Burgundy is the dream, isn’t it? Oenophiles, what can I say – the best wines (in my biased opinion) come from Burgundy and foodies, welcome to the land of hearty, French country cooking.
For my recent trip to Burgundy in July, I spent hours researching on the best places to eat. Considering that I had just four days in Burgundy and limited space in le ventre, I could only have visited some of the places that I mention below.
But rest assured, the rest of the recommendations come from foodies familiar with Burgundy. I managed to walk by to check out the vibes for most of them, and these places were filled to the brim with contented-looking diners.
Best Restaurants in Burgundy:
Ma Cuisine:
Ma Cuisine is a Beaune institution. While it bills itself as a Wine bar, no wonder when Richebourg, Chateau d’Yquem and Romanée-Conti sit pretty waiting to be savoured, the food here is nothing to be sniffed at.
In fact, many have recognised the quality of its cuisine as a hearty ode to Burgundy cooking.
The only other Ma Cuisine in the world is here in Singapore, one that is clearly doing very well, gaining a Michelin star within a year of opening. Check out my full review of both Ma Cuisines.
Le Montrachet:
The lovely garden-side seating just serves to highlight the food and ambience at this restaurant. We had booked this for my hubby’s birthday lunch, and it certainly suited the occasion. Two options for the degustation were available and we had one of each type. Several beautiful wines are available by the glass, and the wine list pays homage to the pinnacle of white burgundies from Puligny-Montrachet.
Stéphane Derbord:
Now, this isn’t in Beaune, it’s in Dijon, but in case you visit Dijon while in Burgundy, this is an absolute must-try. Not for the fact that it has a Michelin star, but for the creative usage of ingredients to create simply delicious fine dining French food. Full review of Stéphane Derbord here.
We didn’t have time to explore Dijon too much, so this is the only restaurant we had booked in Dijon.
La Parenthèse:
We stumbled across this one. It looked quite different from the other typical bars and brasseries in Beaune. The setup is of someone’s home – furniture strewn together to present a cosy vibe, with a very welcoming little courtyard.
The menu is petit but it’ll be perfect for those who need a break from analysing heavy Burgundy bibles. Likewise with the food presenting simple charcuterie and cheese platters. But great for a chilled night out.
Burgundy restaurants we wish we could have visited:
Le Relais de Saulx:
Oh I really wanted to go to this one, but unfortunately I was not able to book it in advance – so no chance. Billing itself as a restaurant “bistronomique”, the menu seems really special with interesting twists, great if you’ve had one too many Boeuf Bourguignon?
L’Ardoise:
A restaurant that has good reviews online, the focus is on traditional and regional cuisine, served with a modern flair. Sounded just like what I would have enjoyed. Unfortunately, they were closed for the period I was there.
Le Millesime:
Another one that was closed for the day I wanted. I did end up there in a way, as I did a wine tasting at the cellar below it when I was in Chambolle-Musigny. But didn’t have the luck to try their classical Burgundian dishes.
Le Bout du Monde:
Popular with locals, this wine bar is from the previous co-manager of Ma Cuisine. So, you can imagine the same laser-sharp focus on quality wines. Again, food is a secondary accompaniment to the wine, so expect small bites.
La Dilletente:
A place I wanted to try based on the recommendation of a sommelier. So yes again, more of a wine bar. Bookings could only be made via the phone, and I thought I might be able to make it in person 4 days in advance when I was in Beaune itself.
But I thought wrong. It was closed for 3 nights of the 4 anyway, but on the last night that I was there, it was open and it was buzzing.
La Lune:
Likewise with Luna, a hipster vibe surrounds it, and it was packed every night I walked past. It’s all French-Japanese fusion fare, so perfect for a change from Burgundian classics.
Au Fil du Zinc:
If we had made our way to Chablis, this is the recommended place to visit. The Japanese chef who had previously worked with Joel Robuchon puts his touches on the classic fare of Burgundy.
The one we would have gone to had Paul Bocuse not come in our way:
Maison Lameloise:
This 3-Michelin-starred restaurant in Chagny has been around for nearly a century and has appeared in the guide since 1926, and shows no signs of letting up. Needless to say the menu reeks of French culinary savoir-faire and if we hadn’t already decided on our $1000 splurge at Paul Bocuse, we would have dined here instead.
And a few that will do in a pinch:
Brasserie Carnot:
Pre-trip, I had read an article featuring an acclaimed chef saying never to eat at any of the brasseries at Place Carnot.
And here I ended up at a brasserie actually called Brasserie Carnot. Why? Well, while I had made quite a few reservations in advance, I wanted to leave some slots open for discovery when I was in Beaune itself.
And so, it ended up that on a Sunday during lunch, we landed here. We were after a simple lunch of soup and salad, having eaten too much the past few days, and the burrata salad and onion soup sounded good. Plus, it had quite a few local families having their Sunday lunch, so we decided on this place.
Le Galion:
Similar to Brasserie Carnot, Le Galion was a last-minute choice when we were trying to book for a Sunday night. The restaurants I wanted were either fully booked or closed on Sunday, and we had walked past this place several times, each time filled with people, and the menu did have the classics we wanted to try, so we ended up here.
And there you have it. A list of the best restaurants in Burgundy, from fine dining to casual wine bars! Do you have any to add to this list? Comment below!