before tackling an afternoon's touring.

A 200-plus wine list is a big highlight of this restaurant and bar à vins, yet the main focus is squarely on the food. Beautiful to behold and even better to eat, the Mediterranean-inspired dishes flaunt the bounty of Provence in options like beef carpaccio, sliced razor-thin and served with shaved Parmesan and crispy house frites; a tender zucchini tartlette with chèvre and herbes de Provence; or a salad of heirloom tomatoes, bufala mozzarella, Serrano ham, and basil sorbet. A laid-back atmosphere, friendly staff, spacious outdoor terrace, and excellent prices make this a top choice.

This restaurant, opened in 1927, is the spot to stop for lunch and to bask in the sun on your way up the eastern slope of Mont Ventoux. The food is far beyond the merely acceptable, whether you opt for simple omelets (with truffles in season), traditional options like tartiflette (a baked dish of potatoes, cheese, and bacon from the Savoie region) or even heartier fare such as a spit-roasted pig (for groups of 15 or more). Bikers, hikers, and car-trekkers alike gather at plank tables on the wooden deck or warm themselves in the chalet-style dining area.

This chic new bistro, a hit among locals, was designed with all the care and taste as the nearby Hôtel La Mère Germaine. On cool days, you can relax in its light-filled dining room and watch preparations in the open kitchen; in warm weather, you can sit on the terrace and take in the endless vineyard views. Chef Clément Peine's pleasing dishes rely on seasonal, local products, and the superb wine list offers all the highlights from this wine-centric region.

This restaurant's setting—in a former bakery that's tucked into a natural grotto and lighted by candles and arty torchères—is as memorable as the stylishly presented Provençal dishes on both the à la carte and prix-fixe menus. Try the thinly layered beetroot with feta cheese and walnut oil or the veal braised with anise and served with creamy polenta. There's a shaded terrace, too, by the 17th-century village fountain.

Local antiques dealers come here to eat, and the place feels so welcoming that it would be easy to linger for hours. Chef Daniel Hébet made his name at La Mirande in Avignon and Le Domaine des Andéols in St-Saturnin-lès-Apt before opening this bistro in his own image—young, jovial, and uncompromising when it comes to quality. Off a noisy street near the train station is the gate to this garden haven, with metal tables under the trees and an airy interior with a vintage tile floor. Hébet offers a single set menu at lunch and another at dinner, and the food is so good that no one is complaining at the lack of choice (though he has been known to substitute meat for fish on request): poached egg with truffles, Saint Pierre with a hint of green onion, lobster in delicate pastry, and cherry meringue are all delicious.