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Restaurants in and near Cahors
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Le Balandre *** (in the Hotel Terminus, near the station) Telephone: 05 65 53 32 00 Once the best restaurant in the Lot (it had a Michelin star), it's elegant but friendly. The food is excellent and the wine list is incredible. About 100 euros per person including fine wine. L'Ô à la Bouche *?* just moved to 56 les allées Fénelon. Telephone: 05 65 35 65 69 The new location is a lot spiffier than the old and the prices are higher. Intriguing. L'Authentique * 134, rue St Urcisse Telephone: 05 65 22 51 88 Has the same proprietors as l'Ô à la Bouche, which was in this location, but has now moved. Auberge du vieux Cahors ** 144, rue St Urcisse. Telephone: 05 65 35 06 05 An above-average restaurant in an interesting building. Good selection of fixed-price menus. Open every day in season. Au Fil des Douceurs ** Telephone: 05 65 22 13 04 A restaurant on a boat, but not touristy. On the outside of the boucle (East side), just upstream of the Pont Cabessut. Very reasonable set lunch. Desserts a speciality. Le Lamparo * Opposite the covered market (La Halle) on the South side. Where the local business folks eat lunch. Inexpensive. Fills up by 12:30. For those days when you don't want to spend two hours on a meal. In the evening, the service is not so frenetic and the food is better. Le Palais On the West Side of Boulevard Gambetta, a little up the hill from la mairie. Open all day. Some English is spoken. The terrace under the white wisteria is great in fine summer weather. Le Mephisto 10, Avenue Jean Jaurès, near the station and Pont Valentré. The most entertaining of the many small local restaurants that serve good inexpensive traditional lunches. There is no printed menu, but options are announced by the proprietor ( who enjoys practising his English). Several Chinese restaurants serve a variety of Vietnamese and Cantonese dishes. West of Cahors Le Gindreau St Medard **** Telephone: 05 65 36 22 27 Exquisite food in a beautiful part of the Lot. Well worth the splurge. Allow 45 minutes to get there. La Récréation, Les Arques ** Telephone: 05 65 22 88 08 Made popular by the book "From Here You Can't See Paris" by Michael Sanders, it's largely frequented by anglophones. Very good food, reasonably priced. Allow an hour to get there and find the place. Le Vinois, Caillac *** Go over the narrow suspension bridge from Douelle (West of Pradines) and then use your map. (The chef gives cooking classes). East of Cahors Claude Marco, Lamagdelaine ** Telephone: 05 65 35 30 64 A bit pretentious and the food is heavy (and expensive). Dress up. La Truite Dorée, Vers Telephone: 05 65 31 41 51 A large hotel restaurant, not fancy, but a great place to eat a leisurely meal, especially on the terrace on a sunny day. Some general observations Restaurants generally open at noon (last comers at 1:00) and at 7:30 (last seatings around 9:30). If you call to make a reservation, a good time is when they are about to open (e.g. 11:45 or 7:00), preferably on a previous day, of course. Most restaurants are closed two days a week, usually Sunday and Monday. A few are open all day and every day, notably Le Palais (half way up the hill on Boulevard Gambetta) and Le Bordeaux (at the top of Gambetta, opposite the large parking lot). The French often quietly say "bonjour" or "bonsoir" to neighbouring tables when they arrive and "au revoir" or "bonne soiree" as they leave. It's all to do with sharing space. Tipping is optional, but customary at a low level, for instance 20 centimes on a coffee, one euro per person on a budget lunch, 5% on a dinner (maximum 10% if the service is really exceptional). |