Le Café de la Poste

In the village of Nâves-Parmelan in the Haute-Savoie department, the historic Relais de la Poste is back in service under the leadership of Maxime Chevardé. Formerly the sous-chef of Daniel Baratier at L’Auberge sur les Bois, he’s scaled the heights of upper Annecy to make his mark with joyful, precise cuisine, in this spot filled with a jumble of vintage finds. Behind the postmaster’s counter, where the old-fashioned stamp machine and postcards sit alongside the day’s menu, he dispatches crisp, polished dishes at second-class rates – but with the quality of registered mail. That evening, it was Jules Chazal playing postman, providing table-to-table delivery with a warm, genuine smile. And what a round! Superb roasted asparagus under a moussey hollandaise sauce spiked with Kalamata olive oil and a zing of wild garlic kimchi (picked from the meadow below); then roast cockerel to share, doused in poulette sauce with a vin jaune base, streaked with the meat’s rich cooking juices and served alongisde braised fennel; before some beautifully soft stewed rhubarb, served with a divine dollop of elderflower-infused mascarpone whipped cream and a sprinkling of almond streusel. Signed, sealed, delivered! //Sofia Lorraine

FEELING THIRSTY? A clear and conventional wine list, completed with a secret selection curated with the naturopathic wine shop Aux Caves du Château in Faverges. Local gems include: Chasse au Dahu, a white blend from Maxime Dancoine and Guillaume Lavie (€6 a glass) or a red Ceux d’Ailleurs by Francis Rousset (€39 a bottle). Otherwise, there are classic cocktails (€8-11), homemade lemonade (€3) or a non-alcoholic IPA from Mont Salève (€6 for 330 ml).

PRICE: Set menus €24 (lunch) and €38 (dinner), cuts of fish and meat to share €42-58, kids’ menu €16 (main, dessert and drink).