Bordeaux, France — Food and Dining
Restaurants in Bordeaux, France
Restaurants
Expensive
La Chamade
This spacious Bordeaux restaurant, housed in a 17th-century house, serves traditional southwestern French cuisine with a few spicy Spanish touches. The seafood is always a rewarding choice, and dishes include oysters, turbot and delicate monkfish medallions with saffron and morels. The fried duck's liver is also a favorite here and is served with fresh artichoke confit. The comfortable surroundings make for a peaceful and satisfying meal. Reservations are recommended and the dress code is business casual. Closed Monday.
20 rue des Pilliers de Tutelle, 33000 Bordeaux
Tel: (05) 5648 1374.
Moderate
Brasserie Noailles
Bordeaux's classic and elegant 1930s Parisian-style Brasserie Noailles perfectly turns out traditional regional dishes and has an excellent wine list.
12 allée de Tourny, 33000 Bordeaux
Tel: (05) 5681 9445.
Le Vieux Bordeaux
Tucked away in the heart of the Old Town, this wonderful Bordeaux restaurant successfully mixes the old traditional Bordelais cuisine with flavors from elsewhere. The three beautiful dining rooms reflect a similar spirit with old stone walls and baroque mirrors combined with contemporary furnishings. Prices are remarkably good value, particularly the excellent set lunch menu. Closed Sunday and Monday.
27 rue Buhan, 33000 Bordeaux
Tel: (05) 5652 9436.
Website: www.le-vieux-bordeaux.com
Philippe Chez Dubern
Founded in 1886 by the Dubern brothers, this Bordeaux institution specializes in fish and seafood. The focus is on a light and beautifully presented cuisine, using the best produce, cooked simply perfectly, and served in several monumental airy rooms with crystal chandeliers.
44 allée de Tourny, 33000 Bordeaux
Tel: (05) 5679 0770.
Website: www.philippe-chez-dubern.com
Cheap
Café Bordelais
This traditional and reliable Bordeaux restaurant serves all the regional classics in a dining room filled with wine bottles.
15 allée de Tourny, 33000 Bordeaux
Tel: (05) 5681 4994.
Café Le Dijeaux
Locals buy their croissant or cannelé (a typical Bordelais pastry with crisp caramel on the outside and custard inside) from the excellent Baillardran bakery next door and consume it in the café with their morning coffee: the perfect French breakfast!
14 place Gambetta, 33000 Bordeaux
Tel: (05) 5681 9065.
Le Café du Musée
This fashionable lunchtime haunt on the rooftop of Bordeaux's Contemporary Art Museum, was designed by Andrée Putman in her typical pared-down, chic style. The good-value menu changes with the seasons and offers a good selection of bistro French and fusion cuisine.
Musée d'Art Contemporain, 7 rue Ferrère, 33000 Bordeaux
Tel: (05) 5644 7161.
Nightlife
Bordelais start the evening with a Lillet, the traditional apéritif, a blend of white wine and an orange and quinine liquor, on the terrace (heated in winter) of Le Régent, 46 place Gambetta. Later they head for the animated streets of the inner city, particularly around the place de la Victoire, place St-Pierre, place du Parlement, place Camille Julian and place Gambetta. Night owls head for the bars and clubs open until the early morning hours around the quai du Paludate.
Bars
Caf'ka
The small but very lively Bordeaux café Caf'ka serves coffee and drinks all day, but turns up the dance music at night.
15 rue Clare, 33000 Bordeaux
Tel: (05) 5691 9822.
Ice Room
On a hot summer day the newly opened Ice Room might be an attractive nightlife option in Bordeaux.
Hangar 19, quai de Bacalan, 33000 Bordeaux
Tel: (05) 5700 1015.
Website: www.iceroom.fr
Le Lucifer
Le Lucifer serves 250 different beers from all over the world, and has live rock music on Wednesdays.
35 rue de Pessac, 33000 Bordeaux
Tel: (05) 5699 0902.
Website: www.reddevilbar.com
Xing Xing
Trendy Bordelais gather at Xing Xing, in the Quartier St Pierre, drawn by its fluorescent décor, contemporary music and excellent cocktails.
20 rue des Pilliers de Tutelle, 33000 Bordeaux
Tel: (05) 5690 1583.
Clubs
L'Ane Qui Tousse
The two dance floors at L'Ane Qui Tousse are tropical and exotic, with zouk and salsa music, perfect for a cool and funky night out in Bordeaux.
57 rue de Bègles, 33000 Bordeaux
Tel: (05) 5692 5298.
Le Plana's
Le Plana's turns bar space into a dance floor later at night.
22 place de la Victoire, 33000 Bordeaux
Tel: (05) 5691 7323.
Sénéchal
Packed with students, the hopping Sénéchal has a great 1970s decor.
57 bis quai de Paludate, 33800 Bordeaux
Tel: (05) 5685 1662.
Live Music
Casa Latina
The lively Casa Latina makes you feel as if you're on vacation in Brazil, with live salsa and merengue.
59 quai des Chartrons, 33000 Bordeaux
Tel: (05) 5787 1580.
Website: www.bordeauxsalsa.com
L'Absolute Lounge
The hip L'Absolute Lounge hosts regular concerts of electro-jazz in Bordeaux.
14 rue de la Devise, 33000 Bordeaux
Tel: (05) 5648 8000.
