Provence & the French Riviera Guidebook
Best and worst restaurants:
Best: L'Aile ou la Cuisse, St. Remy
Why: This was the meal of our trip! The service was so accomodating and the Lamb Shank from the prix fixe menu was amazing. Merci!
Worst: El Nino, Cassis
Why: The owner, who also was our server for part of the time, was rude and condecending to us...my husband ordered a beer to start and he said "We don't drink beer in France, we drink wine." Ummmm....excuse me? We are wine collectors and love it, but he just felt like a cold, refreshing beer! Then, my husband wanted to order a bottle of wine, and again got corrected by the owner, "In France, we never order the wine before we order dinner." OK, geez, so many rules here! We almost left but we loved our outdoor table overlooking the water. The food was great, but NOT worth being made fun of. We will never go back here and I would caution American tourists going here to be prepared to be stereotyped by the pompous owner.
Rachael Paul in Nashville, TN USA 05/09/2013
Best: Les Florets - Gigondas
Why: We ate there both nights and the meals, service, and wine were outstanding. It is worth staying there just for the meals.
Jim Perschbacher in Mableton, GA USA 12/02/2012
Best: Bistro a Vins, Arles
Why: Great wine and food in a nice setting that isn't at all contrived. This is a real place that would thrive, regardless of whether or not tourists visited. This is a perfect example of the best of RS guidebook recommendations!
Worst: Le Tournesol, Vaison la Romaine
Why: This is the kind of place that causes me to look at all of the recommendations in RS guidebooks with a very skeptical eye. The place only exists to make a easy money by serving atrocious wine and awful food to tourists. We only ate here because it was Monday and the RS guidebook listed it as one of very few restaurants that were open. The house wine was swill, only available by the expensive glass (no piche available as in real restaurants in all of France). The food was not freshly prepared with the quality ingredients that are so abundant in Provence. Instead it was the French equivalent of Sysco ready-to-microwave Provencal fare (i.e. a dreadful waste of euros). The next time I find myself in Vaison on Monday (the day when all the real restaurants are closed), I'll plan to put together a nice picnic dinner.
Marie in Pasadena, CA USA 06/21/2012
Best: Hotel Voltaire in Arles
Why: Great prices, hearty food and very friendly service.
Bill and Rosemary in Springfield, VA USA 05/13/2012
Best: L'Artegal in Gordes
Why: There were no restaurant recommendations in Gordes but lunch here was one of the best we had in France. The "lasagne" was a fresh pasta sheet filled with provencial veggies and topped with a pesto chive sauce. Magnifique! Plus a great steak for my husband.
Sara in Philadelphia, PA USA 07/28/2011
Best: Hotel les Florets
Why: Outstanding food, wine, and service.
Robin in Menlo Park, CA USA 06/17/2011
Best: Restaurant de France in Lacoste
Why: good food, inexpensive, lovely views
Neil Phillips in Cherry Hill, NJ USA 06/06/2011
Best: La Brocherie in Aix & Le Bistrot de Roussillon
Why: It's in the Mazarin Quarter in Aix near Hotel Cardinal. Great food and service. In Rick's book. It's the third time we've eaten at the Bistrot in Roussillon and delicious every time. Also in Rick's book.
Worst: Bonnieux
Why: Bonnieux is suppose to have nice restaurants, but we were there on Sunday and Monday nights the end of March. Had pizza one night at the only place open and granola bars, bananas, and wine in our room the Monday night!!
Judy Johnson in Alexandria, MN USA 04/25/2011
Best: Voyageur Nissart Nice
Why: Reasonable price, good food, convenience to Hotel Belle Meuniere. Did not encounter another restaurant during our trip with a similar menu.
On the same street Mme. Arnaud suggested Le Saetone (I think 6 or 8 rue Alsace-Lorraine) and La Petite Biche 9 rue Alsace-Lorraine. Both were reasonably priced with well prepared and presented meals.
Warren Lo in Columbus, OH USA 04/03/2011