Battos

When two childhood friends found themselves at the same hospitality management school and then opened up their own restaurant after graduating, the result is one of the most exciting spots of the year in Nantes! Having worked for Yannick Alléno, Arnaud Faye in Eze and at the Tour d’Argent, Gladys Battault (the chef) and Lucie Colombatto (ex-Capitaine Paris, the sommelier) also took the time to travel (to Vietnam and Cambodia, most notably), in order to liberate themselves from their French shackles. It should therefore come as no surprise that you’ll find carefully-sourced eats from that corner of the world at their bistro/épicerie. And on the plates? Seasonal cuisine, brilliantly alternating between classic dishes like pâté en croûte and bistrological fare with faraway flavors. Straight from the big, bucolic terrace the day we went for lunch: divine langoustine tempura with an incredible mango cream; lovely fried mackerel with a refreshing mix of slightly roasted tomatoes and watermelon, with a zing of fruity vinegar and a delicious aioli; before some roasted apricot for dessert served with shortbread cookie and rosemary whipped cream. // Larosé

FEELING THIRSTY? : Clean wines from mainland France: Folle Blanche, a muscadet from Antoine Delaunay (€5.50 a glass), an Alsatian pinot blanc from the Engel brothers (€26 a bottle), or Le P’tit Clou, an Anjou cabernet franc produced by Bruno Rochard (€23)… Along with an excellent selection of soft drinks, like L’Antidote, an herb-infused grape juice from winemaker Romain des Grottes (€5 a glass).  
PRICE: : Set menu €17-24 (lunch), à la carte €30-44 (dinner).