Les Œillets

At the foot of the Colline du Château, Quentin Altruy (serial jack-of-all-trades) and Jayme Bouche (formerly of La Réserve de Beaulieu) express their passionate love of wine with flowers – or rather, carnations (œillets) to be precise, scattered here and there in their impressive, unfinished concrete wine bar (mega-mural by Charlotte Colt, maxi-bar, giant terrace). While seated on old bistro or school chairs, flirt with some simple but effective, well-sourced small dishes served on vintage plates: intense curried tuna rillettes, tempting Serrano ham aged for 24 months, impeccable egg mayo, a lustful herby cheddar croque monsieur, and local sea bass carpaccio with a zing of raspberry, lime and plum… All this and more, before the only dessert: a colossal strawberry sundae. We’re lovestruck! // Laëtitia Sayre

FEELING THIRSTY? It’s an almost sulfite-free zone: a Burgundy chardonnay from Les Bruchots by Louis Chenu Père & Filles (€7 a glass), Poil de Lièvre, a Saumur chenin from Sébastien Bobinet (€32 a bottle), and Haute Côt(e) de Fruit, a malbec from Fabien Jouves (24 €).

PRICE: Plates €7.50 to €12.50.