Must-see restaurants in Normandy

  • Bowl of Steamed Mussels in Red Sauce. (Photo by: UIG Platinum/UIG via Getty Images)

    La Taverne Paillette

    Le Havre

    Solid brasserie food is served up at this Le Havre institution whose origins, in a former incarnation, go back to the late 16th century. Think bowls…

  • Morning in Honfleur , Normandy , France

    La Fleur de Sel

    Honfleur

    Honfleur-raised Vincent Guyon cooked in some of Paris' top kitchens before returning to his hometown to make good and open his own (now celebrated)…

  • Le Jardin des Plumes

    Giverny

    This gorgeous sky-blue-trimmed property’s airy white dining room is a handsome stage for chef Eric Guerin’s exquisite and inventive Michelin-starred…

  • L’Espiguette

    Rouen

    This charmingly decorated eatery serves excellent bistro classics – think osso bucco (veal casserole), fillet of sole, beef tartare – with the day's…

  • Le Pily

    Normandy

    Young chef Pierre Marion is at the helm of the town's best restaurant, which has been serving Cherbourg gastronomes for over a decade. Expect a lively…

  • La Reine Mathilde

    Bayeux

    With a vast expanse of glass in its windows and set with white-painted cast-iron chairs, this sumptuously decorated patisserie and salon de thé (tearoom),…

  • SaQuaNa

    Honfleur

    This celebrated two-Michelin-starred restaurant dazzles with its exquisite, brilliantly inventive dishes. Chef Alexandre Bourdas trained in Japan (sakana…

  • Bistro des Artistes

    Honfleur

    This small and dainty eatery near Église Ste-Catherine is managed by Anne-Marie Carneiro, who greets guests, waits tables and cooks. Service can therefore…

  • Ho Lamian

    Rouen

    Delicious lamian – homemade noodles pulled by hand – has brought city-wide fame to this humble Chinese eatery. Watch the Hong Kong-born chefs in action…

  • Café Mancel

    Caen

    In the same building as the Musée des Beaux-Arts within the Château de Caen, this stylish place serves up delicious, traditional French cuisine –…

  • Les Voiles d'Or

    Normandy

    For cutting-edge cuisine concocted from top-quality ingredients, this Michelin-starred place is worth seeking out. Chef Christian Arhan has a soft spot…

  • Bar à Huîtres

    Rouen

    Grab a seat at the horseshoe-shaped bar at this casual but polished eatery located inside Rouen's covered market for uberfresh seafood. Specials change…

  • La Cidrerie

    Honfleur

    For an inexpensive and casual meal, La Cidrerie is a superb choice, serving up a winning combination of piping-hot galettes (savoury buckwheat crêpes) and…

  • L'Alchimie

    Bayeux

    On a street lined with restaurants, L'Alchimie has a simple but elegant design that takes nothing from the beautifully presented dishes. Choose from the…

  • Citizen

    Rouen

    Citizen is undeniably hip with its black lines, industrial fixtures and groovy tunes playing overhead. More important is the excellent coffee, and the…

  • L’Endroit

    Honfleur

    In an eclectic and artfully designed space with an open kitchen, L'Endroit serves beautifully prepared dishes that showcase the bounty of Normandy fields…

  • Le Turbot

    Normandy

    A prime place for lunch or dinner, this family-run Norman bistro decked out in sea paraphernalia serves outstanding seafood. Fresh-off-the-boat dishes,…

  • La Rose des Vents

    Rouen

    Tucked away inside a secondhand shop and furnished with mismatching furniture and tables, this very charming and fun establishment is hugely popular with…

  • Le Daniel's

    Normandy

    Tucked down a narrow lane just a short stroll from the marina, this delightful spot serves up market-fresh fare that highlights delicacies from the region…

  • Au Ptit Bistrot

    Bayeux

    Near the cathedral, this friendly, welcoming eatery whips up creative, beautifully prepared dishes that highlight the Norman bounty without pretension…

  • La Cornaëlle

    Rouen

    Arched ceilings, pale stone walls and some low-playing blues set the scene for an enjoyable night nibbling on delicious savoury galettes, while sipping…

  • La Rapière

    Bayeux

    Housed in a late-1400s mansion composed of stone walls and big wooden beams, this atmospheric restaurant specialises in Normandy staples such as terrines,…

  • L'Atelier du Burger

    Caen

    Near the end of bar-lined rue Écuyère, this place does a busy trade in juicy, thick burgers piled high with guacamole, grilled onions and other toppings…

  • Café Dessiné

    Rouen

    Tucked away along rue Damiette, this comfy, individual cafe hits all the right notes with low-slung deco-style leatherette armchairs and sofas, cartoons…

  • Lucciola

    Le Havre

    For a break from French cooking, this ever-popular Italian restaurant serves up ever-so tasty thin-crust pizzas and a wide range of Italian classics, from…

  • Les Saveurs du Liban

    Normandy

    This Lebanese restaurant whips up tasty hummus, falafel plates, kafta (minced meat kebabs) and moussaka (grilled aubergines, tomatoes and chickpeas) and…

  • À Contre Sens

    Caen

    À Contre Sens’ stylish interior and serene atmosphere belie the hotbed of seething creativity happening in the kitchen. Under the helm of chef Anthony…

  • Au P’tit Mareyeur

    Honfleur

    Arrayed under 17th-century beams, this ‘semi-gastronomique’ restaurant serves up Norman-style fish and langoustine, foie gras and a famous bouillabaisse…

  • À La Marmite Dieppoise

    Normandy

    This Dieppe institution is applauded for its hearty and rich marmite dieppoise (cream-sauce stew made with mussels, prawns and four kinds of fish – though…

  • Dolly's 2 Go

    Caen

    This take-out and 'petite sœur' branch of Dolly's round the corner is a small spot with fine smoothies, coffee and wholesome food, including delectable…

  • Chez Paulette

    Bayeux

    This colourful cafe-restaurant throwback to the '60's is an enticing – and lovingly curated – jumble of Beatles-era wallpaper, old phones, crockery, polka…

  • Dolly's

    Caen

    This colourful British-style cafe is popular and often full, so it can be a bit of a struggle to get a seat, but it's the place for greasy fry-up brekkies…

  • L’Homme de Bois

    Honfleur

    The rustic interior, complete with a fireplace, provides a relaxing backdrop for the locally caught fish, either grilled or prepared with delicate…

  • L'Atelier du Burger

    Caen

    At this smaller branch of this successful burger name in town, you'll probably have to squeeze sideways past the punters waiting for takeaways to reach…

  • Le Gambetta

    Honfleur

    This traditional restaurant takes pride in resurrecting old recipes, some from the early 20th century, others from the Middle Ages. Specialities include…

  • Les Terrasses Poulard

    Mont St-Michel

    Amid cast-iron chandeliers and copper pots hung from the walls and part of the hotel of the same name, this bright and buzzing, always packed eatery…

  • Restaurant de la Chaîne d’Or

    Normandy

    This classy, traditional and romantic French restaurant is one of the best for miles around. Specialities include risotto with scallops, and heart of…

  • Le Kashmir

    Rouen

    A block from the waterfront, Bollywood pop plays over this cheerfully decorated space, complete with hand-painted camel skin globe lamps, bright colours…

  • La Capucine Giverny

    Giverny

    This colourful cafe-restaurant at the heart of Giverny is an excellent pit stop for refreshment and a bite to eat or a beer, either inside or in the…

  • Au Tire-Bouchon

    Normandy

    At this convivial bistro and wine bar, specialities include oysters, tartines (open sandwiches; €11 to €12) and the salade tire-bouchon (a salad with ham,…