Feeling like the word ‘bistro’ is a bit overused at this point? Not if it’s as beautiful as the sophisticated spot nestled inside the Hôtel du Couvent, resembling something out of a Pagnol film and decked out with classy wares (vintage furniture, big mirrors, paintings galore). While chef Thomas Vételé (who used to work in the kitchens of Le Peninsula) shines a spotlight on produce from the house’s vegetable patch or from the Ferme Notre-Dame in the backcountry, Léa Bourseau Le Page (ex-Mandarin Oriental) keeps everything running like clockwork in the dining room, like the night we went: a galactic rabbit and Taggiasca olive terrine paired with pickled beets and turnips from the Ferme Notre-Dame; pissaladière from the Boulangerie du Couvent; top-notch devilled eggs; incredibly tender vitello tonnato; perfectly roasted sardines in olive oil and lemon; or perhaps even a mustardy pork chop, along with an elegant ratatouille; and to round out the meal, a divine lemon tart. // Lenny Vega
FEELING THIRSTY? : Natural wines adopted by the sommelier Agathe Szucka (ex-Auberge de Chassignolles and Les 9 Caves in Banyuls-sur-Mer): En Équilibre, an Alsatian white from Christophe Lindenlaub (€8 a glass), 5.7, a Catalan white produced by Jordi Llorens (€50 a bottle), or Folie Des Grains, a sparkling wine from Bruno Rochard (€33 a bottle).
PRICE: : Dish of the day €12-20 (lunch), à la carte €28-40 (dinner).
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