From fresh seafood to sweet patisserie, Bordeaux is a true foodie city. It is home to a number of Michelin-starred restaurants, where the finest local ingredients are transformed into dishes of spellbinding originality. Just as important, however, are the more down-to-earth bistros, where simple, traditional dishes are served the way they always have been, true to the Bordeaux heritage. Then there is the exciting immigrant food scene shaking up cuisine in Saint-Michel.
Cassolette is a true Bordeaux classic, a hearty, filling stew of seasoned sausages and white beans, robust enough to cope with the full-bodied red wines of the region. Sainte CroixThe area around Sainte Croix offers myriad traditional restaurants with wooden tables covered with check cloths, where cassolette will be presented to you in its terracotta dish. Just make sure you don’t fill up on too many pastries earlier in the day, as this is a dish to fill an empty stomach. Try the Cassolette Café on the Place de la Victoire for an unpretentious and simple version of this classic dish, or head to La Tupina, a short walk from the Sainte Croix Church, for a more classy, up-market experience.Les Quais
With Bordeaux’s proximity to the Atlantic, the seafood here is fresh, local and high-quality. The mussels and oysters are renowned, but you’ll also find innovative recipes using eel, sturgeon and bass. The quays along the riverside have plenty of seafood restaurants to choose from, with award-winning, luxury establishments centered around the Place de la Bourse. For cheaper and less fussy dining, particularly at lunchtime, head to either the Marche des Capucins or Marche des Quais, where you can eat at one of the market bistros, knowing that the oysters were plucked from the sea just hours before.
Saint-Michel
The Saint-Michel district is home to a strong immigrant community, many of whom hail from Francophone Africa. So for a completely different Bordeaux dining experience, head to one of the African neighborhood eateries. One of the best is La P’tite Afrik, a five-minute walk from the Pont de Pierre. This small, authentic restaurant has walls decorated with African art. You’ll still get fresh Bordeaux seafood, only here the shrimp and bass is cooked with Senegalese spices and exotic fruits – and rather than Bordeaux wine, you’ll be sipping ginger beer or rum cocktails.
Chartrons
This is France, so it is impossible to go far without being tempted by the sweet, sugary aromas drifting from a patisserie. Every quartier has at least one shop dedicated to pastry confections, but Patisserie Antoine, located in Chartrons, stands out amongst the crowd. Its window displays alone are a work of art which will tempt anyone with even the slightest sweet tooth. Pink choux pastry Religieuses sit alongside perfect Petits Fours. But the must-try item is a canelé, a Bordeaux specialty. This miniature Bundt cake is glazed with caramel and rum – decadent, but not overly sweet.
• Cassolette Café, 20 Pl. de la Victoire.
